Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

Romans 8:26-39 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷ and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

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 charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; ³⁴ who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, 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 trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We were regarded 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, 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 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 says: The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.  In today’s text it says: Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  The Holy Spirit not only intercedes for us according to the will of God, he also helps us to know the things God has freely given us. Often the things we ask and strive for are things that God has already given us. We need to stop struggling for what is already ours. Jesus taught us to pray saying: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven… All that we need or could ask for is already fully accomplished in the heavenly realm. What we need, is to connect the spiritual to the natural. We do that by the Spirit and by faith. Hebrews 11:1 says: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The hope it speaks of is not what we often think of hope. It is not that we wish for something, it is a confidence, knowing that although it is not seen in the natural realm it is already given in the spiritual realm.

The text says: We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.  We have confidence because we know that whatever the situation or circumstance, God will cause it to work for our good. We become more like Jesus as we learn to connect the natural and spiritual realm, as we learn to walk in the realities of heaven, in the midst of the circumstances of earth. When we face difficulties our first and foremost response should be to walk closer to God. In Psalm 23:4 the psalmist says: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me.  Even death is nothing to fear. It holds no lasting power over us. It is merely a shadow between the natural and spiritual realms that disappears when we are in the presence of the light and love of God.

The text says: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 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? Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? …  in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus says: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.” When the text asks the question, Who will separate us from the love of Christ, the answer is we ourselves are the only ones who can separate us from His love. No situation or circumstance, no principality or power, nothing current or to come can overcome the love God has for us as long as we choose to love Him. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.  Indeed, If God is for us, who is against us?

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.