“35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35)”
Paul is reaching one of the most cherished verses for many. Note, separation is a product of an outside force. Situations that bring suffering are listed. Amazingly, Paul does not mention sins. Circumstances affect believers and non-believers alike. Could it be that believers stand in solidarity with the non-believers in the midst of the dynamic events, as a kind of witness that God has not abandoned us, for God is present in us. As we go through these experiences we are also challenged to identify with Jesus who went through death, to the cross, in solidarity with his creation. I think of scenes from the movie Titanic where an old couple embraced as they gave seats to the young and another as a mother lay in the bunk with her children reassuring them as they faced death. And the hero makes sure the heroine lives. Situations cannot separate us. But none of those are personal sins. Christ died for sin so Paul is speaking to events in life that try to defeat us and convince us God is absent.
Paul continues,
“37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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 8:37-39)”
This is a verse worth memorizing and remembering on dark days!
Perhaps there is a situation in your life right now that the evil one is trying to convince you that you have lost God’s love. If the situation is from your sinfulness, then confession and repentance is in order. But discouragement, fear, anxiety and doubt because of events cannot separate you. If you have not memorized this verse, take a minute and read it through several times and let your heart rest in it. Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 