One of the tempos of the Bible is that of separation and filling. From the earliest days of creation through to the end of time, God divided and then filled. God separated the heavens from the surface and the land from the water. All were filled with life. He created mankind separate from the rest of creation and commanded it to go forth and multiply. We can see the same pattern in our next section of Romans.
“What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, 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.” (Romans 8:31–39, CSB)
Even if we are forcibly and violently separated from everything, including life itself, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
Paul asks a series of questions to help us separate the meaningful from the meaningless. If God is for us, who is against us? Lots of folks, at times, it seems like the whole world is against Christ followers. But that is not the answer to Paul’s question because God’s love is greater than all our enemies. How will He not also with Him grant us everything? This again separates the meaningless from the meaningful. Everything, as in stuff, money, and power, is meaningless in comparison to God’s love. Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect (chosen)? Again, plenty of folks would line up to complain and point fingers. Trying to please the mob is quickly spoiled fruit in comparison with God’s everlasting love. Their accusations are just wind when God is our justifier. Who is the one who condemns? Plenty of those, too, but not God. Who can separate us from our life of Christ? Nothing and no one.
This is the irreducible whole – nothing can separate us from God’s love that is Christ Jesus our Lord. All those things that Paul lists heat the crucible of our life to reveal that one truth. Affliction, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness(homelessness), danger, sword, death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, powers, height, depth, or any created thing can separate us from the love of God. But they do provide the fire that separates the meaningless from the meaningful in our lives, like dross is separated from gold and silver, to reveal our true treasure – God’s love.
Romans Applied – God didn’t save us to fill our lives with stuff. He separated us, elect and chosen, to fill us with Himself. His love is our greatest treasure. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care about our struggles. We are invited before the throne of grace to bring Him all of our worries and concerns and find peace. But no matter what comes our way, God’s love will never leave us if we are in Christ.
- Romans Applied – The Crucible of Love - July 22, 2026
- Romans Applied – Between Hope and Completion - July 15, 2026
- Romans Applied – Spirit of Adoption - July 8, 2026
