Or, “I am convinced.” Paul now expresses his own personal conviction that no power in heaven or earth, in time or in eternity, can separate us from the divine love. Paul does not mean by this that it is therefore impossible for a believer to fall away and be lost (see Col. 1:23; cf. 1 Cor. 9:27). Paul means that nothing can pluck us out of Christ’s arms against our will (see on John 10:28).

 Compare “whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s” (ch. 14:8).

 The angels mentioned in the NT are usually good rather than evil. However, the word itself does not indicate the particular quality. The distinction must be either expressed or implied by the context (see Matt. 1:20; 25:41; 1 Cor. 6:3; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). It is inconceivable that the angels of God, who are sent forth to minister to the saints (Heb. 1:14), should seek to alienate the minds of Christians from their Saviour, or that their influence could have any such tendency. However, Paul may be emphasizing his point by speaking hypothetically, as he does in Gal. 1:8. Even though the good angels should attempt, which of course they would not, to divert the love of Christ from His people, they could not do it!

 Gr. archai. This word refers to civil rulers as well as to supernatural powers that attempt to exercise evil dominion over men (see Eph. 6:12). Some commentators suggest that Paul’s reference to “angels,” “principalities,” and “powers” may reflect the Jewish designation for the hierarchy of angels (see the apocryphal work Enoch 61:10; cf. 1 Cor. 15:24; Eph. 1:21; 3:10; Col. 1:16; 2:10, 15).

 Gr. dunameis. Textual evidence attests (cf. p. 10) the placing of this word after the phrase, “things to come,” though one might more naturally expect it to be associated with “principalities,” as in Eph. 1:21. In 1 Peter 3:22 “powers” are mentioned along with “angels” and “authorities” as having been made subject to Christ upon His ascension to heaven.

 Compare 1 Cor. 3:22. The experiences of the present time were already trying enough to Paul and to the early Christians (Rom. 8:18, 23; 2 Cor. 1:4-10; 2 Cor. 6:4-10; 1 Peter 4:12). But the future held still further trials of deception and affliction, for the coming of Christ was to be preceded by the apostasy and the appearance of the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2). And this appearance would be accompanied by “the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9).

Nevertheless, Paul’s confidence remained unshaken.