Epistles of Paul 28

Well, good evening, brethren. Corinthians was one of the largest cities of the Roman Empire, second to Rome, and it is situated, obviously, in Greece, 45 miles from Athens, about 70 kilometers from Athens. I'm just going to share with you a map of modern-day, let's actually a Google map, and where Corinthians is. And you can see it's just west of Athens, and it's like a peninsula, this area. They call that area that peninsula is the Peloponnesus, a very difficult name for me to say it, but that peninsula is connected to Greece, this upper section here, by a little stretch of land here, isthmus, and Corinthians is right there by the sea. The west side is the Gulf of Corinth, and on the east side is the Gulf of Saronic. So there's this little piece of land just connected this area of sea, and for people to travel around, this would be quite, in those days, it was a longer trip of about 250 miles, and quite dangerous. So many a time, they would just take their boats and they would roll them over the hill there with skids or rollers across the isthmus past Corinth to go to one side or to the other. You can see that the north-south traffic, we had to go through Corinth, and there were these movements of sailors all the way across here through Corinth. So it became, Corinth, a major trade city, and in the higher part of the city, they call it the Acropolis, and that was used for defense and also for worship. In that highest part, they had a temple of Aphrodite, which is a Greek goddess of love, and some thousand priestesses lived there. A priestess is basically a religious prostitute in those pagan temples.

So I just wanted to share that to give you an idea of where Corinth was and how it became such a morally corrupt city. When we read, for instance, in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 9 through 10, it lists a number of sins which would be very prevalent in Corinth because it says, do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, nor the kingdom of God. So that was pointing to what was happening in that city.

So it was a city known for a lot of sins and even affected in the church. As we know in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1, it says, it is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you and such sexual immorality as is not even named among Gentiles, that a man has his father's wife. So maybe his father, and therefore his mother had died, and maybe therefore the father, being a little older, married a younger lady, and then the son, maybe being a young adult or someone like that, was having sexual immorality with his father's wife. So it just shows our sin was actually spread out through that city, and it was even affecting the church. Now as we know, Paul went to Corinth in his second missionary trip. I'm going to share you another screen which shows Paul's secondary trip and second trip, and we can see in his second missionary trip that he left what we call his own bison Antioch, and then he went up through Galatia, and he went through the northern Turkey, across to Macedonia, and then, which today is called northern Greece, and then he went down further down Greece till he got to Corinth through Athens, and then to Corinth. So Paul went to Corinth in his second missionary trip, and also we read that in Acts 18 verse 1 and 2, and he says, and after these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And verse 2, and he found a certain Jew named Akila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome, and he came to them. So Claudius, a Roman emperor from about AD 41 to AD 54, expelled the Jews from Rome, and so Akila and his wife Priscilla then moved to Corinth. And as we can see in verse 3, so because he was of the same trade as Paul, he, Paul, stayed with them and worked there. For by occupation, they were tent makers, so they were of the same occupation. We can see Paul stayed in the home of Akila and Priscilla, and at that time we can see that he stayed there, and we can see in verse 4, he went to the synagogue of his Sabbath, and then over a period of time, he formed the church there in Corinth around about AD 52 and 53. So that's basically what happened then during his second trip. Then, then he moved back. By the way, while he was in Corinth, he then wrote first and second Thessalonians. We covered that before. And then he ended the second trip by returning to Antioch via Ephesus, and then via Ephesus, and then to Jerusalem. And we believe he wrote Galatians while he was in Ephesus on the way back at the end of his second trip. Then we see his third trip, and I'm going to share with you now another map which has his third trip. Now, we can see again he started from Antioch, and that is described in Acts 18 from verse 23, all the way through Acts 21 verse 16. That is the third trip discussed in that section. So Paul traveled from Antioch through this area of Galatia, and then he went to Ephesus. We can see he went to Ephesus, and that was probably around about AD 35. And then he makes Ephesus his base for the next three years. So it becomes like where he develops and he works, and basically Ephesus becomes a very important church, even towards the early New Testament church. It becomes a key church area. Later, after the destruction of the temple in AD 30, it becomes a key church area. And as we know, when we read Revelations chapter 2, the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3, the very first letter is to Ephesus. So those seven churches went around this area. Yeah. Let's just look at Acts 19 verse 1. Acts 19 verse 1.

