Romans 1:7b

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

(v7, NIV)

Paul addresses those who are loved by God. He's not referring to those who are loved by God with regards to the way God loves the world. He's not saying: "God loves everyone, and since I'm addressing those who are loved by God, I'm really talking to everyone". Paul is addressing people who are loved by God in a different and select way.

We as Christians are called to love. We are called to love one another. We're even called to love our enemies. However, if we as Christians who are called to love even our enemies write a love letter to our spouse, the love letter is addressed with a specific and exclusive kind of love that we have for this person. This love is not the same as the love we have for our enemies or the world, so you shouldn't think that the same letter addressed to a spouse could be applied to the world. In the same way, here in Romans Paul addresses those who are loved by God and not in the sense for which God loves the world.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

(Romans 8:35, NIV)

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.

(Romans 8:38-39, NIV)

Is there anything that can separate us from the love of Christ? No, there is not. However, this is referring to the love God has for his chosen people, not for the entire world. If this is applied to the entire world, then there is a contradiction. Are not people separated from the love of God when they are thrown into the eternal fire of hell and eternal separation from God? This love is for his chosen people from whom his love cannot be separated.

If you are his chosen child, know that he loves you and that he loves you with a special intimate kind of love. You are his and he will keep you.