As I closed yesterdays post I noted that the first 4 verses of chapter 10 really were written to complete the thought of chapter 9. In the balance of chapter 10 Paul continues to elaborate on the difference between life under the law and the life of faith.
Verses 9 - 12 in some ways draw the thoughts from the previous chapters together. Paul writes, "because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call upon him. For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Paul reminds us that this salvation is a gift given to all who approach God in faith. No lines drawn closing anyone out, God seeks to embrace ALL. Just for the record if you do a word study on the Greek word Paul uses here for "all" which is transliterated as "pas", you'll find it means - all. It does not mean everyone I like, or everyone like me, or everyone that only sins in ways I can deal with easily. It means ALL.
In the next portion of chapter 10 Paul answers our questions from chapter 9. I will go back and post on yesterdays questions later tonight, but for now this will have to be enough. Paul asks some rhetorical questions and then answers them. How will people believe in this savior if they haven't heard of him, and how will they hear unless someone tells the story, and who will tel if no one sends them out? Another memory verse answers his questions: "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." As silly and ineffective as we can sometimes be in our preaching and teaching and telling, through this "foolishness of preaching" the Good News is carried. God is full of grace even today, and we are sent to tell and invite a lost and broken world.
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
5 comments:
Wow, for once I'm the first commenter! How about that.
There's so much to say about the bible. Each time I read it, I fall more in love with it.
Verse 9 that Bill also mentioned is one that I have studied and memorized before. It is an incredible verse that really professes an extremely important beginning to our salvation in Jesus. We A. Say we love him and B. Give our heart to him - and it's LIFE CHANGING!
The end of the chapter made me think a little. Paul makes the point that the people who were reached in the old testament passages that he sites were not begging to be taught. They were people who did not welcome the gospel, and did not seek out the teacher. I think often we forget this in our faith as we go through our lives. It's so easy to witness to the people who show up to church, events, etc. and want to be heard, but what about those kids in my classes who have just never had the opportunity to meet Jesus? Those are the kinds of chances Paul refers to, chances we should not pass up.
On a side note...Today was the second meeting for my Literacy class this semester. The professor began the class by informing us that a 21-year old girl who had attended last week's class and was supposed to be in our class died in a car accident on Friday. WOW. I did not know her, but it certainly makes you think. I am sure her family needs prayers.
Thanks for the community, all you wonderful North country people.
In Him,
Marshall Neil
Marshall, our prayers will certainly go out to the family of the young lady - thank you for letting us share in their recovery.
Pastor, I have a crazy question concerning the verse “ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
For some reason I found myself repeatedly going back to this verse, like I was meant to see something more.
I have read that in some areas "over there," the feet are considered dirty and unclean - I also remember being briefed by the military that in some cultures it is considered an insult to show another person the soles of your feet...if this is the case here, is the statement "How beautiful are the feet..." a means of showing (via shock treatment) the importance and the beauty of preaching the gospel of peace?
Could this passage be meant to produce a "WOW" factor to illustrate His point?
Or, am I just reading into this too much.
Either way, it is a beautiful verse.
God Bless.
Hi Marshall and Mark!
Thanks for faithfully posting and reading along friends.
Marshall - we are praying for the family and friends of the 21 year old who died on Friday. Words fail me, but God's grace won't fail you.
Your point about the people that responded were not even looking, but that we must go look for them struck a chord within me. Jesus said his mission was "to seek and save the lost." I hear this as like playing hide and seek with the lost - and we are to go find and retrieve them. Well, we have pretty much concluded that the lost are not hiding under the pews in our churches. We need to broaden our search grid - to like OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF THE CHURCH!!!
Sorry.
Mark, about our beautiful feet. it is possible that there was some cultural deal with feet. I know there are some secondary meanings in some texts when feet are mentioned. However, I think here Paul is quoting Isaiah 52:7. In this scripture in Isaiah the messenger comes to tell the captives that their time has been served and their freedom and return to Israel has come. Here the beauty of the messengers feet is the beauty of the good news they carry.
Imagine for a moment where you would be, where I would be if not for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I can only imagine the depth of the depravity I would be mirred in if not for grace. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the ones that brought that good news generations ago to my family, and later to me. Beautiful.
Thank you for that reference - I appreciate you taking the time to give us other verses to look up on our own. It makes a big difference in putting it all together :)
And YES, our God not only reigns, He ROCKS!!
the beautiful feet verse always makes me think of the sandi patti song "beautiful feet" that I learned at camp in junior high. ;)
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