What’s the advantage of being a Jew? Romans 3:1-8.

 We have made it to Romans chapter three, and immediately there is a sense that something is missing, as though we drop into the middle of a conversation. Based on this introduction if you were to say to me, I don't understand Romans 3 I would completely understand. Here is verse one.

Romans 3:1 NLT  Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?

Because, as I noted above, we are missing the context, let's look at the context.

“In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it. For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” (Romans 2:27-29 NLT)

Why, would the uncircumcised Gentiles, a people group despised by the Jews, condemn the Jews?

Even I, a Gentile convert accepted into God's grace and love by the sacrifice of Jesus, a Jew, understand that God came to the Jews first. Paul tells us it is because they did not obey the law necessary to take away their sins, at least for the moment.

The problem, for me, is that I don't obey the law either; in fact, it is even worse than that, I can't because there is something trying to push me to the dark side all the time, and that is why we needed a savior.

Paul takes this one step further by talking about circumcision.

Beginning with Abraham, circumcision was the sign of the covenant between Abram and God.

“This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. "And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants.” (Genesis 17:10-12 NASB)

A question, were there any Jews at this point, following laws?

The answer is NO, and there was none until several hundred years later, and they were descendants of Judah; and yet they followed God's instructions to Abraham concerning the covenant, by getting themselves, their children, and Gentile servants who lived in their house circumcised. Their actions, in their mind, signified that they were God's promised people.

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

Great in every respect.

First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

[We have already seen that God initiated these words/oracles when he spoke to Abraham. However, Romans 2:13-15 conveys that it is only the doers of the law who gain a righteous standing with God; and Paul tells us that many of the Gentiles do that and they have never heard of the law. Why? Because God saw fit to write His law – all ten of them, upon our hearts.]

Abraham complied by getting circumcised as a sign.

What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?

[The NLT puts it this way,

“True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful,

does that mean God will be unfaithful?”]

(Romans 3:1-3 NASB)

It's a rhetorical question, which Paul promptly answers.

Romans 3:4 NLT  “Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

• “Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.”

  Often our purpose in a study is to prove or disprove that a statement is valid or true. Job certainly does that for us.

  “Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.” (Job 34:10 NLT)

  And though the questions come from Bildad there are still valid and true.

  “Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right?” (Job 8:3 NLT)

  The answer is a resounding NO. Sadly, those who ignore the morality that dwells will find out that He is just and true.

• “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

  Almost everyone struggles with this portion of Romans 3:4, and it just occurred to me why they struggle. We think this is talking to us, about us, and it is NOT. It is talking about God, His Word, and His actions.

  Virtually everything in the NT came from the Old and this line that Paul speaks sounds very much like King David in the Psalms.

  “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.”

  Psalms 51:4 NLT 

  Having spent some time in recovery, I came to find that honesty was the best option. As King David just said, “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.” There is, as the NASB states, NO JUSTIFICATION for what we do. Thank God for being a savior and for the fact that God purchased us back and marked us with a seal of this covenant we have with Him, which is the Holy Spirit that comes into the life of every believer that accepts Him.

Many times, because I have had these discussions/arguments with “Christians” I will put forth the argument to address the question before it comes.

Romans 3:5 NASB But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)

The NLT puts it this way.

But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 

Maybe this is what we do when we declare ourselves to be covered by God's grace and therefore free to cuss all we want. In this case, you are NOT proving anything other than the fact that you are an ignorant dolt that cannot communicate your emotions and feelings by the use of proper language and grammar. I certainly do not look at people like this and immediately say, my, how good God is, and neither does the general public. I can, however, extend grace toward these people.

After being in recovery for a time, I was asked to lead the men's anger group. Being a participant is entirely different from being a leader that has to attempt to reign in someone who is on the edge of being out of control. One brother had been a medic with a special ops team during the Vietnam war. As a special ops medic, you have to fight as well as patch people up. For a time this guy merely sat alone in the break room, stroking the head of his stress dog. I stopped to talk with him and got an earful of cussing. He then said, see, you cannot handle the volcano inside of me. I responded by saying, I can handle anything that comes out of your mouth, but I would prefer to hear Jesus. He eventually came around.

Paul must have heard statements like this, “isn't it unfair for Him to punish us?”

Are you serious? I already showed you a statement about God from Job 34:10 and it reads like this.

“Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.”

Promoting sin goes against the nature and character of God. God is the moral standard and there is nothing unjust or unfair in what He does.

Again, Paul answers his own question.

Romans 3:6 NLT  Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?

What we do not perceive, is that God's decisions have all been played out because there is a legal standard, based upon His moral standard; and controlled His actions in purchasing the human race back from the control of Satan.

