The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Romans 1:16-17,
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
As Paul quotes the Old Testament prophet, Habakkuk, he states what many of us feel to be the theme of this work, the book of Romans. In this letter to the Christian community in Rome, Paul presses his point that in order for us to make our way from this life into life eternal in heaven with the Lord, it will only happen if we embrace the Lord in faith. It is by faith, not good works that will get us there.
This is a wonderful book that lays out the gospel so clearly. Paul's need to write it (through the prompting and the message of the Holy Spirit) was that he faced a formidable enemy to the gospel: the mistaken notion that if we can just be "good enough" we can earn a place in heaven. This enemy is still alive and well today!
Paul's challenge, as he took the gospel from the Jewish quarter out into the Gentile world, was that he was dogged by those who opposed him with a message of law-keeping. Paul taught salvation by faith alone. These others had a message of law-keeping. There were even those who affirmed salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, but it had to be accompanied with circumcision, Sabbath keeping, the dietary and other laws given through Moses.
Many churches today continue in that error. Some of them, in order to bring a perceived coherence to their perspective, have created a dichotomy of the law of Moses. They teach some laws are moral (as in the ten commandments) and some ceremonial (as in the temple worship, the religious calendar God gave the Jews, etc.)
Paul demolishes that error, in Romans 7:6-7, as he discusses the tenth commandment of the decalogue, "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.'"
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
As Paul quotes the Old Testament prophet, Habakkuk, he states what many of us feel to be the theme of this work, the book of Romans. In this letter to the Christian community in Rome, Paul presses his point that in order for us to make our way from this life into life eternal in heaven with the Lord, it will only happen if we embrace the Lord in faith. It is by faith, not good works that will get us there.
This is a wonderful book that lays out the gospel so clearly. Paul's need to write it (through the prompting and the message of the Holy Spirit) was that he faced a formidable enemy to the gospel: the mistaken notion that if we can just be "good enough" we can earn a place in heaven. This enemy is still alive and well today!
Paul's challenge, as he took the gospel from the Jewish quarter out into the Gentile world, was that he was dogged by those who opposed him with a message of law-keeping. Paul taught salvation by faith alone. These others had a message of law-keeping. There were even those who affirmed salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, but it had to be accompanied with circumcision, Sabbath keeping, the dietary and other laws given through Moses.
Many churches today continue in that error. Some of them, in order to bring a perceived coherence to their perspective, have created a dichotomy of the law of Moses. They teach some laws are moral (as in the ten commandments) and some ceremonial (as in the temple worship, the religious calendar God gave the Jews, etc.)
Paul demolishes that error, in Romans 7:6-7, as he discusses the tenth commandment of the decalogue, "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.'"
When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith we die to our enslavement to sin and to the law, and are now free to embrace righteousness in new life.
I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am at this reality. If getting into heaven depended upon my performance, I would have no hope. Because Jesus Christ paid for my sins, and your sins on the cross, his right standing with God the Father becomes mine and yours when we embrace him in faith. My entrance into heaven is based on his performance, not mine.
Afterall, there was a purpose in Jesus Christ giving his life on that cross!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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