Paul Answers His Own Question

Paul Answers His Own Question

Romans 8: 38&29 NKJV

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

   Paul spent the first seven chapters of Romans building the case that we are to live by faith in God and not by the old Law.  The Law brings death but faith in God brings life.  Then he gets to what we know as chapter eight and Paul hits his stride and writes some of the most precious promises in the New Testament.  When he gets towards the end of this passage he asks the question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”  The last part of this chapter is where Paul answers his own question. 

   First we find out Paul says he was persuaded.  Being persuaded is better than being “sold” on an idea.  He wasn’t talking about some good idea he read and was passing on, he was writing about something he had learned about through experience.  My thoughts are that he saw God’s love from the many Christians he persecuted.  He saw Stephen asking forgiveness for the ones who condemned him and then stoned him.  And then there was Ananias, who came to him and prayed for him to have his eyesight restored - a Christian going to pray for healing for the chief persecutor!  Then Barnabas taking him to Jerusalem and helping him begin his ministry.  Paul had lots of experience with God’s love.  Here he says he was persuaded. 

   So if he said he was persuaded that nothing could separate us from the love of God, and left it there, it would be a good ending to this chapter.  But he goes on to make his point a little more.  First he tells us that neither death nor life can separate us from God’s love.  Nothing in your life can separate you from God’s love and even death will not do it.  Period.  You can go now; you know all you need to know.

   But he goes even farther.  “Nor angels nor principalities nor powers…”  Here I see him telling us of the enemy’s agents that work to hinder our Christian walk.  No power of Hell can come between you and God.  If they could, they would, but they can’t!  God is in control and He’s more awesome than all Hell combined.  They don’t have the power to separate you from God’s love.  That’s a promise you need to hear and let it get under your skin and into your heart.  You need to know this when you’re under attack by the enemy.  They cannot separate you from God.  They cannot stop God from loving you and He will never, never, never leave you alone in your fight.  He loves you and will help you in times of trouble.    

   So far Paul’s covered life and death and the enemy, so what’s next?  How about things present and things to come?  Notice he doesn’t mention the past because what’s past is over and forgiven and washed clean by Christ’s blood and so doesn’t matter anyway.  And nothing in this present life can separate you from God.  You can make mistakes and fall away but God will never stop loving you.  You can hurt God and you can hurt others but you’ll never stop God from loving you.  And things to come indicates that the same will hold true no matter what happens in the future.  Nothing in life now or in the future can come between God and you. 

   Ok, Paul, got it!  But he goes on with more.  Neither height nor depth tells me that if I go to the highest mountain or descend into the deepest pit God will still love me.  I can’t go anywhere and be out of God’s Presence or separated from God’s love.    

   Then, just to be sure he didn’t miss anything by telling us that neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor the present nor the future nor height nor depth can separate us from God’s love he adds “nor any other created thing.”  Since all things were created except God Himself, this already all-inclusive statement becomes even more all-inclusive.  Paul is saying that even after he mentioned everything and every scenario through all of time, just so you get it he’s added everything in the whole universe.  Nothing created can come between us and God’s love.  That’s nothing human, supernatural, physical, emotional, present or future, all rolled together.  Nothing.  NOTHING can separate you from God’s love.

   By this time, I hope you’ve seen the truth is this passage.  Nothing can separate us from God’s love.  God is love.  It’s His nature and what we have the most experience with.  God decided to love mankind (and womankind) before He even created the world.  Jesus already committed His life to the cross before there was wood to make one.  “For God so loved the world…”  I have been asked why God cares so much for us.  Because He is love and when you love with your whole being that’s what results.  You love.  And because of Who He is; He will not permit anything to cut you off from that love. 

Stephen Cram                                                     November 17, 2013                     

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.