His Hand is on the Door

Verse by Verse (ish) through Romans 11, pt.2

September 21st, 2007

More context - Romans 1:

Once Paul takes on the challenge of addressing the relational crisis looming between the Jews and Gentiles of the church of Rome, he begins by bulding relational bridges and establishing commonality between both himself and his audience as well as with one another.

Thus, Chapter One begins with Paul establishing his identity, calling, and the scope of his ministry - all the nations of the earth are his concern and his “mission field”. He would not be one who was identified, for example, with Antioch (his home base), Jerusalem (his support-raising project), or Asia Minor (his primary ministry assignment to date). He wanted to establish himself as one who had a place to make his appeal. Thus he affirmed their global reputation and the manner in which God had knit his heart to them in prayer. He shared his desire to come and serve them personally. That which God has given him he had long desired to impart to them - not the least of which was the gospel itself.

Why would Paul speak about preaching the gospel to believers related to their salvation? The gospel, or the good news, as Paul defined it, was the very reason that Paul had been “separated” as a bondservant and an apostle - to proclaim that which had been promised long ago in the Hebrew scriptures by Hebrew prophets: the Jewish Messiah had come (or, as Paul reminds them in 1:3, the Son of God who was “born of the seed of David according to the flesh…”) and had been proven to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness - who raised Jesus from the dead. Paul, in his introductory statement, is making a subtle point - but it is one that he will hammer home in a shocking and powerful way in Romans 9:5:

The Son of God is a Jewish man.

This sentence is a critical part of the good news that Paul had been commisioned by God to preach - but more than that, to receive grace and authority from God to live out and display amongst the peoples of the earth the implications of this faith. The powerful truth of who Jesus is as the Christ has incredible implications for all peoples in every nation.

Belief in the gospel as Paul stated it has great power for all who believe unto salvation - thus the “order” of both its communication and the pattern of its emergence in Paul’s day matters - the truth came to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. Jews heard the message and believed first (and the Messiah came for the Jews), then Gentiles were allowed to enter into the promise of God related to salvation through faith in the righteousness of God. In Paul’s ministry, his pattern of preaching the gospel continued to honor the pattern that God established as He unveiled the New Covenant to all.

The righteousness of God is a critical issue related to the gospel. How do the two connect? How does the idea of God’s righteousness connect to the passage Paul is referencing in Habbakuk 2:4? The righteousness of God is revealed in the context of His leadership, specifically the manner in which He expresses both true justice and astonishing mercy related to the establishment of His promises. In other words, the character or “correctness” of Gods ways is proven by His justice and His mercy. His divine activities related to HIs dealings with men reveal to us His righteous character. Our faith, or confidence, in His leadership might be shaken however by the pressure of difficult circumstances. How do we interpret His current actions related to His future promises? Do we believe He is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He is going to do?

David

Entry Filed under: bible, prayer movement