"Neither Death nor Life"

“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.” (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

God’s love is hard to grasp, with its infinite depth and the profound devotion He has for His children. Paul’s writing is complete in his attempt to capture God’s love. I think, as usual, Paul excelled under the inspiration of Christ. Paul also frames God’s love in contrast to the enemy's purpose.

Who shall separate us from Christ’s love? Indeed, the enemy tries. For those still in the world, Satan has control over them. It is visible all around us. Certainly, for His children, God carries us through our trials and tribulations. When we become overwhelmed, we pray for relief, and our prayers are not in vain; God hears everything.

Paul refers to Psalm 44:22, a plea to God to respond to Israel’s suffering. The Psalmist confesses that Israel had previously refused God, but they remained faithful at the time. Despite this, they suffered just as we in faith suffer, knowing that it is a pathway to the Lord. We suffer, and the enemy looks at us like sheep to be slaughtered. He counts the numbers he adds to the slaughterhouse, seeking to pull as many people as he can from God.

However, Paul reminds us of the vast, infinite, and irreversible love of God. He reminds us that neither life nor death can separate us from God. He also notes that neither angels nor rulers can separate us from God. I see this as a reference to the enemy, both a condemned angel and ruler of this world. No force, circumstance, or power can separate us from “the love of God in Christ Jesus” when we have come to faith in Him.

For God, Psalm 5:5 says it best, “The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.” God is righteous and cannot condone sin or the one who commits it; as such, God sent His only son on a mission of redemption to save humanity from its sin. (John 3:16). We are saved by faith through the grace of Christ, who enables us to understand the Word of God. In our repentance of our sins, we are loved by Christ. We die to the world and are given the free gift of eternal life in our salvation. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which empowers us and gives us hope.

Do you know Him as your Savior?  Place your faith in Christ and be overwhelmed by the never-ending Love of God.

Grace and Peace