Romans 8:39, commentary and pictures

No height or depth or any other created thing means nothing in heaven above or earth below, however great, deep or extreme, including circumstance and distance, can separate believers from God's love in Christ Jesus. It completes the chain of death and life, angels and principalities and powers, things present and to come, tribulation and distress and persecution and famine and nakedness and peril and sword, with the verdict that in all these things believers are more than conquerors through Him who loved them. That love never changes as human love may change, and no circumstance or distance divides as with human friends, for it is stronger than death because He died, more faithful than a mother's love, and closer than the deepest human love. Security rests on belonging to Christ by purchase through the blood of God's only begotten Son, on God being for His people to justify and give all things with His Son, and on Christ's firm hold rather than human strength, for His sheep hear His voice and none can pluck them from His hand. The confident declaration belongs to those who cooperate with God, guard the heart and overcome selfish desire, and allow nothing between the soul and Jesus, and they stand firm through opposition and suffering as more than conquerors, with tribulation driving them to Christ as refuge and the sword unable to kill the soul hid with Christ in God.

Wording and Original Context

Height, depth, and any other creature mean no created thing, power, or being in the heights above or the depths below, in heaven or earth, however great, deep, or extreme, can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus. That security holds amid unpleasant and discouraging surroundings, opposition, hardship, suffering, danger, toil, care, imprisonment, and prospect of death, and includes circumstance and distance. A faithful servant can look back on trials without magnifying them, knowing the joy of duty done and the promised reward sustain him, and through Christ who loves them believers are more than conquerors.

The verse completes a chain that includes death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present and things to come, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. In all these things believers are more than conquerors through Him who loved them. The promise stands with God being for His people, not sparing His own Son but delivering Him up for all and with Him freely giving all things, justifying His elect so no charge or condemnation prevails, with Christ's death, resurrection, place at the right hand of God, and intercession for them. Tribulation drives to Christ as refuge, distress is met with consolation, persecution brings the kingdom, famine is met with deliverance and satisfaction, nakedness is clothed with white raiment which is the saints' righteousness, peril is met with sufficient grace and strength made perfect in weakness, and the sword cannot kill the soul because life is hid with Christ in God.

Paul spoke the verse as settled persuasion proved by experience in manifold labors preaching Christ and Him crucified under difficulty. He was hunted from place to place by bigoted Jews who stirred up Jews and Gentiles to oppose, persecute, and attempt to assassinate him, enduring toil, care, and sacrifice for the truth without complaint, with imprisonment, illness, and prospect of death. Looking over that trying past he faced future trials and threatenings of suffering with confidence of being more than conquerors, upheld by the sustaining power of Christ's presence, and his shout of victory reaches down to believers now. Present suffering cannot compare with the coming eternal glory.

The same confidence belongs to those who keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment when they meet the same spirit of malice and unreasonable opposition, even from First-Day Adventists. The disciples proved the verse when deep sorrow and a path leading through sacrifice and martyrdom left them assured and more than conquerors. Even when thousands are slain, suffering only drives Christians closer to the Lord as secured subjects of His kingdom, leading them to love one another and fear more than ever to offend Him. Faithful believers are assured that Christ will make Himself known to those who remain faithful.

Nature of Inseparable Love

God's love in Christ never changes, while human love may change. No circumstance and no distance can cut believers off from it, even though circumstances and wide oceans can separate human friends. It is stronger than death because He died for them, and more faithful than a mother's love, which may change. It is closer and more complete than the deepest human love.

When believers suffer, their pain touches Christ, for He shares their grief. He identifies His interest with suffering humanity, so what is done to make His saints suffer is done to Himself. In every trouble He stays near to support, uphold, encourage, help bear burdens, and when they cry to Him for help He reaches out to save them.

That love is a golden chain binding finite believing human beings to the infinite God. It passes knowledge, so no science can define or explain it and no human wisdom can fathom it. Its depth and reach are immeasurable, making it all the more astonishing. The more its influence is felt, the more meek and humble believers become, and the more like Christ.

The verse speaks of Christ's love to believers, not their love to Him. His love is firm and strong and sure, and the immutability of His divine nature prevents any change in it. Human love to Him may often seem feeble and fluctuating, yet it never fails because it is supplied from His fullness which never fails. Therefore believers may be still, be at peace, trust quietly without fear of losing His grace, and praise freely in His love.

As Shepherd He highly values, loves, and tenderly watches every sheep and lamb. He calls each by name and cares for them with uttermost kindness, as a kind, caring, merciful, tender Shepherd who can be trusted every moment. He holds them as His sheep under tender watchcare and loves them still more as sons and daughters and children. He loves them because they are the gift of His Father and the reward of His work, and also for their own sake.

