Saturday, 20 August, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Romans 10:5-17

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 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, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[c] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵ And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

In today’s passage, Paul deals with the question of how we can be right with God. If you seek to be right with God based upon what you do, then you have to be perfect. Always. But there is another way to be right with God, and it is a way that is based upon faith rather than your works.

Where is this salvation to be found? You don’t have to work your way to heaven to find it. You don’t have to go to hell to extract the secret from there. Salvation is very close to you, and it doesn’t require your works. This salvation can be found in the preached word, for faith comes from hearing…the word of Christ.

Since preaching is so important, Paul goes on to tell us that the roll of the preacher is vitally important. If salvation comes through the preached word, then people need a someone to bring this saving message to them. In fact, Paul goes so far as to say that God works faith in our hearts as we hear the message of Jesus Christ preached in the gospel. The preacher has been granted a great privilege as well as a tremendous responsibility.

What do we learn from this?

Have you ever felt that you were lacking in faith? Have you ever thought that by now you really should be able to trust God more in your Christian walk? Or have you been able to look back and think that earlier in your life you were closer to God? Or maybe as you look at your life, you realize that you never have trusted in God for your salvation, and you have been trying to earn favor with God by your good works. But you realize how important faith in God is, and you want to have faith or increase it. What should you do?

You don’t have to ascend into heaven to bring it down. You don’t have to descend into the abyss to bring it up. In fact, you can’t create the faith by any works you might do. Stop trying to earn it.

Instead, you should put yourself in the place where God has promised to meet His people and provide them with saving faith: place yourself under the faithful preaching of the gospel, for faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Listen to God’s word. Seek God in His word. Trust Him to provide the faith.

Notice that faith doesn’t come through skits, or drama, or liturgical dance. It doesn’t come through movie clips, or puppet shows, or praise bands. It comes from the faithful preaching of the gospel. If we believe this to be true, the faithful preaching of the gospel should be central to what we do in our worship services.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Notice what Paul calls the gospel message that causes faith in God’s people: the word of Christ. It is Christ Jesus that we preach. He is the message. His birth, life, death and resurrection were all done for the salvation of His people. The scriptures point us to this great act of redemption which God accomplished. That is what we preach.

I’ve included the Where is Christ in this passage? section in my meditations of the scriptures because He is central to all of scripture, and we should seek Him there. If our pastors are doing their job right, we should hear about Christ every Sunday in the sermon. Our pastors should point us to Christ in the passage before us for that Sunday. We should hear the gospel presented and hear the word of Christ in the preaching.