ROMANS 8:31-39 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Today’s scripture is one of those “go to passages” when we listen to the devil’s lies about God’s love. It also contains a “cling to passage” when we sin again, and again, and again, and our conscience whispers, “God is not for you. How can He be with your constant failing Him by your sin.” And this portion of scripture is the high mark of personal assurance of salvation, God’s favor, and His absolute and unwavering love for us.
All of Romans 8:31-39 causes the child of God to soar with joy, but let’s focus on one thing. It flows from the repeated word “separate” and affirms God’s serious commitment of love to us which never changes based on circumstances or our conduct as Christians. By the way, that last statement doesn’t mean conduct doesn’t matter. It does, and when the love of God is known and experienced, we are more diligent to conduct our lives in a manner pleasing to Him, not a life of loose conduct presuming upon His grace.
In this passage. there is the great truth of our security in our relationship with the Lord. Ponder again, what the Apostle Paul tells us cannot separate us from God and His love – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And that list includes us. Not even ourselves and our sins can separate us from God and His love so let’s rejoice in such a God as our God.
PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for Your constant presence with me, even when I don’t feel it is true.”
QUOTE: “When God says, ‘Nothing and no one can separate us from His love’, that includes us.”