NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM GOD

NO CREATED THING SHOULD COME BETWEEN US AND THE LOVE OF GOD MADE VISIBLE IN CHRIST

By Fr. Felix (African Times Guest Writer)

This lively expression of delight and confidence

really concludes and sums up the explanations

of God’s love for us, as it is manifested and

given to us in the saving act of Jesus.

This has been the fullest explanation given by

Paul of just how Christ saves us, and how we

are made a new creation and now live by the

Spirit of Christ. After that, the Letter to the

Romans goes on to particular consequences

and applications of this.

There will be another such outbreak of joy from

Paul which we read in three weeks time

(Romans 11.33-36). It is Paul at his best and

most ardent. First, just before our reading,

comes a series of excited rhetorical questions:

‘what can we add?’, ‘Can anyone condemn?’,

‘Are we not certain?’ Then the expression of

Paul’s total confidence in God’s saving love,

from which nothing can cut us off.

In the biblical mind 7 is the perfect number,

signifying completion: Paul first gives 7

hardships and trials which cannot cut us off,

then 7 hostile powers which are powerless

against the love of God.