“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.” (Romans 3:7-8 NLT)

Merely to say, my dishonesty, or as most translate, lie highlights God's truthfulness and brings him more glory, demonstrating how dishonest we truly are. Again, go to recovery and you will find people standing before you and saying, “Hi, I am …. and I have 15 years of sobriety.” In saying this, they are admitting that a return to the activity they are testifying of is freedom, and it is hanging out there waiting to grab you and take you captive once again if you let it. God, may, in time, get the glory, but He does so only as you testify to your dependence upon the freedom He brings.

People who are foolish enough to go back to their vomit, are nothing more than fools.

Turn to Jesus.

He will judge everyone according to what they have done. Romans 2:1-11

 Chapter two opens like this “Therefore you have no excuse,”

Chapter two is starting deep within a thought, the passage, therefore, demands that we stay within the context. To do that we have to go back to Romans 1:21.

Romans 1:21 NASB For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Who is Paul speaking about in Romans 1:21 when he says they?

The Jews.

Can we apply this statement to ourselves?

The short answer is yes. BUT, since we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, are we subject to the wrath of God, as Israel brought on themselves? (See Ephesians 1:13).

The long answer is No, as it certainly seems as though there are so-called Christians that fit the description we see in Romans 1:21. If you don't understand this idea of so-called Christians, then consider what John said.

1 John 2:19 NASB They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.

It is rather clear that not everyone is a part of the body of Christ. Since we have a terrible time distinguishing between wheat – an edible grain, and brome – a weed, it is wisest to let Jesus sort them out at the end of the millennium.

Sealed is the Greek word sphragizō and means to stamp for security, preservation, to secure to someone, make sure, deliver over safely.

All the defining words for sealed lean toward God marking us, just as He marks the 144,000 so that they cannot be harmed. At this juncture, I want to point something out. God is not necessarily preserving you from the daily tribulations of life – for some, those tribulations are deadly and we are not in the time of wrath as yet. So don't go thinking that tribulations include the propeller on your speed boat. Considering that Jesus said, they will hate you because of Me; this hatred then would have more to do with your testimony, whatever that looks like, than your whining about having to replace the tire rim on your sports car.

Back to Romans 1:21 “For even though they knew God...”

What qualified as knowing?

Samuel, raised in the courts of the "temple" should have and would have known God and His ways/laws, and yet his sons did not.

1 Samuel 2:12 NLT  Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the LORD

Job, lamenting to his companions, tells them to shut up and listen for a moment, and then they can go back to berating him. When they stop talking, he says,

Job 21:7-13 NLT  “Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?  (8)  They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren.  (9)  Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them.  (10)  Their bulls never fail to breed. Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.  (11)  They let their children frisk about like lambs. Their little ones skip and dance.  (12)  They sing with tambourine and harp. They celebrate to the sound of the flute.  (13)  They spend their days in prosperity, then go down to the grave in peace.

And yet they say to God,

Job 21:14-18 NLT  ‘Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.  (15)  Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’  (16)  (They think their prosperity is of their own doing, but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)  (17)  “Yet the light of the wicked never seems to be extinguished. Do they ever have trouble? Does God distribute sorrows to them in anger?  (18)  Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried away by the storm like chaff? Not at all!

And James in the New Testament says,

James 4:17 NLT  Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Historically, what do we know of people obeying God's law and ways, or not?

Eve, knew the law, even when there was none (written in stone); she disregarded the law that was passed to her by Adam and partook of the fruit. Cain knew the law, and we can know this because God himself said, if you do what is right. The implications are that Cain knew what was right. The statement from God would be illogical if this information had not been passed along to Cain. Noah, upon leaving the Ark, made a sacrifice, proving that he too knew what was right, and still there was NO known law, as we understand it.

Romans 1:32 NASB and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Chapter one of Romans spells out how the Gentiles, without the law, practice the law of God, and contrasts this against the Jews, who were given the law of Moses, and expected to know it and live it.

So, the "they" can mean almost anybody here.

With Romans 2:1 the idea is that God is talking to people in general, and yet to a specific crowd that feels comfortable judging others.

Romans 2:1 NASB Therefore you have no excuse, every one of you who passes judgment, for, in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

Who is passing judgment?

Aside from possible envy or racial hatred, why would the Gentile world pass judgment? The Jewish world, on the other hand, has a deep resentment for the Gentiles. (The Gentiles are not merely white Americans; they are anyone outside of Judaism; and, they are considered dogs. The Assyrians, for example, were considered among the nations, and, as we see in the story of Jonah, a hated people.)

