Page 3 - March 2025 - Truth & Tidings

here are some wonderful “noth- things to come, nor powers, nor height nor
ings” of the New Testament, such depth … will be able to separate us from
Tas the words of the thief hanging the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”
next to the Savior, declaring His sinless- (vv38-39). OK, I left one out. Just in case
ness: “this man has done nothing wrong” Paul missed something, he adds at the end,
(Luk 23:41). We cherish our eternal secu- “nor anything else in all creation.” That’s as
1
rity when we hear Christ say, “And this is comprehensive a list as you can get. Who
the will of him who sent me, that I should can separate us from God’s love? No one!
lose nothing of all that he has given me” What can separate us from God’s love?
(Joh 6:39). And we rejoice at the words of Nothing! And that nothing is everything.
Hebrews 2:8, that God has put all in subjec- We need to remember this often, for we
tion under Christ: “he left nothing outside question it often. It might appear that we
his control.” have reason to. A young wife and mother
One of the most glorious “nothings” suddenly loses her husband and is left to
of the NT is found at the conclusion of care for her children alone. A missionary
Romans 8, where Paul asks the question, couple is arrested, beaten and starved.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Cancer is slowly sapping the life out of yet
Christ?” (v35). Then he looks around for another believer in your local church. Do
potential candidates, naming seven in these tragedies mean that God’s people
particular. “Shall tribulation, or distress, have been separated from God’s love?
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or How can He love us and allow these things
danger, or sword?” Then comes the glori- to happen to us? Of course, we could ask
ous answer in verse 37 – “No!” Nothing can those same questions about God as we see
separate us. We might have expected Paul’s His Son hanging in shame, in suffering and
question to begin with “What” rather in thirst upon a cross. Did that mean the
than “Who” because these are impersonal Son was any less loved by His Father? No.
events. Yet Paul knew that the source of evil A marvelous purpose was being fulfilled.
is never impersonal. Hints of that “who” And in ways which may be incomprehen-
will come in his next list. sible to us now, God is able to use the trials
Paul speaks with even greater confidence and difficulties of His people for our good
in verse 38, using the words “I am sure.” and His glory (v28).
The perfect tense of the verb means, “I have
become and remain sure.” He then goes on Paul was no stranger to suffering. He
to give an even longer list of things (and knew what he was talking about, for
beings) that might sever us from Christ’s he had experienced (and would further
love, including the one who is the source of experience) all the terrible hardships he
evil. But with boldness Paul declares, “For mentioned here and more (2Co 11:23-27),
I am sure that neither death nor life, nor yet he still basked in Christ’s love for him
angels nor rulers, nor things present nor (Gal 2:20; Eph 3:19). And you were ques-
tioning God’s love because the car broke
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the ESV. down this week!

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