The truth about God's love in our lives

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

I both love and hate this scripture. 

Let me explain.

I love it because, first of all, it shows that God loves us. The word for love here in the original Greek means "love, affection or benevolence, especially a love-feast." It means that the God of the whole universe, the creator and sustainer of all things, has a heart filled with affection for you and me.

Let that sink in a minute. God is perfect, we are imperfect. God is righteous, we, without him, are unrighteous. God is Holy. We are unholy without him. God knows all things about everything- including us. He knows the thoughts we entertain when we are angry and upset. He knows the things we allow to fester in our minds when we are all alone.  Yet he has affection for us.

The word affection means a feeling of liking and caring for someone or something: tender attachment: fondness. 

So, God almighty, the mighty God who's never lost a battle and presides over all things with his power and Glory, feels affection for you and me. Isn't that incredible! 

Even more than that, and probably because of his affection towards us, he feels benevolent towards us! The word benevolent means: a disposition to do good, an act of kindness, a generous gift. His affection towards us causes him to want to do good for, in, and through us. 

True affection causes benevolence. True benevolence causes action! God looked down on his creation and the mess we had made. He was moved by his affection for us to feel compassion. This compassion caused him to be benevolent and act to change the situation. Left to our own devices, we would have gone to eternal punishment in the pits of Hell.

But, because of his benevolence, he robed himself in a human body to allow us to experience him in a way we never could before! That's why Jesus is called, Emmanuel. It literally means "God with us." God came here to leave us both an example of (1Peter 2:21) and the power to live (John 1:5) the way he desires us to live. But, he also paid the price for our sins through Calvary (Galatians 1:3-5). For without his death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is the gospel), we would have no hope of either having the power to following his example.

Finally, there's the love-feast. God wants to get so caught up in a relationship with us that we're overwhelmed with a heart to heart connection to our God. We can get lost and carried away in our relationship with him! Imagine being totally open to God. Totally abandoning ourselves to his love, wisdom, and care. That's what he desires and it's what we should desire, too!

The purpose of the gospel wasn't just so our sins could be forgiven. The purpose of the gospel is so that we can take advantage of that obstacle being cleared away and absolutely fall deeply in love with the God who is deeply in love with us!

God's love is unconditional. There is no one on earth- past, present, or future that he does not love. That's the whole point of this passage of scripture. Nothing can change God's love for us! Nothing can divide us from the love that he has for us. It's offered by him. Openly, freely, and without restrictions. 

However, and now I'll show you why I say I hate this scripture, many people have misused this passage to say that once we are saved, we are always saved. That because it says we can't be separated from God's amazing love, that we can never become unsaved. 

That's not what this passage says at all. 

Please notice Jude 1:20-21:

 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Please focus your attention on verse 21. It says that by following the prescription of verse 20 (praying in the Holy Ghost) we will KEEP ourselves IN THE LOVE OF GOD. 

Now, go back to Romans and read the list again: Death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present, things to come, height, depth, nor any other creature. 

It doesn't say anything about ourselves on that list. This is all about external forces that we have no control over. These things may come along and affect us, but they cannot separate us from God's love. 

We, however, can walk away from that love. It doesn't mean that he doesn't love us anymore. In fact, John 3:16 says that God so LOVED (same word for love here in the Greek as in Romans 8) the world (that's everybody) that he gave...

But, we know from many passages that not everybody is going to make heaven. Just reading the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:18-23) reveals a shocking statistic. There are 4 types of people listed here that hear the word of God. Of those 4, only 1 ends up being right with God and producing fruit. The rest of them die. That tells me that, at most, only 25% of the people who have or will ever hear the word of God will ever make heaven. Why? Because only those people who truly fall in love with Jesus and make him their absolute priority will build the relationship with Jesus that is required to make heaven. 

The rest will end up in the fire. The rest are tares and not wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). Goats and not Sheep (Matthew 25: 31-46). In fact, please notice Matthew 7:22-23:

 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Compare this passage to Mark 16: 15-18:

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

The Matthew passage says the people would try and defend themselves by saying, "I've prophesied, cast out devils, and done many wonderful works in your name!"

The Mark passage says that those exact things will follow "them that believe." 

So, evidently, the folks who try and plead their cause on judgment day will be folks that made a good start but did not finish where they needed to be in God. They did not KEEP themselves in the love of God. 

I love my wonderful wife, Della Mae. She's my everything and the love of my life. AS long as I perform my husband roles (provider, spiritual leader, loving her, being faithful to her, etc) then I have the God-given privilege of staying in her love. 

Now, if I choose to pursue other women and walk away from her love, she will still love me. But, I've given up those rights and privileges because I did not KEEP myself in her love. 

God is a jealous God. He will not tolerate our going after other gods (fame, fortune, jobs, literally other gods, etc). 

God is a holy God. He cannot tolerate sin. Sin cannot enter into heaven. 

Yes, when we are born again (Acts 2:38) all our sins from that point backward are forgiven and under the blood that Jesus shed on Calvary. 

If we sin after that, 1 John 1:9 says "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness." But, we've got to keep that attitude of repentance towards God.

That's why we must "Grow in grace (relationship with God) and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18)

The closer we get to him, the more we will learn to live like him. The more we live like him, the closer we get to him. Our love grows deeper and deeper for him and we live deeper and deeper IN him. 

This is the only path to heaven and why scripture says that we are to "make (our) calling an election sure." (2 Peter 1:10)

If we will fall deeper and deeper in love with him, if we will strive diligently to walk in the calling he has for us, then we will make that calling an election sure. We will make heaven.

It takes prayer (and lots of it). It takes fasting (when needed). It takes studying his word and obediently aligning ourselves with it. But, if we do, we will make it because HE will help us. 

We're not in this alone! When he gives us his spirit he empowers us to live the way he wants us to. The more we walk in his spirit, the less we will give in to the sins of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) In other words, we must learn to submit to him and let him live through us. 

In closing, does God love everyone? ABSOLUTELY.

Unfortunately, HELL is going to be chock full of people he loves, but who chose to never love him in return with their whole lives. 

God gave his all, we must give our all in return. Anything less, and hell will be very hot. As the old song said, "99 1/2 won't do." He gives 100%. He expects us to give 100% also.