The Love of God......

Romans 8: 34-39



Rom 8:34
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

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.


What an encouraging passage of scripture!  I love how God ask the question, " Who is he that condemneth?  He is bringing to our mind that it is the enemy of our soul, Satan.  For there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Then he goes on to remind me that Jesus Christ died for me, He rose again, and now...yes now....He is at the right hand of God making intercession for me.   Is that not awesome!  

In verse 35 I find it interesting that The Lord uses the word Who, which denotes a person, yet all the words following; tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword are things we would look at as events or things.  However, is it possible that The Lord Jesus is reminding us that there is a who behind each of these "events."  And even those these events are difficult, that who cannot separate me/us from Him, in Christ Jesus.  Yes, I think it is,  because He goes onto tell us in verse 36 and 37 that in these "events" or times of trouble, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!  As God continues in verse 38 and 39, He lists all the "things" that I could think would cause me to be separated from God's love and tells me that even all these things will not separate me from the love of God, that I have in Christ Jesus.   For God's love towards me is dependent upon Him, not me.  There is nothing that I can do to earn His love, it has been given in Christ Jesus.  What a beautiful gift!  
I took the time to look up the word love this morning, as I wanted to see which love was being used in this verse, Romans 8:35. There are other Greek words translated as love but each with different meanings.   It was " agape" translated into love in this passage.   Some of the other usages of this word is  affection, good will, love, benevolence ( also known as kindness), and brotherly love.  

I plugged these words into this passage for myself and was so encouraged as I thought about each one.  

Here is what it looked like: 
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Replace each word above for love and then personalize it. 

Who shall separate me from the affection of Christ? 
Who shall separate me from the good will of Christ?
Who shall separate me from the benevolence or kindness of Christ? 
Who shall separate me from the brotherly love of Christ?  

Oh, I know it can be hard to believe when all those "events" happen, but dear ones, we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord.  He demonstrated each one of the ways of love on the cross, and nothing, or no one, can change that.  No matter what the enemy whispers to your soul, believe the truth, nothing can separate you from God's love in Christ Jesus.  You may fail, you may make mistakes, you make get angry at all that is happening but you will be more than a conqueror in Christ, it may not be here dear one, but it will be.