We are told that those who pass judgments are only condemning themselves - for these judges are doing the same thing.

Romans 2:3 NASB But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

If we are talking about believers, and that is who Paul was writing to, then what judgment(s) are we looking forward to?

None of us are looking forward to judgment, however, there is only ONE for the believer, and that is the Bema seat of Christ. At this judgment seat, you get rewarded.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV 

Judgment here is the Greek word bema.

J. Vernon McGee tells us:

"This was the place where the judges of the city would meet the citizens and would judge them for certain things—there was no question of life or death. At the judgment seat of Christ only believers will appear. It is not a judgment of the believer's sins, which Christ fully atoned for on the Cross. The judgment is to see whether you are going to receive a reward or not."

What if your judgments against others, entirely fall upon you, here, in this life; in my case, that was very true.

Does it strike anyone else odd when verse three describes an inescapable judgment and then refers to that judgment as, the goodness of God which leads to repentance?

Romans 2:4 MKJV  Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, and the forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Maybe the implication is this:

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. (Romans 2:5-6 NLT)

Since the religious idea is that this judgment is completed while standing before Him, at the Bema seat.

Where are we at this point?

We made it; we are in heaven, and here you should NOT have any possible consequence of being sent back to earth, where you could endure the pains of God's wrath.

If that is the case, then what's the problem - why worry?

Yes, this inordinate mercy puzzles me too, and no, I do not have a good answer as to why this happens, aside from the fact that God is more merciful than I can comprehend.

The NASB renders Romans 2:6 in this manner.

“who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:”

Thayer's definition of render - is the Greek word apodidōmi. It means 1) to deliver, to give away for one’s own profit what is one’s own to sell 2) to pay off, discharge what is due 2d) to render account 3) to give back, restore 4) to requite, recompense in a good or a bad sense

Most of these definitions speak to me of a God showing mercy and giving life, where I often think that none would be deserved. An example of this is seen in point #1, where it says, "to give away for one's own profit what is one's own to sell."

Jesus did just that and will do it, again. While, by legal standards, we do not, will not, and, cannot measure up, thank God, Jesus did measure up; and, we are not judged by any other standards.

In definition #2 we are told that He paid off and discharged what was due because of OUR sin. Therefore, our rendering would be based upon what Jesus deserved, not us, and He gets life with the Father; glory, and honor.

The context has not changed as we move forward.

Romans 2:7-10 NASB to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; (8) but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath, and indignation. (9) There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, (10) but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Verse ten screams out of the Sheep and goat judgment. - Matthew 25:31-46.

(I get it, religion screams that everyone being presented here, at the great throne of judgment, goes to hell; but that attitude demonstrates your lack of Biblical understanding and a leaning on tradition over scripture. You need to put those methods of interpretation in the trash.)

In Matthew's account of the final judgment, the good shows up as Jesus responds to the crowd He designates as sheep, saying, you are gaining this access today because you acted in a similar loving manner that I would have. For example, you visited Me in prison; you gave Me a drink of water when I was thirsty; and, you put clothes on Me, when I had none, and so on.

Paul continues to explain -

Romans 2:7-10 NLT  He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.  (8)  But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.  (9)  There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.  (10)  But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.

Verses 7-10 have a positive and a negative spin to them.

Let's just say that my goal is to live my life in the light of verses 7 and 10, where I pursue eternal life; keep doing good - as much as I am able; and to seek after the glory, honor, and immortality that God offers. Then the end result should be and will be, glory, honor, and peace from God.

Note the negative side of this.

“There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.” (Romans 2:9-10 NLT)

Why?

Romans 2:11 NLT  For God does not show favoritism.

Although the theme leans toward the Jews and Gentiles,

• What if, it is speaking to those of us, who by the grace of God alone, have salvation and peace?

• What if, our salvation has nothing to do with where we can afford to eat dinner, the size of our RV, or the beauty of our KOA campground?

• What if, no matter how much money you have, you found out that WE are all in the same boat, and our REWARD is based purely upon the conversational relationship we have with God and acceptance, on our part of His Son? 

God's everlasting love. Romans 8:31-39

We ended with this:

Romans 8:30 NASB and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

• Predestined
• Called
• Justified
• And Glorified

And thus begins our next foray into Romans.

God's Everlasting Love

“Since” He has done all this for us,

Romans 8:31 NASB What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

After what we have learned concerning how God feels about us and who we are now, why throw out a word like "if"? When in fact, at this point, in my journey through Romans, I am deeply aware that God is for me, just as He is for you. Another translation read like this:

“So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us.” (ERV) 

The word “if” is merely expressive style on the part of Paul and doesn't require an answer. [Some would say, it is a rhetorical question.] We find Paul writing like this frequently.

