Day 171, Romans 10
In Chapter 9, Paul warned his readers not to stumble over the means of God’s salvation because we don’t comprehend it. Today he unpacks what that looks like. The challenge faced by his fellow Israelites in Paul’s day was not unlike the challenge we have today in many corners of the Western Church: salvation by works doesn’t work!
The Jews lacked light, Paul says, and ignored the righteousness (alignment with God) given by God (a gift) because they wanted to earn it instead. The same is true wherever the gospel has been reduced to “agree with these Bible verses, say this prayer, attend these services, give this money, act this way.”
So Paul’s logic is just as relevant today as it was in the first century. We receive faith-righteousness through God’s living message (Jesus): the revelation of faith for salvation (or word of faith).
Even here, the religious behemoth has twisted and neutered that gift, turning the word of faith into “name it and claim it” heresy, or human effort to say something so hard that we believe it!
No wonder multitudes are turning away from the Church in the same way as throngs of Jews turned to Christ in the era of Acts!
It is worthwhile to research what Paul means by word of faith: the two Greek words are rhema and pistis. We have come across them before. Rhema means the word breathed out or spoken - the living, now Word of God. Pistis is translated faith, but its roots are in persuasion and being convinced. So Paul is saying that the gift of right alignment with God comes by being persuaded or convinced by His breathed Word. Its’s as though Jesus leans in and whispers “I love you” in your ear, and you are so captivated by this encounter that you willingly surrender all resistance and striving in light of His presence.
That free gift is truly good news for everyone - Jew or Gentile, religious or not. Everyone can delight in the same lavish generosity. Except if you are determined to earn God’s favor: then you are going to be painfully disappointed because you can’t do it! Faith, then, is birthed in a heart that responds to God’s anointed utterance of the Anointed One.
We could be forgiven for concluding “well let the religious strivers get their reward then.” But Paul concludes the chapter by quoting Deuteronomy and Isaiah to show us that God persists in holding out the gift of righteousness to those who strive to reject it.
Why not pause and enjoy Jesus’ whisper to you now? “I love you, I want all of you, lay down your resistant striving and let my love align you perfectly with our heavenly Father.”
Have a great day!
Mark.