That love is a lasting refuge and shelter in sorrow and hardship, where those who rest in Jesus are sheltered and safe through life's trials and forever. Its ties hold forever for those who belong to Christ. No power in life, death, earth, or hell can sever them.

Grounds for Assurance

Assurance rests on belonging to Christ by purchase through the blood of God's only begotten Son and on being engraved upon the palms of His hands. The believer is therefore not his own but commits the keeping of the soul to Him as a faithful Creator, who will keep what has been committed against that day. No created thing in height or depth can separate such a one from the love of God in Christ, and in tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword and death believers are more than conquerors through Him.

The promise stands because God is for His people, not sparing His own Son but delivering Him up for all and with Him freely giving all things, even all heaven in one gift. Having justified His elect, no charge or condemnation prevails, for Christ died, rose again, is at the right hand of God, and makes intercession for them. Through tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, death, life, angels, principalities, powers, and things present and to come, they are more than conquerors through Him who loved them, which gives ground for courage, for working and praying in faith, and for waiting for God in undaunted faith and unshaken trust. This brings healing for every malady and ground for hope, resting on Jesus taking full human nature with its wants and weariness and being braced by prayer to the Father, on the Spirit helping infirmities and interceding with groanings that cannot be uttered when believers do not know how to pray, on God searching the heart and interceding according to His will, and on all things working together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus is full and sufficient and brings light, peace, and cleansing to those who receive it in faith, with moral power to overcome sin even for the weakest, and with a deep, rich, abundant experience in place of a poor, weak, starved experience.

Believers are brought into as close and vital a union with Christ as a branch growing out of a living vine is sustained, nourished, and fed by it as part of it, one with Christ as He is one with the Father. The branch derives all its fruit-bearing qualities from the parent stock, for the branches do not sustain the vine but the vine sustains the branches. So neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor affliction, storm, tempest, persecution, nor any other creature is able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Safety does not rest on how firmly believers hold Christ but on how firmly He holds them, for if salvation depended on human strength no one could be saved, but it depends on the One behind all the promises, the great persevering love and grasp of Omnipotence. Christ is the Restorer in contrast to the destroyer, His love is that of an Elder Brother, and the assurance is doubly sure. He gives eternal life to His sheep who hear His voice and follow Him so they shall never perish, and none can pluck them from His hand even when their own grasp feels feeble, so those who come to Christ and trust His promise of acceptance can be sure they will not perish. Those who love and obey the law of God and by hope and prayer trust His Word by faith meet trials and temptations as Jesus met them, yet neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creature separates them.

Those in whom Christ abides and who put trust in God cannot be changed, made afraid, corrupted in principle, or drawn in affection away from God, even when the earth shakes and the pillars of the world tremble, and even under tribulation, distress, persecution, failure, nakedness, peril, and sword. This keeping calls for intelligent faith like that of Daniel and his fellow captives in Babylon, taking the Lord as strength and helper, refusing the first step in a wrong course, and watching unto prayer. When any soul comes to God as Father, heaven becomes home as a child of the heavenly King and a member of the royal family, holding a life assurance guaranteed by the Creator, and all who hold this assurance are joined to the redeemed by a tie that cannot be broken.

Nothing can separate a living Christian from a living God and His love in Christ. Even when everything becomes unsettled in the last days, God's changeless Word remains sure, speaking as His voice in admonitions, entreaties, and warnings to hold Christians joined to God, and this unbroken connection is the believer's only safety.

Keeping the Connection

The confident assurance that neither height nor depth nor any other created thing can separate from the love of God in Christ Jesus belongs to one who makes determined effort to cooperate with God and become all that provision has been made to be, whose soul is elevated, chastened and purified through the merits of Christ, who believes in God and delights in Him. That assurance rests on a saving death and continuing advocacy and gives reason for confidence in a personal Saviour, yet it does not remove responsibility, for believers must still cooperate, keep attentive and exercise faith to remain in that love. In giving His only begotten Son all heaven was given in one gift with promise to freely give all things with Him, so none need remain satisfied with a poor, weak, starved experience but may reach a high standard, do a great work and become a living channel of light filled with all fullness through persevering cooperation with the divine.

