Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
&c.] By "the love of Christ" is not meant the saints' love to
Christ, but his love to them; he is indeed the object of their
love, and so strong is their love to him, that it can never be
destroyed; for though there may be an abatement in the fervour of
it, it can never be lost; yet this is never called the love of
Christ: besides, the apostle is speaking not of their love to
Christ, but of the love of God and Christ to them, throughout the
context; and his design is, to strengthen the faith of God's
people, and comfort their souls, under their various afflictions:
now nothing more effectually serves such purposes, than the love
of Christ; and the things here instanced in are such, as are apt
to inject doubts and fears, about interest in the love of Christ,
and of the love of God in Christ, as it is interpreted in some
following verses: moreover, the separation here interrogated is
not of Christ from us, but of us from him; whereas was it our
love to Christ, which is here meant, it should rather have been
put, who shall separate him from us, and not us from the love of
Christ? That Christ does love the elect of God, who are the
persons here spoken of, is evident from his undertaking for them,
espousing their persons, assuming their nature, dying in their
room and stead, paying off their debts, and redeeming their
persons, by going to prepare a place for them, by interceding for
them, by supplying them with all grace, and using them in the
most free and familiar manner; which love of his is wonderful,
matchless, and inconceivable, special and peculiar, free and
undeserved, exceeding affectionate, unchangeable, durable, and
for ever. This is the bond of union to Christ; and the union
which is made by it is exceeding near and close; it is real;
perfect, and indissoluble, nothing can separate from it: not
tribulation;
or "affliction", which springs from his love, and is the fruit of
it; and notwithstanding that, he rests in his love; this is not
taken away, but is often sensibly enjoyed, in the midst of
afflictions:
or distress;
whether of body or mind; straitness in the affairs and
circumstances of life, or straitness of mind, in the exercise of
grace, and discharge of duty; for "though we believe not, yet he
abides faithful", ( 2 Timothy
2:13 ) , to his covenant and promises:
or persecution:
from the world; for this is rather an evidence that Christ has
loved them chosen and called them, because the world hates them:
or famine:
want of the necessaries of life, as food and drink; being exposed
to great hunger and thirst, which has sometimes been the lot of
the dear children of God:
or nakedness;
want of proper clothing, or the use of common apparel; wandering
about in sheep skins and goat skins, which has been the case of
some, of whom the world was not worthy, and so no proof of
separation from the love of Christ:
or peril;
dangers from different quarters, by different persons and ways;
such as the Apostle Paul had trial of, who was highly in the love
of Christ, ( 1
Corinthians 11:26 ) ;
or sword;
that is, death by the sword; which death James the brother of
John died, ( Acts 12:13 ) : now,
though this may separate the head from the body, and separate
soul and body, yet cannot separate from the love of Christ.