It says, and it happened when Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, it means through that upper regions of Galatia, he came to Ephesus and finding some disciples. So he came to Ephesus and he found some disciples. We see that in verse 2, he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

And so they said to him, we have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. And so we read in verse 3, then he said to them, into, the word into is an important word, into what then were you baptized? And so they said into John's baptism. Now this is important to understand what type or into what baptism were you. And then we see in verse 5, and then when they heard this, they were baptized.

In other words, they were re-baptized now in the name of the Lord Jesus. But if you look at the Greek word, Yah, in, in verse 5, is the word EIS, which is the Greek 1519, which means into. So you see in verse 3, he asked into what then were you baptized? And they said into John's baptism. And Yah is referring to, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. So into means this word, applying that the point reached or entered.

So they entered into, into that. So then we, we see from verse 8 through to verse 20, that the Gospel spreads into Asia. So while Paul is there, making like Ephesus, little second headquarters in that area, he stays there for a while and, and the Gospel spreads from there. Then we read in verse 21 and 22 of Acts 19. He says, when these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia, when these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia, Kaea, to go to Jerusalem.

After he had been there, I must see Rome. So he had intent to go to Macedonia, that's northern Greece, possibly, of course, then into southern Greece. And, but he, he decided to stay there a little bit longer because there was a big work, probably for that reason. And then he sends Timothy and Erostus ahead into Macedonia and probably into other Greece, Greek areas.

So he sends Timothy and Erostus ahead of him. So, but he himself, Paul, stayed in Asia for a little bit more time, for a little extra time. So Paul stays back and he sends these two men. But they were also, as we can read, they were also intended, or maybe was intended later, for them, Timothy and them, to travel to Corinth. For instance, if you look at 1 Corinthians, chapter 16, verse 10, 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse 10, verse Corinthians chapter 16, verse 10, he says, And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

So, Timothy had been sent to Macedonia, but it looks like that he had the authority to later go into Corinth, which I'm sure he did go. So, but Paul started getting rumors and things, or people were saying there were problems in Corinth, and knowing that the city was like a sailor city where there was a lot of wickedness in there, he was worried about what was happening in Corinth, about the morality in that city. But the Provence had become so great that the Corinthians' reverence sent Paul a delegation of three members, bringing him a letter. And we see that in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, 1 Corinthians chapter 16, we can see a reference for the name of those three people that came from there.

It doesn't give a lot of detail, but we can see in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse 17, and 18. And I'm glad about the coming of Stephenus, for Ternatus, and Achaiachus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied, and they refreshed my spirit and yours, therefore acknowledge such men. So these three people came, and it is very possible that they brought him a letter from the Leavers in the church in Corinth, and he then realized the problems in Corinth were far greater than he had thought.

And so while he's in Ephesus at this time, Paul writes back 1 Corinthians to tackle the problems and to answer some of the questions. And this was probably around the Passover season, the reason I say that is because when you read in 1 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 8, and it says, therefore let us keep the feast not of the old leaven, and so it's talking about the feast of unleavened bread, so it was around about that Passover stroke unleavened bread season. Now the Corinthian church, from what we can see by this Corinthians letter, the first letter of Corinthians, had many problems.

Let's just mention some highlights. They had sexual looseness. They were not using wisdom with spiritual gifts, like the use of languages that a lot of them had. They could speak different languages. They were not using those gifts wisely. They were lawsuits before unbelievers, between brethren. They were marriage difficulties.

There was abuse of the Passover, like they having a big meal during Passover, and some were even getting drunk. They were false apostles. There was a disorderly conduct during services. There were concerns and questions about eating meat offered to idols.

There were certain concerns about the proper role of woman in church. There were a number of erases about the resurrection, and we mentioned about somebody living with his father's wife, or stepmother, in the confines of the congregation. The approach was like, well, judge not, like in Matthew 7 verse 1, but Paul judged. Paul made a decision for the church that he had to address it. What do we have? The Corinthians church was a church with many carnal problems, but it still was God's church, but it was a very carnal church. It was great a great moral deficiency, and it was open sexual deviancy or deviation. And so what is the greatest theme that we could say? It was the theme of Corinthians. Well, the great theme I could summarize it is in chapter 1 verse 13, which says, is Christ divided? You see, Christ is not divided. There were different groups, little independent groups, and it's possible that Paul would have written them other letters, but it got inspired to have only these two letters documented as part of Scripture.

