Zeal for God
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Romans 10:1-13
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. 3. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified. 5. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. 6. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7. or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8. But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); 9. because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved. 11. The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. 13. For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
The “them” Paul refers to in verse 1 is the Israelites. He has come to love them as if they were part of his family—and, in fact, they are through Christ. He acknowledges that they are zealous and fervent in their faith, but it is a faith based on a flawed truth. Paul knows this to be true, because it is his story too! So he really does know what he’s talking about – he zealously persecuted in the past the very people he’s trying to reach now!
It’s one thing to “live by the law” and it’s another thing entirely to apply that law (or set of laws) from a Christian perspective. Christ changed everything—not just his resurrection, but, I think, his very life! He perfected everything we strive to be—he became perfection to show us the way to be perfect. Absolute obedience. Complete submission to God. Practice what you preach. Perfect love.
The law is not necessary if we live in Christ. We don’t need to have our actions regulated by “man” if we are living within the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection. I don’t know exactly how many laws there are on the books in this country, probably millions! And what purpose do they serve? Well a lot of attorneys are making a good living because of them. And a lot of other people have jobs because of the laws, and the need to enforce them. The court systems are so backed up, there will probably never be a shortage of trials and hearings and other legal proceedings!
Man is justified through his belief in the risen Christ. If I live by that, I don’t need a law that tells me not to kill someone, or beat them up. I have no desire to kill my neighbor because through the lens of Christ, he is part of the same body to which I am a member. It sounds pretty childish, I know, but Jesus himself told us that we must become like a child in our faith.
Paul tells us that we don’t need any miraculous signs to demonstrate our faith. He contends that if we believe in our hearts and confess with our lips, that is enough. We will live a live so in line with God’s word and exemplary of the love of Christ, that everyone will know we are “different.” And they will want what we have. They will want to be like us. Not us—but like us in our faith, in the way we view the world, and in the way we live.
This saving grace is available to all, equally. It doesn’t matter how horribly you’ve sinned. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in your past. It doesn’t matter how long its been since you stepped foot in a church, or even how many years have passed since you lifted a prayer to heaven. God has already made provisions for you when you offer your life to him and for him. That’s the good news! And you don’t need to be a bible scholar to know and accept that. I can’t think of a better reason to live a life modeled after that of Jesus Christ!
I hope today you soak up all the grace of God our father, the love of His Son, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, you zealously declare that you are saved.
Mary
