We "Know" Better

              What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:31-35)

The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)

John Ortberg’s vlog post today was about shame, and he talked about what he called a “Shame Concierge.” It’s that force, that voice in our heads that tells us to expect rejection. It’s different from guilt, which is healed by forgiveness. It must be healed by acceptance. And so we face these verses. Who/What will separate us from the love of Christ? Paul asked lots of questions about the possibilities and for those of us who know Scripture a little, we know the answer, found a few verses later, is NOTHING! And the “yabbits”(Thanks, Scott!) appear. Yeah, but I’ve sinned too greatly. I’m a coward. I can’t _____, don’t _____, won’t _____. To go back to one that bothered me for years and probably still does. “No one will hire me once they see I worked at _____ because they know ____ destroys their employees.” Or, “No one will read my books and get anything out of them.” Or, “I won’t make friends because all my so-called friends have walked away. I’m too damaged, too ______ for friends. I’m one of those people that others have to explain to others or warn others about.”

Now, please, don’t tell me, “None of that is true!” At least part of the time, I know that. But this is what shame does. In Genesis 3, the serpent manipulates Eve by pointing out that if she ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, she would be like God. Whammy #1: “You aren’t like God. God is this awesome thing with which you can’t compete.” Very true, but suddenly shameful. You aren’t acceptable because you’re not like God. Whammy #2: “God has put the means of being like Him within your grasp and denied it to you.” Technically, at least potentially true, but suddenly shameful. Whammy #3: “If you ate, you’d be like God.” The carrot of no more shame that leads to the stick of everlasting shame.

So when we come to today’s passage, we’re asked what can separate us. We’re supposed to recognize that none of the things mentioned can do so, but all too often, we “know” better.