Reading through Romans-Oh, the enduring Love!!

Romans 8:35, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"

Since God set His love upon you in eternity past, He will continue to love you for all eternity. Paul makes this point inextricably clear by emphasizing the love of God or Christ three times in this section (8:35, 37, 39; cf. 5:5-8). Furthermore, the verb “separate” (chorizo) bookends this section (8:35, 39), confirming that there is no separation in your relationship with God. Paul begins with the question that is potentially the most critical question a Christian can ask: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (8:35a) Of course, the answer is: No one can separate us from the love of Christ.  However, you may say, “But I don’t feel like I love Christ all the time.” No, you misread 8:35a. It’s not who is going to separate us from our love for Christ, but who is going to separate us from Christ’s love for us. I don’t know about you, but my love for Christ can fluctuate between hot and cold. If my salvation depends upon the fervency of my love for Christ, I would have already been cast into hell. Thankfully, my salvation does not depend upon my love for Christ; rather, it depends upon Christ’s love for me. His life, death, resurrection, and intercession have secured my eternal destiny. The only reason that I will spend eternity with God is because of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Paul knows his original Roman recipients are suffering, so he brings up a list of potential obstacles to his claim that there is no separation with God: “Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (8:35b) Paul emphasizes both the deprivations and insecurities of life. He includes a list of seven. Interestingly, it is likely that the list itself reflects the very difficulties Paul went through in his ministry (see 2 Cor 11:26-27; 12:10). He experienced the first six items, and the seventh was always threatening him. Paul seems to imply that you can expect some of these trials as well. They may rock your faith, but God will see you through as He did with Paul.

Dearest Lord God, Thank you for your infinite and enduring love for me!  Thank you for loving me consistently even though I sometimes wander and wonder.  I do love you!