Against is the Greek word katá and indicates motion meaning down from a higher to a lower place. However, my immediate response to the word does not strike me like that; it comes across like an enemy's attack. The Dictionary tells us it is something in opposition, a contradiction, or aversions, such as a decree against law, reason, or public opinion. Since we know that God tests no man (James 1:13), then it is not reasonable to think that it would be God coming against us. I can see where this type of thinking comes from, as we tend to perceive God as up in the heavens; therefore, any perceived judgment or test from Him would be coming down.

What else could “come down”? Since our enemy originated in the heavens, then perhaps any work or word that comes against us from him, or his cohorts, could be perceived as coming down.

Let's address our rhetorical question, “If God is for us,” for a moment. Since we know that God is for us, then Paul continues in his efforts to respond to such a challenge with a logical approach as he points out:

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Romans 8:32 NASB

Think about this, how or why would God, “who did not spare His own Son,” for a purpose, NOW, not also freely give us all things”? How about one other version?

He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things? Romans 8:32 TLV 

This verse demands that you analyze what it is saying to you.

• He did not spare his own Son.
  Jesus, the physical representation of God, voluntarily put himself on that cross. When talking about God sparing His own Son; we are talking about the gut-wrenching decision to restrain Himself, from rescuing His only child from the horrors of what is to come. When Jesus cried out in the garden, isn't there any other way? He knew there wasn't.
• “but delivered Him over for us all,”
  There was a higher purpose, and that was to save all of humanity if they would accept this great salvation. [Obviously, many don't.]
  There it is, God had to restrain himself from rescuing His Son so that you and I could be redeemed, saved, and given a new life with the Father in eternity.
• “how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
  First off, this comes across as though we are to take for granted that this will happen. Fortunately, God has never worked that way. So Paul is not making this stuff up as he hopes that presently, or in the future, the Father will give us all things. You see, God first demonstrated how this would all play out, through Abraham.
  Genesis 22:16-18 TLV  and said, “By myself, I swear—it is a declaration of Adonai—because you have done this thing, and you did not withhold your son, your only son,  (17)  I will richly bless you and bountifully multiply your seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand that is on the seashore, and your seed will possess the gate of his enemies.  (18)  In your seed, all the nations of the earth will be blessed—because you obeyed My voice.”
  We, effectively, get a word for word imagery as to how what He did through Abraham, would play out through Jesus on the cross. So the things that the Father will give us are this:

• I will bless you
• and bountifully multiply your seed,
• your seed will possess the gate of your enemies
• In you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed
The word bless, as we see in Genesis 22, is not as vague as it seems, it is the Hebrew word bāraḵ and suggests the bending of the knee in blessing. Its derived meaning is to bless someone or something and indicates that God will give us such honor, in time. The Greek word for “how” that we find in Romans 8:32 is an interrogative that also means” in what way or manner.”
All things? As I began this study, I could not honestly define what that looks like. Peace was one of the words that echo in my mind as I ponder what “all things” would look like. This word peace is especially important, seeing as I only have rare moments of it.
I just realized that I, too, have PTSD; I think we all do to a degree. Doesn't admitting that I have PTSD imply that something came against me, and I lost the battle? How can that be when Romans 8:31 contend that nothing can stand against us? Ah, but coming against, taking quick shots at us, and going into a prolonged, full-scale war, are two different things, for when the enemy comes against us, we typically don't recognize it immediately. Moments later, you realize that you have been hit; you can tell by your physical and emotional reactions, some of which are less than neighborly.

Our mutual understanding of the next verse typically reads like this.:

Romans 8:33 NASB Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;

Even though we struggle frequently with the concept, you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, are one of God's elect. Let's try the Message and see if it comes across any clearer.

And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Romans 8:33 MSG 

That is significantly clearer; however, it still doesn't answer the question that many ask, how do I know that I was chosen?

Deuteronomy 10:15 NLT  Yet the LORD chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today.

Even if you cannot claim Jewish heritage, you are a descendant through adoption. We find references to this adoption in Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5, and Ephesians 1:5. We were adopted through Christ Jesus.

Since, in theory, no one should dare to tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen, then Paul can also say,

Romans 8:34 NLT  Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

You need to know this; people and Satan will try to condemn you. Try as they may, it has no effect, because “Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” Oh, how I long to tattoo this on your brain so that you never forget it. Do you understand that amid the voices, Jesus Christ is sitting at the right hand of the Father, speaking to Him on our behalf? The Complete Jewish Bible does a pretty good job of making this point.