So with that as a background, giving you a little bit of understanding of Corinthians, geographically, the situation in the church and in the city, let's now start reading 1 Corinthians. And we're going to read, starting from verse 1, chapter 1, Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and Sosthenes our brother. Now, it's interesting the word to be is in italics. So Paul called, yes, we could read it to be an apostle, but we also called and was given the task of an apostle to be sent, and therefore he is establishing his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God the Father and Sosthenes our brother. Now, who was Sosthenes? If we look at Acts 18 verse 17, Acts 18 verse 17, when Paul first went to Corinthians during the second trip, we can see then all Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat, but Galio took no notice of these things. So he was a leader of the synagogue which became a Christian, and it appears that Sosthenes at this time, when Paul wrote this letter from what we can see, was with Paul, and so in a sense it's like having two witnesses giving a message with another witness. Continue now in verse 2.

To the church of God, which is a Corinth, to God's church which is in this town, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called towards to be, or again in italics, called saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. So we have here, they called to be saints, or called saints.

Could it be because the translators, because of a Catholic influence, of becoming a person, becoming a saint, or declare the saint, added that to those words? But the point here is it says, to those who are sanctified, they are set apart, called saints. In other words, a saint is basically a member of God's church, and we are to be holy. We are to be display attributes of being godly, of being clean. It's a characteristic that we in the church of God should have.

Now let's look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Verse 7.

For God did not call us to uncleanliness, but to holiness. You see, so we have been called to be sanctified, to be holy, to be saints. Also look at 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9. Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling? Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose. God has called us to be holy for God's own purpose. God's got something in mind for you, and for me, and for each one of us. God's got something in mind for us, for his own purpose. So let's continue reading now in verse 2 of 1 Corinthians, and it says, called saints, with all who in every place, all who in every place, God's church, whatever God's church is in every place around the world. Right? So it's whatever God's brethren are.

Call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Call on God's name and the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Notice that the calling of God's name, or calling on the name of God, was already all the way from Genesis. If we look at Genesis chapter 4 verse 26, for instance, Genesis chapter 4 verse 26. He sees, and as for Seth, to him also a son was born, and he named him Inosh. Then man began to call on the name of the Lord. And so there were already some people at that time of the family of Seth that started calling on God's name. Look at also at Genesis chapter 13 verse 4. Genesis chapter 13 verse 4. He's talking about Abram in the place of the altar which he had made at first, and then Abram called on the name of the Lord. And so we see that this calling on God's name already existed, already happened, right all the way from the early days.

Then it also says, and I'll continue to read here in verse 2 at the end, our Lord. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 6. He says, Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. So there's one Lord, Jesus Christ. And then it concludes that verse 2 by saying, both theirs and ours. You see, one Lord, Jesus Christ, it's their Lord, whatever God's people are around the world, and also us. So we all have one Lord. In other words, focusing on the concept of us being united in spirit. All right, let's go on to verse 3. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So yeah, we have grace and peace. This is particularly, you'll notice, it's Paul's standard greeting, grace and peace. It's important to think that we are told in Peter, grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and savour Jesus Christ. So it's an increase in grace. So grace to you is, yeah, it could be interpreted as, well, just God's goodness be to you, but it could also be seen as that we may grow in grace. Grace to you, may you grow in grace, may you grow in understanding of who Christ is and becoming more and more like him. And as a result of that, peace. It says peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So peace with God and peace with Jesus Christ. Peace with God and also peace in our minds, in our conscience, in our beings. Internally, peace in our own selves. Are we at peace with ourselves? We should be, as we obey God and we please God, then we should be at peace with ourselves in our conscience. And then it also applies to peace with one another. Now this is particularly pertinent because we see that there were problems in Corinth.

You know, the theme, as I mentioned, is Christ divided, so they had different groups. So these little groups, they were not at peace with one another. And so it could very well be a reference to their divisions that they were having and encouraging them to grow in peace, to become more united. Let's continue now with verse four. And in verse four it says, I thank my God, always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus.

