Romans 8:31-39
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, ornakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, norangels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the type of passage that makes you want to stand up and cheer. It’s the kind of passage you could see Ryan Reynolds delivering at the key moment of Summer blockbuster with swelling music and an incredible landscape as it’s backdrop. This passage reminds us that this new life, purchased for us by the life, death and resurrection of Christ is sealed for eternity. There is nothing, and Paul goes out of his way here to help us understand this, that can separate us from our standing before God because of Christ.
What a triumph! The power of the the resurrection means that Christ dwells now, very much alive, at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you and I. He declares us not guilty before the throne, that we are no longer condemned by our sins, but alive because of Christ. Not only were we given this life, it cannot be removed.
In verse 35 Paul says “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Paul has experienced many of these hardships. He knows that many who read these words in Rome and beyond will experience these trials. In Christ, even the most extreme violence, poverty or struggle will not be able to remove Christ from our lives. In verses 38-39 Paul adds to the list, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” In case the first list didn’t cover the area you were worried might be strong enough to separate you from Christ, Paul adds life and death to the list. Neither anything in this present life, nor after your physical body dies can do the trick. Nothing in the spiritual realm can make a dent in your security in Christ. Still not convinced? How about nothing above the earth or below it? In fact, nothing in all of creation can manage to separate you from Christ.
Friends, that is the power of the resurrection.