The promise belongs to those in whom Christ abides and who put trust in God, whose indwelt heart cannot be changed, made afraid, corrupted in principle or drawn in affection away from God even when the earth shakes and the pillars of the world tremble and under tribulation, distress, persecution, failure, nakedness, peril and sword. It belongs to those who daily guard the heart and seek to overcome selfish desires through the power of Jesus, living the Saviour's life and faithfully doing duty until made more than conquerors and prepared to stand before the great white throne with character cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. Even when unholy habits struggle for mastery they can be conquered through the name and power of Jesus by earnest reform and perseverance. Such keeping requires intelligent faith like that of Daniel and his fellow captives in Babylon, who took the Lord as strength and helper, refused the first wrong step and watched unto prayer.

Continuing in that love calls for humility and a meek quiet spirit as everything is consecrated to God and strength in Him increases. Nothing must be allowed to separate from that love, and keeping it requires close connection in harmony with one another, lighting life from the divine altar to become channels of light. It requires daily growth in knowledge of God and heavenly wisdom, refusing trust in self, carelessness, self-sufficiency and independence, instead leaning heavily on the unfailing arm and trusting implicitly in all-sufficient power with the meekness of Christ. That unseparated state is kept by devoting more time to prayer and study of the Word, never resting satisfied with present attainments but rising higher in character, pressing close with earnest persistent petition not beaten off by temptation, watching and praying and walking humbly and growing in grace and knowledge until like Enoch one walks with God as light of the world and salt of the earth. Through humble faith and much prayer believers walk securely against efforts to unsettle faith and affections, for the assurance calls for trust, not carelessness.

Protection holds when nothing is allowed to come between the soul and Jesus and the helpless soul is cast upon Him in constant loyalty. Persecution, danger and every opposing influence cannot shut out His presence when there is turning from sin and claiming of promises in faith, for fellowship with God, the Holy Spirit and Christ gives strength to endure, and victory comes through surrender to Jesus and reliance on God unto being more than conquerors. Those who hope, pray and trust the word by faith may be certain no power or created thing can separate them, for trials and temptations do not break the bond and Jesus gives eternal life to His sheep who hear His voice and follow Him. The world cannot separate followers from God when they turn from its influence and trust in Him, for opposition cannot finally prevail against those who rely on God as unfailing strength and help in trouble. The Christian has access to measureless divine power for service, and the cry of the lowly contrite heart is always heard, so no obstacles in earth or hell can come between such a soul and God. As long as a person is true and fears God no adverse power of earth or hell can destroy peace or interrupt communion, for pleasing Him secures everything the soul requires.

Reproach and persecution for truth's sake can never separate a true lover of Jesus, for His love in the soul is all-absorbing and when persecution for His name is borne it becomes a ruling power in the heart with assurance that nothing can separate from it. Many are separated from heaven because they refuse obedience when obedience would cost position and possessions, but persecution itself never drives one who truly loves Jesus away from Him.

Sanctification is obtained by union with Christ, a union no power of Satan can break, and all must experience it or never gain eternal life. This is the only safety in the coming relentless storm and last great battle, a personal safety with sins forgiven, guilt taken away, clean heart and righteousness of Christ by faith, with feet on the Rock of Ages and hidden in the only Refuge. It belongs to those who are one with Christ as He is one with the Father, heirs of God and joint-heirs working in co-partnership with Christ, who eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son by carefully studying, digesting and living the Word until the character of Christ becomes the individual character by renewal of the heart.

That assurance holds even when sinful and imperfect, for Christ gave His life to help resist temptation, and believers may trust His merits, be clothed in His righteousness and stand justified. In the face of temptations safety lies in clinging to Jesus the mighty Helper and trusting God, with heaven open to everyone who does so. That love brings the repentant even after repeated failures to be more than conquerors through Him who loves and washes them in His blood.

As unselfish concern for others is cultivated there is closer connection with Christ, reception of His Spirit and firm clinging so that nothing separates from His love. One look at Christ as merciful, kind, tender and loving as revealed Saviour is enough for a lifetime, producing wholehearted love because He has revealed Himself as Saviour, so that in every emergency the helpless soul hangs upon Him and no inducement or attraction can come in to separate Him from the soul. The love remains through trial and difficulty with hope of eternal life centered in Him, and preserving His peace and grace carries through trial without discord or division though circumstances cannot be controlled. This calls for continually cultivating supreme love for God and love for one another that brings sunshine into the heart, and though undeserving of goodness, compassion and love, failures and mistakes must not be allowed to mar experience by unbelief nor His love ever be forgotten.

Courage in Trials and Service

No unpleasant or discouraging surroundings, opposition, hardship, suffering, danger, toil, care, imprisonment, or prospect of death can sever the bond of divine love, and believers can stand firm and secure in that love through Christ as more than conquerors. The faithful servant can look back on trials and suffering without magnifying them, knowing the joy of duty done and the promised reward sustain him even in life's hardest struggles. Difficulty tests love and fidelity yet is overcome by faith.