For the grace given to you. So, by Christ Jesus. So we have here, what is the grace of God given to us? Yes, it's our calling. It's our being justified freely. It's our regeneration through God's only spirit. It's all this process of salvation and sanctification. But also, it says here, in verse four, concerning you for the grace which was given to you. They had many talents, many spiritual gifts, and we'll see some of those mentioned in future verses as we go through the book of Corinth. They had a number of spiritual gifts, but they were not using them properly. And he's saying, I thank God, always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you. So it's the grace of the calling that they've received and the opportunity of being able to work towards salvation. But also, he saw certain spiritual talents these people had. And so, I thank my God always concerning them for having these talents. All therefore, let's note that he's going to address many issues and many problems in this letter, but he begins with genuine praise, compliment, or a compliment, of the virtues. And he refers those virtues, those gifts, as gifts that they've received from God, because God is the author, and by Christ Jesus, through Christ. And again, the important point is they receive these gifts through Christ. And so, as Paul is going to address the point that they are misusing some of these gifts, they need to come to a point of repentance and being ashamed of misusing these spiritual gifts. Verse 5, that you are enriched in everything by him, in all atres, and in all knowledge. The word in is not there, but it's in all atres and knowledge, so it's in atres and in knowledge. You were enriched. Well, you were enriched, so you are now enriched. You are now enriched. And he says, in everything. So, you're enriched in everything by him, by God. So, what is Paul actually talking about? Well, let's just quickly look at 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 10. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 10.

So, a sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. So, he's talking not about being enriched with physical things, but being enriched in everything, but in everything, things that have spiritual value.

Spiritual value. And let's continue now reading them in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 5. Deuterion reached in everything by him in all atres. You were enriched in atres. The word for atres is logos, Greek 3-0-5-6. And yeah, in my Bible on the version, it's got a little number, and it says speech. In all atres, in all speech. But the atres and the speech that you're talking about being spiritual, enriched, you could be given an analogy. It could have a hint of being enriched in all doctrine, in all teaching, in all teaching about the logos in the doctrine. So they had all the truths, all the knowledge of God related to the way of repentance, the way of believing Christ, being justified freely. In other words, they understood what baptism is all about and those meanings. They understood the laying on of hands, the regeneration and the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. They understood, in part, resurrections. There will be a resurrection, and there would be judgment. And so, it says, yeah, they were enriched in everything by Him in all atres. It was, they were enriched by God in everything related to the key basic principles of doctrine. So that's one meaning you could be referring to, yeah, there was a hint of that. And all knowledge, or in all knowledge, said they had comprehended the doctrines which they heard, and they were enriched spiritually by the stitching. So they were enriched in everything, in all doctrine, and in all knowledge. Verse 6, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, and so the testimony of Christ is the gospel preached. For instance, repentance is a gift from God. And so the gospel preached, they can repent, they can change, they can believe in Christ, and they can be justified freely. They can commit and be baptized and change their way of life. And so they were enriched that in all doctrine, in all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. It was as the gospel, as the good news were preached, and was confirmed by different miracles that the apostles were doing at that time. Turn with me to Mark chapter 16 verse 20. At the end of Mark, after Christ's resurrection, the last chapter of Mark, and the last verse, let's read verse 19, the second last verse, Mark 1619, so then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received into heaven. So after Christ being with them for 40 days, he then ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And verse 20, and they went out, that's the apostles, that's the apostles that have been given that responsibility, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.

And so this testimony, this witnessing that they did, they were true witnesses. They had seen Christ. They could say, I am a witness. Really, they were witnesses.

They saw it firsthand, and they were confirming what they saw by or through the accompanying signs. God gave them capability at that time to make some miracles, and therefore the gospel was confirmed. And so if we continue back to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 6, it says, even as a testament of Christ was confirmed in you. It was in them that they received this witness, and they said, wow, really this happened. Now let's read verse 7, so that you come short in no gift, so that you are not lacking in anything, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. I wanted to pay attention to the word revelation. The word revelation is the Greek word 603, Apokalupsus, which basically refers to His coming. Look at that word also in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 7. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 7. It's the same word, the same Greek word. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 7.

And it says, and to give you war trouble, rest with us. When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, when Christ is revealed, Apokalupsus, in other words, when He comes and He says with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance of those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. So there's going to be war. He's going to take vengeance, but that's when He comes. That's His revealing, the revelation that He's appearing. Look at also in Romans chapter 8 verse 19. Romans chapter 8 verse 19. And there in Romans the same word is used in verse 19. And it says, For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. That revealing of the sons of God, the manifestation of the sons of God. Apokalupsus, the same word. Look at also 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 12 and 13.

