Romans 8:38-39

Romans 8:38-39

What Can Separate You from the Love of God?

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. Can Anything Separate Us from the Love of God? – vs. 38-39
1. While Paul could simply say that nothing can separate you from the love of God, that would contradict his desire to fully persuade you of the unconditional and unconquerable love of God. So instead of simply asking you to take him at his word he devises a list of nine overwhelming things that stand powerless before the love of God.

                                                              i.      Everything he is saying in verses 38-39 stands on his previous statements in chapter 8.

1.      Romans 8:29-33 

                                                            ii.      Death (We do not need to fear death because we know it is not the end) – “The cut of affliction for the gospel is sweeter the deeper. A stronger cordial the nearer to the bottom. I mean of course death” – Thomas Browning (a pastor separated from his congregation by prison)

1.      Psalm 116:15 

2.      2 Corinthians 5:8 

3.      Philippians 1:21 

4.      Even suicide cannot separate us from God’s love. There is no unpardonable sin when it is God that justifies.

                                                          iii.      Life (No act that we can do in this life can separate us from God’s love)

1.      Psalm 23:6 

                                                          iv.      Angels (both good and bad – devils could easily be included into this)

1.      Ephesians 6:10-13 

                                                            v.      Principalities (This could be any power, spiritual or otherwise, ecclesiastical, or governmental)

1.      Colossians 2:14-15 

2.      Colossians 1:15-17 

                                                          vi.      Things present (This includes any sin that you have committed up till now)

1.      Romans 3:25 

                                                        vii.      Nor things to come (This includes any sin you may commit in the future)

1.      1 John 2:1-2 

                                                      viii.      Height (No matter how high some one was to go, even there you would not be separated from God’s love)

1.      Ephesians 1:20-21 

                                                          ix.      Depth (Just like height, God’s love knows no physical or spiritual boundaries)

1.      Ephesians 4:8-10 

                                                            x.      Creature (No created being ever made, which includes you, can separate you from God’s love. God is the only being that was never created)

1.      1 Peter 1:3-5 

2. Do You Still Doubt God’s Love?
1. Jeremiah 31:3