Article of Faith: Contradictions that do not contradict (2), By Femi Aribisala

Paul says: “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.” (Romans 8:38-39). I disagree, saying: “Sin can separate us from the love of God.”

Am I not contradicting the scriptures? No! There is no contradiction whatsoever. The Bible says both and we need to know why. It says nothing shall separate us from the love of God, and it also says sin can separate us from the love of God.

Jesus says: “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” (Matthew 18:16). These scriptures agree with Paul that nothing shall separate us from the love of God:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.” (Lamentations 3:22).

“‘Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10).

“The Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5).

Nevertheless, when we hear that God loves us with everlasting love, we must make sure this everlasting love does not come to an end. Why? Because other scriptures tell us it can. They tell us sin can separate us from the love of God:

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

“Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favour and good success in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:3).

Note here that although God’s love is steadfast, nevertheless it can forsake us.

“My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured.” (Deuteronomy 31:17).

Here is the icing on the cake. God says:

“All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds, I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more.” (Hosea 9:15).

“I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you.” (Leviticus 26:30).

The Bible is full of these seeming contradictions that are not contradictions at all. They are kingdom dynamics. You see, before we can internalise the scripture that says nothing shall separate us from the love of God, we must first recognise that sin can separate us from the love of God.

Ministry of reconciliation

Look at this for starters. Must we reconcile ourselves to God or will God reconcile Himself to us? The Bible says both will happen, and that is seemingly contradictory. It says God in Christ reconciled Himself to sinners, and it says sinners must be reconciled to God.

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

“We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Now that is a contradiction. If Jesus reconciles Himself to the world, then we do not have to be reconciled to God. And if we must be reconciled to God, then God does not have to reconcile Himself to us.

But here is the solution to the contradiction. The wisdom of God says Jesus reconciles Himself to the world so that the world can then be reconciled to God.

Jesus teaches that His disciples must deny themselves. (Matthew 16:24). But Jesus never asks us to do what He does not do. (Acts 1:1). He denied Himself by reconciling the world to Himself. He relinquished His divinity and glory by coming down to our level as a man, associated with sinners and tax collectors, and agreed to die a shameful death on the cross for our salvation.

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

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We are equally required to deny our humanity by becoming holy and divine. So doing, we reconcile ourselves to God. Jesus endured the hostility of sinners to show us the way of righteousness.

Similarly, there are disagreeable people that, as the redeemed, we must reconcile ourselves to, not because we agree with them, but because we want them to learn from us the righteousness of God.

Assurance of salvation

Last week, I said God told me personally in unambiguous terms that nothing will separate me from His love. The question then is this: “Why did He do this?” How am I supposed to react to God’s assurance of His unfailing love?

Will it not make me complacent? Since I know that whatever happens, I will be saved, does that not mean I can live as I want, and sin as much as I want since my salvation is guaranteed?

Certainly Not!

When I realised that my salvation is guaranteed, I dropped everything to serve God. When I realised my salvation is guaranteed, I became fanatical with God. When He rebukes me, I burst into tears and beg for forgiveness. The law of my conscience tells me: “Femi, don’t allow sin to separate you from the love of God.”

Thereby, the scripture is fulfilled in me: “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).

Responding to prophecy

In the 1990s, I owned a video shop called Videonet in Victoria Island, Lagos. For three years, it never made more than N7,000 a day. But then in 1996, God showed me in a dream that my shop would make N23,000 in one day. How did I react to this prophecy?

I did not relax, waiting for it to happen. I worked extra hard on the shop. I ploughed more investment capital into it. Then God said to me: “Because you believe me, I will tell you when my prophecy will come to pass. It will be fulfilled on 29^th December 1996.”

But on that date, the income of Videonet, Victoria Island, was not the N23,000 that God predicted. It was N29,000. When I asked God about that contradiction, He said to me: “Femi, you exceeded the prophecy.”

I exceeded the prophecy because I was not complacent. I believed in the love of God, and in the word of God. However, I dare say, most Christians have yet to receive the love of God. They say they love God; they think they love God, but they do not love God.

But then they quote the scripture: “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.” In that confidence, they continue in sin. But when we continue in sin, it means that scripture does not apply to us. (CONTINUED).

Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com