1 Peter chapter 4 verse 12 and 13. Beloved, do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.

But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, same word, that you may also be glad with exceeding joy. When His glory is revealed. And so continue going back to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 7. So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, the coming, the appearance of Jesus Christ. Let's now read verse 8. Who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Who will also confirm? Now, yeah, in verse 8, it says, who will also confirm you? And look at verse 6. Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short of no gift, Christ's coming, who will also confirm you?

And this is word 950, the bayou, will establish you. So just like the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, through miracles, was proven, was firm, God will also confirm you, will establish you.

This is a very encouraging and powerful statement. God will also confirm you to the end. He will establish you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's look a little bit more about this principle that God will confirm you, will establish you, will make sure that you will make it. Look at Romans 14 verse 4.

And when I say, make sure that you will make it, provided you don't throw it away, or I don't throw it away, but God will never leave or forsake us. So let's look at Romans 14 verse 4.

Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or fails. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

You see, God is able to make us stand without failing.

I mean, often sometimes we may think, well, will I make it? God says, God is faithful, for God is able to make you stand. That is so encouraging, Brethren. Look at chapter 16 of Romans. Romans chapter 16 verse 25. Now to him who is able to establish you. In other words, God is able to confirm you, is able to make sure that you stand. That's what it says. Who is able to establish you.

According to my gospel, says Paul, according to this gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began. You see, God has a plan. God has a plan for us. And according to this plan, God is able to establish you.

And he says, according to his plan, the plan which was kept secret, people don't know it, it's only revealed now that we're going to be sons and daughters of God. It's clearly revealed through Christ's sacrifice. We start understanding. And he says, and this was secret since the world began. But God is able to establish you. You see that in verse 25. Look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 23 and 24.

Now, may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, make you completely holy and separate. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you, he is faithful, and also, who also will do it. 2 Thessalonians chapter 5. God will do it.

God wants you and I in the kingdom.

That's his plan. He will do it. He is able to establish you, to make you stand. He will do it. He is faithful. He has called us. He is faithful. He will never leave or forsake us. He will do it. Look at Jude. Jude, just before the book of Revelation, Jude. Okay, there's only one chapter, so the last two verses. Jude 1, 24 and 25.

Now, to him who is able to keep you from stumbling. God is able to keep you from stumbling. God is able to present you faultless before the presence of his glory-fixing joy. To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. God is able to keep you from stumbling. He is faithful. He will do it. He will establish you. He is able to make you stand. And now, going back to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 8, he says, he, as we read in verse 6, as the testimony of Christ, as it was confirmed in you, in verse 8, you will also confirm you. You will also establish you to the very end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And verse 9, God is faithful by whom you are called. God is faithful by whom you are called.

You see, you'll never be tempted beyond what you are able, because you'll make a way of escape for you and for me. That's what we're reading. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13.

No temptation has overtaken you, except such is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it. And so continue reading 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 9. God is faithful by whom you are called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. You and I are to be co-heirs with Christ, co-heirs of his glory. That's what we read in Romans. Turn with me to Romans chapter 8 verse 17. Romans chapter 8 verse 17.

Chapter 8 verse 17. And if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, heirs into the fellowship of Jesus Christ, if, if indeed we suffer with him, that we also may be glorified together. Look at verse 30. Look at verse 30. Moreover, whom he predestined, he also called. God is predestined, you and I, and mankind, to be in his kingdom. That's his plan. Well, some is called now, others you call later. And whom he called, he also justified. He also made us right before him. Gratus.

And whom he justified, these he also glorified. It is as good as if it has already happened. Of course, you and I are not yet glorified, but to God, it's already, quote unquote, history. It's already happened. Well, it is as if it has already happened. In other words, he's faithful, he will do it. The only thing that can stop you and I from being there is you and I throwing it away. You and I are free moral agents. God doesn't want you to throw it away, but God will establish you. God is able to make you stand. He will do it. He is able to keep you from stumbling. Look at verse 31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Yes, who can be against us? Look at verse 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? God loves you. Christ loves you. He's not going to give you up. Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword? Nothing will separate us from the love God as for you and I. Look at verse 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.