God's Unconditional Love

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”- Romans 8:38-39 ^{New American Standard Bible}

            The letter to the Roman believers was Paul’s first contact with them. It served like an introduction of him to them. The entirety of the letter was like his statement of faith. In the beginning of verse 35 Paul poses this question: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” He proceeds to mention a series of trial-like circumstances. He then comes to the following conclusion which is shown as our selected text at the top of the page. 

             “While nothing external can separate us from the love of God, we can choose to reject Him by our own free will. Nevertheless, even those who remain in eternal rebellion against God are still loved by Him. Even our rejection of God cannot take away His love for us.” ^[1]

            Paul knew persecution on a grand scale would be coming to the believers in Rome and he didn’t want their faith to fail them. Nothing is able to drive a wedge between Almighty God and his children. No matter what we’ve thought, said or done, his love for us is unchanging. That is the meaning of unconditional. No conditions have been placed on his love. 

Christianity is a ‘come as you are’ relationship with Almighty God. Notice I did NOT say the word ‘religion’. That word doesn’t appear in scripture. When your sins are forgiven you enter into a potentially intimate, one on one relationship with the one who created you. I say, ‘potentially intimate’, because the level of intimacy all depends on how serious you are regarding getting to know the Lord, growing as close to him as humanly possible. Whatever you put into it is what you’ll get out of it. And God will love you deeply and eternally, in spite of yourself. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] Taken from notes in the Orthodox Study Bible.