majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 10:14-15,
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And
how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how
can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they
preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the
feet of those who bring good news!'"
How do people come to the point of believing in the Lord? Where does
faith come from? Why do some believe in the Lord and others do not?
These are very important questions as the answers hold the most grave
of all outcomes to our lives: where will we spend eternity?
Jesus provided his mission statement in simplest of terms: "The Son of
Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10. God is
building his kingdom. We are told over and again that Jesus came to
offer the kingdom of God as we read the accounts of his activities in
the gospels. The primary purpose of this life is to provide
opportunity to enter into his kingdom. This life is limited, temporary
and does not consist of all God intends for us when he creates us.
Real life will be lived in the next, in the resurrection, where those
who have entered into his kingdom will live forever in his presence.
In Romans 10:9-10 we are told very clearly how salvation takes place:
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is
with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth that you confess and are saved." Belief and confession to
that belief is what brings us salvation, provides us entry into God's
kingdom. It is fairly obvious that confession of faith comes from that
faith we are confessing… but where does that faith come from and how
does it result in us entering into the Lord's kingdom?
Paul describes how this happens in our verses above. In reverse order
we read that people are sent to bring the "good news" and preach it -
they share it with others. When that gospel is preached, as it is
heard, some will believe it. Those who respond in faith call on the
Lord they now believe in and results in our Romans 10:9-10 passage,
"it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is
with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
It is all about the gospel message the Lord has provided us. This is
the vehicle the Lord uses to populate his kingdom. A few verses later
Paul makes the statement, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the
message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans
10:17. Of the Lord's gospel message Paul says earlier in his letter,
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for
the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for
the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a
righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is
written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
Why wouldn't all respond in faith to the gospel? Jesus answered this
in his conversation with Nicodemus, "Whoever believes in him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already
because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved
darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who
does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear
that his deeds will be exposed." Some cling to their sin and will not
embrace the Lord. A horrific and short-sighted choice given the
consequences.
Today's contemporary theology calls for salvation by appointment
rather than faith. It claims only certain ones are visited with what
can only be compared to a date-rape drug given by God that results in
obedience without any choice on their part. This is not the letter
Paul wrote to the church in Rome.
In that letter Paul wrote, I read of a God who loves us and desires
all. He is building his kingdom and has sent his gospel to provide us
all opportunity to choose him. His choice is all who will respond to
his gospel.
May we all respond to this wonderful love of God represented in his
gospel message!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd
love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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