Righteousness Through Faith

Week Six - Day 6

Today's Reading

Romans 9:1 to 12:21

In these four chapters of Romans, Paul brings together a variety of themes: righteous comes through faith and not through works; the special place of Israel in God's plan; the Gentiles reliance on the promises made to Israel; the mutual reliance on the various gifts given to individuals; and living humbly and at peace with one another.  If these four chapters could only be inwardly and spiritually digested by Christians, if we could truly live out the depth of their teachings, much of the division and dissension we create might be overcome.  Is it not the comparisons that we make between ourselves and others, is it not the judgments, the 'lines in the sand' that we ourselves draw, that are the cause of much our troubles?

We spend far too much energy in picking out a verse here or a verse there in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures so that we can beat another over the head with it.  We say, here is the rule, and you are in violation of it and therefore are unworthy.  But what does Paul, one who knows better than we, ultimately conclude?  "Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (10:4), and "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" (10:9).

Does this mean there is nothing to guide our choices and relationships?  How about we try try this: "Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor" (12:9-10).  Once we master these then perhaps we can move on to lesser things.