Useful Bible Studies > Romans Commentary > chapter 8
Paul has given himself the task to examine whether anything can separate God’s people from Christ’s love for them (verse 35). To answer that, Paul must deal with anything and anyone that has power over our lives. We must be able to see that none of these things can separate God’s people from the love of Christ.
In many people’s opinion, nothing seems greater than those things that can cause the life or death of their bodies. That is because death will separate them from everything in this world (Ecclesiastes 9:6).
Christians should think differently about these matters. They should care deeply about the lives of other people (Mark 10:43-44); but they should not think selfishly about their own lives (Mark 10:17-31). Because they are God’s people, they belong to him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). So, if they live, they live for Christ. If they die, they go to be with him in heaven (Philippians 1:21-23). Therefore, even death cannot destroy Christ’s love for them. Instead, by the love of Christ, they overcome death.
Of course, we are often in circumstances where we do not have much control over our own lives. In our natural world, powerful rulers have authority over us, and strong people can use their power against us. In addition, battles in the spirit world affect our lives (Ephesians 6:12), between angels (God’s servants) and demons (the devil’s servants). Perhaps we worry about our present troubles; perhaps we worry even more about future troubles.
However, the love of God, which he shows us in Jesus Christ, is stronger than any of these things (John 3:16; 1 John 4:16). By that love, God makes people who were his enemies, into his children (Romans 5:8; Romans 8:16-19; 1 John 3:1). As the children of God, God’s people will live with him always (Revelation 21:7). Nothing will separate them from his love.
Next part: Nothing can separate us from God's love (Romans 8:39)
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