Confusion in Romans 8:38-39

Luke Krause said:

Romans 8:38-39 says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "nor anything else in all creation" includes our own sinful flesh, doesn't it? But I know that there have been several people who have grown up in a church and later have fallen from the faith. Is there anything that I am misunderstanding?

I know that God will protect me from the world and the Devil. But could my sinful flesh potentially separate me from God in the future? Any answers would really help a lot. Thanks!

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Yes, sin can separate the believer from the Lord.

Luke Krause said:

know that God will protect me from the world and the Devil. But could my sinful flesh potentially separate me from God in the future? Any answers would really help a lot. Thanks!

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No, just as the Scripture says, nothing can separate you from His love. And that includes your sinful flesh.
Sin has been put away by Jesus Christ. John 1:29 Hebrews 9:26
God does not deal with us according to our sin, but He has cast our sin away as far as the East is from the West. Psalms 103:10-12
Those who are His children, He does not impute sin to. Romans 4:6-8, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

No one can snatch you out of Christ's hand -- you would have to totally reject Jesus and no longer believe in your heart and no longer confess Him with your mouth

think on this:

Heb 10:39
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Luke Krause said:

Romans 8:38-39 says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "nor anything else in all creation" includes our own sinful flesh, doesn't it? But I know that there have been several people who have grown up in a church and later have fallen from the faith. Is there anything that I am misunderstanding?

I know that God will protect me from the world and the Devil. But could my sinful flesh potentially separate me from God in the future? Any answers would really help a lot. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Good point. I think you're reading that correctly. "anything else in all creation" would certainly include us as part of the creation. But not only so. Note also the phrase "neither the present nor the future." which is quite literally advocating Once Saved, Always Saved, as time will never change your salvation status once saved.

In fact there's another verse which speak of those who fall away, which also advocates Eternal Security. Namely 1John 2:19
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.
For if they had belonged to us, (Once Saved)
they would have remained with us; (Always Saved)
but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

If a person had "really belonged to us" as John says here, he would have never left the faith, a principle which John calls upon to indicate whether someone had really been of the faith to begin with. Those of the faith never fall away. That's part of salvation. Salvation not only affects one's status, but also one's behavior.

Doug Melven said:

No, just as the Scripture says, nothing can separate you from His love. And that includes your sinful flesh.
Sin has been put away by Jesus Christ. John 1:29 Hebrews 9:26
God does not deal with us according to our sin, but He has cast our sin away as far as the East is from the West. Psalms 103:10-12
Those who are His children, He does not impute sin to. Romans 4:6-8, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

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Romans 4 pointing to Psalm 32 --

1Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.b

5Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”

And you forgave
the guilt of my sin. "

!

Hallelujah.

It's just as 1 John 1:8-10

Confess and He forgives, mercifully.

Luke Krause said:

Romans 8:38-39 says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "nor anything else in all creation" includes our own sinful flesh, doesn't it? But I know that there have been several people who have grown up in a church and later have fallen from the faith. Is there anything that I am misunderstanding?

I know that God will protect me from the world and the Devil. But could my sinful flesh potentially separate me from God in the future? Any answers would really help a lot. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Sins of the flesh can be repented of. The unforgiveable sin isn't a "sin of the flesh" but of the mind, heart, and spirit.

Luke Krause said:

But I know that there have been several people who have grown up in a church and later have fallen from the faith. Is there anything that I am misunderstanding?

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Sure. None of that ensures that people are born again.
My uncle recently passed away and being a minister
he was among the least born again person the family
knew of. He was a jerk and his wife was relieved at his funeral.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood.
Flesh is still sinful but those who are of the Lord’s live in the spirit. All born again Christian struggle with the sinful nature, even the apostles were not spared. Nonetheless, we will all, one day have a new body where corruption will not have power over us. All for the glory of our Lord and Saviour.
Amen!

Anto9us said:

No one can snatch you out of Christ's hand -- you would have to totally reject Jesus and no longer believe in your heart and no longer confess Him with your mouth

think on this:

Heb 10:39
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

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People have done that.

Luke Krause said:

Romans 8:38-39 says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "nor anything else in all creation" includes our own sinful flesh, doesn't it? But I know that there have been several people who have grown up in a church and later have fallen from the faith. Is there anything that I am misunderstanding?

I know that God will protect me from the world and the Devil. But could my sinful flesh potentially separate me from God in the future? Any answers would really help a lot. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Eternal life was given to you as a pure gift which includes a deed to a heavenly home so there is no more you can get, But being truly a gift ownership has changed hands so like Esau you have personal control of your birthright and can give it away. God is not taking your free will away from you and if you do not want to go to heaven He will not force heaven on you.

Luke Krause said:

Romans 8:38-39 says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "nor anything else in all creation" includes our own sinful flesh, doesn't it? But I know that there have been several people who have grown up in a church and later have fallen from the faith. Is there anything that I am misunderstanding?

I know that God will protect me from the world and the Devil. But could my sinful flesh potentially separate me from God in the future? Any answers would really help a lot. Thanks!

Click to expand...

1 John 3:9

Your flesh dies and is eaten by worms , you are not your flesh , your flesh does not go to heaven .