What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then can condemn? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
—Romans 8:31-39 (TNIV)
Here is my favorite NT passage of Scripture. Paul is summarizing his grand exposition in Romans 8 as well summarizing as our Christian hope and destiny.
What are “these things” to which Paul is responding? Look back in chapter 8 for the answers. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (v1). We have been set free from the law of sin and death by Jesus’ death on the cross and through the working of the Spirit within us (2-4). Similarly, we have God’s very Spirit working in us and transforming us (9-10). Those who have the Holy Spirit living in us (as evidenced by our good works) are children of God and heirs of his promises to us (14-16). While we may have to suffer for a season, we have the New Creation to look forward to and we can count on the Holy Spirit’s help to sustain us in our trials (18-27). And despite our trials, we know that God works for good in all things for those who love him (28), in part because he has given us himself in Christ and through the Holy Spirit.
If all this is true, says Paul, who or what (besides our own conscious choice) can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ? Can other humans do it? Nope. How about spiritual powers greater than our own? Nope (because while the powers and principalities may be stronger than we are, they are not stronger than God). How about anything else in God’s created order? Nope. God has demonstrated his love for us in giving us himself manifested in Jesus and through his living Presence within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t idle speculation. We simply have to open our eyes to the truth of it as well as our minds.
This is our Christian hope and this is our Christian destiny. It is a free gift offered to everyone. Only a closed mind and a proud heart can prevent us from claiming God’s great gift to us. Choose light, not the darkness.