Tuesday 06 March 2012
- Bible Book:
- Romans
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (v. 16)
Background
Paul gives us the focus for his whole letter to the Romans inthe first few lines of today's passage. It is concerning the gospel(good news), which is about salvation by faith through God'spower.
Salvation is a broad term with its meaning stemming from Israel'sdeliverance from captivity in Egypt and into the freedom of thepromised land (Deuteronomy 6:21-23). It is a term used todescribe Jesus and his work (
Righteousness is a moral and ethical integrity which only God trulypossesses. Paul argues that the righteousness of God is imparted toanyone who has faith in the gospel presented. The condition offaith is the same for everyone, regardless of religious or culturalbackground.
The actions of Gentiles (non Jews) and God's view of them is thenanalysed in verses 18-25. The term "wrath" (v. 18) may make usuncomfortable, but clearly points us to the activity of God againsteverything that is unjust and wrong in all spheres of life. It isthe powerful action of the God of love against all that isunloving.
Written to a church living amongst the pagan rituals, moralcorruption and pleasure seeking of gentile Rome, the originalreaders would have recognised Paul's description of a downwardspiral. People had no excuse because the nature of God wasself-evident. The heartbreaking phrase, "God gave them up" (v. 24),is not just God letting human beings get what they desire. We mustalso face the writer's thought, that God actively hands over peopleto their destructive consequences.
To Ponder
In your life what have you been saved from? Whathave you been saved to?
What kind of upward or downward spirals are atwork in your culture or life? To what extent Paul's analysis onethat you can identify with?
How do you react to the idea of God's wrath?Where and against what wickedness do you think it is revealed?