WHO CAN SEPARATE US?
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35-39
The opening sentences of this chapter show a remarkable contrast with the previous chapter. From the fearful sense of condemnation, we pass into the consciousness of no condemnation.
Having shown the negative value of the spiritual life as mastery over sin, the apostle now indicated briefly the positive value under the figure of sonship. Children are heirs of the Father’s wealth and the Father’s home. The apostle kept plainly in view the ground of our claim. “We are joint-heirs with Christ.”
The final fact in God’s salvation of man is glorification. The apostle first suggested and declined a comparison between the sufferings and the glory. So stupendous and overwhelming is the radiant vision of the ultimate issue of the work of grace, that, set in the light of it, the sufferings of the present time are incomparable. The contemplation of the glory issued in a great certainty. “We know,” wrote the apostle. “What is the certainty?” Note its present tense. “All things work.” Everything is contributing to the consummation. “Things work together.” The “good” toward which “all things work together” is that the sons are to be conformed to the image of His Son.
The magnificent consummation consists of three questions, Who are the foes? Who are the accusers? Who are the separators? In answer to the first, the apostle declared, “God is for us.” In answer to the second, hedeclared that God justifies us. In answer to the third, he declared that none of the terrible things which may form part of the process through which we pass to glory can separate us.
– G. Campbell Morgan – Excerpt from Exposition’s on Romans Chapter 8
The Lord's Day Services
Sunday, September 13, 2020
11:00 a.m. Morning Service – Dr. Larry Saunders (Church open. Click here for SermonAudio)
4:50 p.m. Special Congregational Prayer Meeting – held in the church basement and on Zoom
6:30 p.m. Evening Service – Dr. Larry Saunders (Church open. Click here for SermonAudio)
Weekly Announcements
Wednesday, September 16th
7:30 p.m. Missions Report & Prayer Meeting – Dr. Saunders – via Zoom
Advanced Announcements
Sunday, September 20th
11:00 a.m. Morning Service – Mr. Frank D’Addurno, Barrie FPC
5:50 p.m. Preservice Prayer Meeting – held in the church basement and on Zoom
6:30 p.m. Evening Service – Pastor Jesse Bartz, Ennerdale Rd. Baptist Church
Wednesday, September 23rd
7:30 p.m. Bible Study & Prayer Meeting – via Zoom
Deepest Sympathy
We extend our deepest sympathy to Maud Bennett on the passing of her sister in N. Ireland. We trust the family will know the comfort of the Lord at this difficult time.
Installation of Rev. Backhurst & 40th Anniversary Services
Lord willing, on Friday, September 18th, Rev. Paul Backhurst will be installed as the minister of Calgary FPC. The church will be also be holding special services on Saturday and Sunday to mark the 40th anniversary of the Free Presbyterian witness and work under God in the Calgary area. Please remember Pastor Saunders, Mr. George Robinson and other Canadian ministers and elders as they plan to take part in these special services. Also, continue to pray for Rev. Backhurst and his family as they labour for God in Calgary FPC.
Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting will be on Wednesday, September 30th at 7:30p.m. via Zoom. Normally our AGM would have been held in April; however, it was put on hold due to the pandemic. The financial report will be emailed out to the congregation shortly.
FPCNA Prayer Bulletin - September/October 2020
The September/October 2020 edition of the FPCNA Prayer bulletin is now available, click here to view.
The Children's Catechism - Doctrine
Q19. What have we to do to be saved by Jesus Christ?
A. To trust in him, love, and follow Him.
The Shorter Catechism
Q19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God1, are under his wrath and curse2, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever3.
1. Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. So he drove out the man. (Genesis 3:8, 24).
2. And were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3).
Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10).
3. The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23).
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41).