Tribulation drives to Christ as refuge, distress is met with divine consolation, and persecution brings the kingdom of heaven. Famine is met with deliverance and satisfaction, and nakedness is clothed with white raiment which is the righteousness of the saints. Peril is met with sufficient grace and strength made perfect in weakness, and the sword cannot kill the soul because life is hid with Christ in God.

No amount of tribulation separates from Christ even when He leads into hard, strait places like Rephidim, because He sees it is for their good and for His name's glory. Trusted in faith, He will in His own time turn the bitterness of Marah into sweetness and open the flinty rock to cause cooling streams to flow forth. He remains an ever-present help in trouble, having been with His people in past experience and remaining with them always even unto the end. Remembered mercies therefore call for praise and thanksgiving and forward assurance rather than unbelief in adversity, sickness, disappointment, and trial, for tribulation does not mean abandonment.

Ministers who love their work as part of life can face hardship with confidence that nothing can sever them from that love. Canvassers in patient toil and sacrifice, even when labor goes unappreciated, can follow Christ's example with joy, knowing neither hardship nor anything else can break the bond. This assurance gives confidence amid affliction and calls for devoted service, with the joy of duty and promised reward sustaining unto the end.

Nothing men do, even unjust imprisonment for truth's sake, separates from God's love, which is sure because Jesus gave His precious blood as a kind, caring, merciful, tender Shepherd who can be trusted every moment. He identifies His interest with suffering humanity, so what is done to make saints suffer is done to Him, and God works in behalf of sufferers who bear with meekness, cling with unwavering faith, trust for deliverance, and advance truth not by force but by mighty spiritual weapons. Even amid trials and the petty irritations of daily life, communion with God can be patiently guarded in assurance of that love.

Obeying Christ as Captain of salvation for spiritual warfare brings believers off more than conquerors through Him who loved them, for He has all sufficiency and grace to liberally supply all who cooperate with divine agency. None need fear the adversary is stronger than the mighty God of Jacob who gave Jacob victory when he wrestled with God.

The verse gives assurance and comfort in death that love holds firm beyond the grave. It completes the assurance that God is for His people, having delivered up His own Son and with Him freely giving all things, with death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present and to come, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword unable to separate, and therefore gives ground for courage to work and pray in faith and wait for God in undaunted faith and unshaken trust. Nothing is to separate believers from God, and Jesus is a present help in every time of need.

God's church cannot be separated from His love or removed from His protection, for He paid the ransom to redeem His people and guards them with jealous care. He allows severe trials to purify by burning away dross while keeping His eye upon them so they are not consumed.

The inseparable love moves believers to love Him because He first loved them and gave His life, giving assured belonging that willingly shares His sufferings while holding fast to heaven, seeing the King in beauty and receiving the crown of life. It means rising from the grave changed from mortality to immortality to meet the Lord in the air, entering through the gates into the city, sitting with Him on His throne, casting every crown at Jesus' feet, and living a life measuring with God's life as overcomers. That love is prized as eternal life on the very borders of the eternal world, bringing moral power through inward grace to transform character and fit men for prepared mansions, companionship with angels, communion with God, and walking with Christ in the renewed earth through constant communion, experimental knowledge, and faithful witness in word and deed.

The love filling the heart is a glowing love that discouragement, despondency, affliction, and trial cannot quench. Believing in Jesus and learning from Him as the greatest Teacher lets grace act on intellect and heart to give clearness of mental vision, enlarged thought, new ideas, satisfied hunger, softened heart, and opened eyes to God's preciousness, heavenly beauties, and promises. That love is a refuge in every trial where the believer draws near and rests, and even in fiercest pain resists Satan's temptation to doubt God's goodness, refuses the dark side and doubtful talk, and stays courageous by abiding in Jesus. Even when earthly friends are beyond reach and people feel helpless or alone, the heavenly Comforter is always present to support, sustain, uphold, and cheer, so no circumstance or distance separates.

The chapter belongs in family reading by fathers and mothers because its assurance of God's love connects with the value of children for whom God permitted His only-begotten Son to be crucified. It is to be studied by those who think they can follow Christ while indulging self-gratification, display, and expensive living, to learn what the Lord requires in light of God being for His people, giving His Son and with Him all things, justifying His elect against every charge, and Christ's death, resurrection, place at God's right hand, and intercession making them more than conquerors.