39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verse 39 continues the litany of things that cannot separate the believer from eternal life.
39 nor height nor depth,
No distance in space or astronomical perspective can isolate the believer from God’s love. God’s power is everywhere; there is nothing that can encompass any domain that is outside God’s dominion.
nor any other created thing,
Nothing in the complete created realm can part the believer from God’s love. Anything that we can imagine cannot separate the believer’s from God’s love in providing eternal security. Paul left no contingency whereby something or someone might separate the believer from eternal life.
shall be able to separate us from the love of God
Verse 31 began with the idea that “if God is for us who can be against us.” The entire argument from that verse to this verse proclaims God’s commitment to the believer eternally.
Nothing can drive a wedge between the believer and the love of God in Christ. Nothing could separate the Christian from the love of Christ (v.35) and now nothing can separate the believer from the love of God (v. 39). The reason for this is in the next phrase.
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The basis for our assurance is God’s faithfulness to His own because of Christ. The foundational ground for our assurance is the death of Christ; the Father handed Him over “for us all” (v.32). The “God who justifies” can do so because of Christ (v.33). Our Defense Attorney at the Father’s right hand is God’s solution to the issue of eternal security; He intercedes for us (v.34). Nothing can separate us from the “love of Christ” (v.35f). “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (v.37). Now God’s love will never leave us (vv. 38-39).
What a crescendo of God’s blessings! This is the majestic conclusion to what God has done in Christ. Everything rests on the certainty of what Christ did for us. There is emphasis on Jesus as “Lord” here. He is sovereign Lord of the entire universe. That is another reason we can consider ourselves as eternally secure.
PRINCIPLE:
Eternal security rests on the work of Christ.
APPLICATION:
God cannot simply love sinners with no reason. He can love them because Christ has freed Him to do so. Christ personally paid the price for their sin/s. He also paid for the ongoing sins of the believer. None of us is worthy of His love; we are deserving of condemnation, yet we are washed by the blood of Christ. God’s love finds its opportunity in Christ Jesus our Lord. The love of God flows entirely through Jesus. Our eternal security rests on Him.
Satan will point out the extent and enormity of our sins, calling attention to the strictness of God’s justice. God’s answer is that Christ died for those sins. The way we repel doubt is to rest on the work of our Savior, our Mediator. His work for us is stronger than any contingency. Our assurance of salvation rests on the work of our Redeemer.
