What can Separate Us?

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

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.

Romans 8:37–39 ESV

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.

The Word Love gets has many uses. Someone might say they love their car, or they love their dog, or even I love my boots. Yet each one of these loves fades aways. Eventually your car rusts and that Love you once had for it fades.

The Love you feel for your dog or any pet eventually becomes less of a main thought but more of a memory.

Eventually my wife will make me throw my books away because they will become too stinky to be in our house, and I will get a new pair that I love.

Our love can be fleeting and sometimes fades, such as a young couple who on their weeding day are so in love that there is no measurement for it, then as the hardships come in life and things change, the couple who once said “till death do we part” is now saying I break this vow.

God’s uses the word love many times through out the Bible and it does have different meanings within the context of certain passages, but here in our text Paul speaks of a love that God has for those who trust and believe in Him.

Paul asks “What shall we say to these things?” What is our response to the next statements that Paul makes about God?

Romans 8:

Romans 8:32 ESV

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?

Paul begins with the acted that brought salvation. God “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.” God loves is shown in the gospel message-

John 3:16–17 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The motivation for God was love. God so loved He gave, He sacrificed in order that we who believe might find eternal life.

When did God chose to show this love? Paul writes in , “ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

God Showed us this act of Goodwill , while we were sinners, while we were enemies, while we were weak. This is the love that Paul asks, “who will separate us form the Love of Christ?” Christ came while we were lost and far away, while we were weak and sinners, and showed us a Love that never ends nor fades, it never leaves us and it never becomes any less or any more than this amazing “agape” love He had when we died on the cross for you and for me.

If our sins couldn’t stop Him for loving us, then what else will get in the way? Paul lays out the benefit of the love of God for us.

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

Paul says, “ Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure 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.

God’s love is with us. No one can take it away, not even death because we have this hope, that when we pass on into eternity it is there we will truly know the Love of God and be in His presence.