Romans 8:38–39 — 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.
We are continuing to explore some of the aspects of the union between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ, since that union is proclaimed in baptism and is therefore a fruitful topic for our reflections on this means of grace.
One of the great characteristics of the union that is forged by the Holy Spirit between Jesus and those He died to save is that it is indissoluble. Nothing can ever break it. In other words, it is an eternal, everlasting union in which we are His and He is ours. How can we be certain that this is true? It is really quite simple to demonstrate.
Since the believer's salvation is dependent upon this union with Christ, if it were to be broken, the believer would lose his or her salvation. Some assert that this is possible, but it cannot be the case. This would mean that there was someone stronger than God who was capable of breaking the bond, But we know there is no-one stronger than God. If there were, God would not be God as He reveals Himself in Scripture. In our text, Paul expresses his total conviction that there is no power in existence that can ever separate a believer from the Lord.
If a believer could be separated from Christ, it would indicate that God is fickle, apparently determining to save someone at one moment and then rejecting them the next. However, we know that God never changes (Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17), and that He had chosen whom He would save before He even created this world (Ephesians 1:4). If He were subject to change, all His promises in Scripture would be worthless, and whatever union we might enjoy with Jesus today could be thrown off tomorrow for no reason. The Bible would be unreliable, since God would be so different in reality than His self-revelation in Scripture. It is very clear from the history of the church, and the children of God know from experience, that God doesn't change and that His Word is utterly dependable.
If a believer was somehow separated from Christ, this would also mean that what Jesus did on the cross could guarantee the salvation of no-one. If the cross is not enough to accomplish salvation absolutely and completely, where would we turn to be saved? Where would be His triumph over sin, death and Satan that the Scriptures so clearly proclaim?
If the believer's union with Jesus can be severed, then God the Father and Jesus Christ become liars. Jesus says in John 6:39-40 that the Father's will is that none of those He gave to the Son should be lost, and that all who believe on Jesus will have eternal life, Jesus raising them up on the last day. This is sheer falsehood, though, if our union with Christ is not everlasting. But we know that Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6) and that there is no lie in God.
There are many other reasons we could give for the eternal character of the believer's union with Christ, but we will mention just one more. The breaking of this bond would show that Jesus' prayers are ineffectual. In John 17:24, Jesus expresses to the Father His desire that those the Father has given to Him should be with Him where He is, and should see His glory - which can only mean that they would be with Him in heaven. However, this prayer has been ignored by God if even one person who believes savingly on Christ fails to arrive in heaven, meaning that there had been a dissolution of his or her union with Jesus Christ.
Believer, rejoice in the eternal union that you have with Jesus! Meditate upon it often. See it pictured in the cleansing work of the Spirit that is proclaimed in baptism. Unbeliever, you are still outside of Christ but He will receive you now if you believe on Him alone as the only hope and ground of your salvation!
What from Christ the soul can sever,
Bound by everlasting bands?
Once in Him, in Him forever,
Thus th’eternal cov’nant stands.
None shall pluck thee, none shall pluck thee
From the Savior’s mighty hands!
John Kent