Romans 8:34 CJB  Who punishes them? Certainly not the Messiah Yeshua, who died and—more than that—has been raised, is at the right hand of God and is actually pleading on our behalf!

It is hard for some to picture, but this is an inexpressible love. No human has ever done this for me, but Jesus did. Now, with someone like this on your side, Paul addresses his next question.

Romans 8:35 CJB  “Who will separate us from the love of the Messiah?

Trouble? Hardship? Persecution? Hunger? Poverty? Danger? War?”

Paul continues:

 “As it is written, “For Your sake, we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.”  (37)  But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:36-37 TLV

Paul may be referencing multiple passages in the same sentence. For example:

Jeremiah 12:3b NASB Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter And set them apart for a day of carnage!

As yet, this next passage is not so prominent in the United States, but I see it coming in my spirit, and it grieves me.

2 Corinthians 4:11 NASB (11) For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

And finally,

Psalms 44:22 NASB But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

Jesus himself told the Jewish crowd of followers that tribulations would be a way of life for His disciples – that includes us. Just remember that it was the elders and Chief priests that put Jesus on the cross that day, so the majority of tribulations will come from religious zealots.

Regardless, the thing to keep in mind is that:

“But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37b TLV

Almost as if Paul was saying “so what” he continues with this:

Romans 8:38-39 NASB For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) 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.

Paul creates an extensive list of things that WE think can strip God's love from us.

• Death??
  In the case of my mother, my father asked, where do you think mom is? One thing I knew for sure about mom was that she loved the Lord and was, therefore, in heaven at that very moment. Yes, many of her concepts were embedded in legalism and imagination, but you could see Jesus in her actions and life patterns.
  “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”(Hebrews 2:14-15 NASB)
• Life??
  Merely discussing life seems like a crazy sentiment to many, as they think that living your best life, is being able to spend several days a week at Disneyland or on the river skiing. Life, on these terms, is in total opposition to God's ways and plans.
  You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4 NASB)
• Angels
  Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, (Colossians 2:18 NASB)
  Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? (1 Corinthians 6:2-3 NASB)
• Principalities
  - This is the Greek word arche and means the first place, principality, rule, magistracy. Often includes references to angels and demons. Spoken of as the princes or chiefs among angels (Eph_1:21; Eph_3:10; Col_2:10); among demons (1Co_15:24; Eph_6:12; Col_2:15); the powers of the other world (Rom_8:38; Col_1:16
• Things present
  Each day has its own set of trials; these are the present things.
• Nor, things to come.
  It would be future events. While this is a broad spectrum statement, it does apply to us as well since we have no clue what the future holds, as far as our personal lives look like. Sure, many of you think you have life under control, but your life can end in mere seconds. Now, as to future events scripturally, we are not in the dark that we should not know what God has planned. Do we know everything with precision? NO, but much like the baseball world series, we know when the season will come, and that the series can go for four or seven games. We know that there will be a winner. Prophecy and the Revelation is not so different, for scripture has spelled all that out for us. We are in the season, and the series is being played out before us. We also know that the winner will come riding in on a white horse and shut the mouths of all those who choose to fight with Him.
• Height
  My attempted definition is far too dull and simplistic, as the Lord and His throne is always thought of as being up. There are many references to God being in the high places. So what if we thought of God as being against us? Then could we fear the heights, yes, we could. Perhaps the idea is that we have nothing to fear if we are in Christ Jesus.
  The floods have lifted up, O LORD, The floods have lifted up their voice, The floods lift up their pounding waves. More than the sounds of many waters, Than the mighty breakers of the sea, The LORD on high is mighty. Your testimonies are fully confirmed; Holiness befits Your house, O LORD, forevermore. (Psalms 93:3-5 NASB)
• Depth
  The depths are always associated with hell, Satan, death, and destruction. Since our spirits live forever, then death should be directed at any potential separation from God.
  And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. (Revelation 12:9 NASB)
• Nor any created thing.
  A quick rundown on how many things were created. EVERYTHING. This includes man, stars, plant life, animals, and angels. All will be subject, in their entirety, to God once again. In the meantime, they cannot separate you from the love of God.

Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD; however, this doesn't mean that they won't try. Again, I know that this will discourage many, and they will not put out any effort to learn or change. Here is where the understanding of James comes into play because James speaks toward these constant attempts to take us out of the ball game.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (4) And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (5) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:2-5 NASB

If we stand against these attacks, whether it looks like we are victorious or not, we still receive all that God has in store for us, because He loves us.