Romans 4-7
December 16, 2014

We hear again in today's reading that salvation is not from obeying the Law, that is; the commandments and teachings found in the Old Testament.  Rather, it is from accepting by faith the free gift that Jesus offers.  The gift IS salvation (forgiveness) of our sins, and if we accept, then it follows that we are no longer banned from entrance into heaven.   Therefore, if we accept forgiveness, we once again become residents of heaven.

In today's passage Paul eludes to several things that happen to a Christian beginning with the salvation experience.  He mentions that we have a new perspective on life in Chapter 5.   I think of it like this:  Because I am now a resident of heaven (and while I am on earth I am away from home) I see suffering differently than I used to.    I used to see suffering as bad for my earthly body...it made me uncomfortable, and that was not desired.   But now, I realize that I am more than an earthly body...I am also a spiritual being, and it occurs to me that when I suffer it produces spiritual results that I truly desire.   Therefore, I rejoice (in a way) when I suffer, because the suffering produces perseverence, which helps me to develop better character, and the person that has great character also has great hope.  This is what I want, and suffering is one means by which it comes.

It may be that my earthly body pays the price for the growth of my spiritual body.   That's okay with me, because I am gaining what I cannot lose while losing what I could never hold onto anyway.   The earth is filled with people who are desperately trying to extend the life of their earthly bodies.   There's nothing wrong with that, as long as developing the eternal spirit is a higher priority.   It is the height of foolishness to make life in this body your number one priority.    It's simply building a castle in the sand...there was never any way that it would survive.

Paul reinforces his primary teaching with several illustrations and some rather complicated conversation.   It helps me to know that he was speaking to the Jews in Rome, who had a real hurdle to clear in order to believe.  The actual concept is easier for you and I to accept, because we don't have all the years of obedience to the original law, and the underlying belief that it was this law that brought about our salvation.   We also don't have to accept that Jesus died for others, not just us.   We are the others!      Paul's writing here is at times a little complicated, but it's simple because his original audience was deeply mired in tradition and incorrect doctrine.

I find myself thinking as I read these chapters "Paul, I got it the first time....what else do you have?"

PR