No — nothing can separate a true believer from the love of Christ.
Romans 8:35 asks whether tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or the sword can separate us from Christ's love, and verses 37–39 answer that none of these can. Les Feldick teaches that believers are secure because of the finished work of Christ, not their own efforts, and that no created thing can take them out of that love.
Romans 8:35 — This verse asks the exact question and lists the hardships that might seem able to separate us.
Romans 8:38-39 — Paul concludes that neither death, life, angels, powers, present or future things, height, depth, nor any other creature can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:35 asks, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Verse 36 quotes the psalmist: "As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Verse 37 then answers: "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Verses 38–39 give Paul's conclusion: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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." The passage closes with the definitive pronouncement that no part of creation can separate us from that love.
Les Feldick teaches that a believer enters an "arc of safety" when saved, and the door is shut; from that point the believer does not have to work, worry, strain, or hang on to avoid being lost (Clip 0). He grounds this security entirely in what Christ has done: "Everything that keeps us secure is that finished work of Christ" (Clip 1). He explains that the hardships Paul lists—famine, nakedness, peril, and sword—did not separate Paul or other believers from the love of God. Paul was not spared the Roman sword, yet the sword could not separate him from his Lord (Clip 1). Les also says that no power on earth or in heaven can take a believer from under the blood protection of Christ. He compares this to the Israelites' safety in Egypt: "As surely as the Israelites were safe in Egypt, we're safe today" (Clip 4). He further notes that even if a believer faces persecution or martyrdom, the devil cannot force him or her out of the body of Christ, because our security is "not because of what we have done, not because of what we merit, but only because of what He has done" (Clip 5). Finally, he reminds us that this life is brief compared to eternity, and no hardship in this short life can separate us from Christ's love (Clip 6).
Romans 8:35 lists seven circumstances: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and the sword. Les Feldick notes that these were real experiences for believers—Paul faced famine, nakedness, cold, thirst, and eventually death by beheading—yet none of them separated Paul or other believers from the love of God. The promise remains secure even in the most severe suffering (Clip 1).
Les Feldick answers with a clear no. He describes the alternative as having to "work and worry and strain and hang on lest we be lost" and says that would be awful. Instead, he teaches that everything that keeps the believer secure is the finished work of Christ. Our assurance is not based on who we are or what we do, but only on what Christ has accomplished (Clips 0, 1, 5).
Les used "under the blood" to describe the protection that every believer has through Christ's work. He said, "We're under the blood, and nobody, no power on earth or in heaven can take us from under that blood protection" (Clip 4). He compared this to the safety of Israel in Egypt—just as the Israelites were safe through the blood of the Passover lamb, believers are safe in Christ.
No. Les points out that many believers have been killed for their faith, and Paul himself was beheaded, yet none of that separated Paul from the love of Christ. He says the promises are secure that none of this will separate us from our Lord. He also reminds us that even a hundred years of suffering is nothing compared with the eternity of God's love that awaits the believer (Clips 1, 6).
The Ark of Safety
Les frames the question of eternal security, showing that a believer who has entered the ark of safety with the door shut does not have to work or worry to stay saved.
Hard Times Cannot Separate
Les teaches that famine, nakedness, peril, and even the sword did not separate Paul or other believers from the love of God; Paul was beheaded, yet the promise remained secure.
Nothing in All Creation
Les explains that Romans 8:38-39 covers all of creation—both demonic and angelic—and none of it can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
It's What Christ Has Done
Les emphasizes that the salvation described in Romans 8 is based on what Christ has done for us, not on what we have done.
Under the Blood
Les teaches that believers are under the blood protection of Christ and that no power in earth or heaven can take them out; he compares this to Israel's safety in Egypt.
Persecution Cannot Separate
Les says the devil cannot bring enough persecution to force a believer out of his place in the body of Christ, because security rests on the work of the cross, not on our merit.
This Life vs. Eternity
Les reminds that even though believers may go through hardship, it will never separate them from the love of Christ, and this life is brief compared to eternity.
God vs. Satan's Magicians: Why Aaron's Rod Swallowed Theirs
The average person can't see any difference between the average Christian and the average person of the world. But God didn't intend it that way. Just as sure as He separated Israel from Egypt, He wants to separate you and I from the world. Now like I said a couple of programs ago, not that we're to be oddballs. We aren't to be just constantly asking for persecution by our actions.
Romans 8:35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
This verse poses the exact question of the page and lists seven hardships that cannot break the believer's union with Christ.
Romans 8:36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
It shows that suffering and death are within the experience of believers, yet they remain in God's love.
Romans 8:37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
This verse declares that even in the listed hardships, believers are more than conquerors through Christ.
Romans 8:38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Here Paul expresses his conviction that no power in death, life, or the spiritual realm can separate us.
Romans 8:39: 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.
This is the concluding promise that no created thing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
No. Romans 8:35 lists tribulation, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword, and the following verses make clear that none of these can separate us from Christ's love. Les Feldick notes that Paul himself was beheaded, yet he was not separated from his Lord (Clips 1, 3).
According to Les, a believer does not have to work, worry, strain, or hang on to avoid being lost. Everything that keeps a believer secure is the finished work of Christ, and our security is based on what Christ has done, not on what we merit (Clips 0, 1, 5).
Les uses 'under the blood' to describe the protection every believer has through Christ's finished work. He says no power on earth or in heaven can take a believer from under that blood protection, just as the Israelites were safe in Egypt (Clip 4).
Watch the Teaching: Eternal Security: Can Anything Separate Us From God? | Romans 8 Bible Study