Romans 8:38-39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul now reaches the height of the chapter and the whole letter with this proclamation. In poetic language, he shouts with confidence that nothing can separate us from God’s love which is found and experienced “in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The first pair of death and life so the resurrection power at work in those who believe. This expresses our hope for eternal life. Angels or rulers show God’s cosmic sovereignty at work in Jesus, at whose name “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil 2:10). “Things present or to come” show that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. He is the Incarnate one who entered time but also the one who is outside of time and controls it, through whom Father spoke creation into existence. “Powers” emphasizes that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. “Height nor depth” add a poetic way of saying that the things we consider big or small, including people, powers, and situations, cannot stand up to the power of God at work in Jesus. And then Paul adds the catch-all “nor anything else in all creation.” That sums up everything, since God created all that exists (this would add support for the idea of creatio ex nihilo). The bottom line of assurance is that God’s love to us is unconditional, though we experience more as we submit, and it is unstoppable, though we can suppress it in our lives until our own selfish love ignores it. Our hope can be built on this claim. This can influence so much of our lives. The key thought implied in this passage is that we can endure the trials and suffering in this life because God is with us through our submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
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