Who Shall Separate Us from the Love of Christ?

Neither “height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s love has been revealed to us through Jesus Christ. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:10-11. Jesus instructs us further in this love of God in which He lived as the Son of Man while He could be tempted, saying, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person . . . . Love your enemies; bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven . . . .” Matt. 5:38-48.

From the above we can see what the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord is. Paul continues, mentioning some of the worst things that can happen to a person, saying: “I am persuaded . . . “nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of . . . Christ.” This love was revealed in Jesus and in Stephen. They prayed for those who killed them, that God might not lay that sin to their charge. Since that time this love has been manifested by various people.

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” This tells us that we need to abide in love in order to gain the victory. Being victorious means that nothing I encounter can bring me out of love. Paul speaks of being “more than conquerors.” What does that mean? It means that I do what Paul did: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” 2 Cor. 12:15. Being more than a conqueror means that my love increases through the evil that I encounter. However, this is impossible without being a sacrifice.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Rom. 8:31. “He who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16. Then it is impossible for anyone to be against us. The peace and rest we have when we are in God—in love—are overwhelming. Paul asks further: “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?” Rom. 8:33. Who is the one who condemns? You can hear many answers to these questions, and there are many feelings that rise up.

You are not in rest because you are unwilling to be sacrificed. It is unbelievable how easily most people come out of love. They suffer defeat and get bitter; they backbite and judge each other. Why? They do not want to be sacrificed; they do not want to leave the matter in God’s hand. Think how restful it is what Peter writes: “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” 1 Pet. 4:19.

It is our business always to grow in love and to do good, and it is God’s business to decide how much we shall encounter and to deal with the others. Then nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, which will again radiate from us as members of His body.