The Real Gospel
“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
Today’s Text: Romans 1:8-17 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
The Letter to the Romans has generally be considered the most theological of all of Paul’s letters. In it, he explains to the churches of Rome the gospel that he has been preaching and teaching throughout his missionary journeys.
And so, in the Living Life passage for today, the most well-known and often-quoted verses are found in Romans 1:16-17 -
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
What people often overlook, however, is that God did not give us the Scriptures simply for the sake of teaching us theology. Yes, God gave us the Scriptures so that we might know Him. How could we know Him without the Scriptures? But beyond that and more than that, the Scriptures are given to us in order to lead us in how we should live.
Having a relationship with Jesus Christ does not happen simply by knowing about Him (theology). Having a relationship with Jesus Christ happens when we follow Him in obedience because of faith.
And so, while verses 16-17 are very important for understanding the gospel and knowing about God, verses 11-12 are more important with respect to having a relationship with Jesus and following Him as our Lord and Savior.
That is because Paul wrote the Letter to the Romans in order to establish a bond of fellowship with them in Christ Jesus, so that they might partner together in filling the earth with the glory of God in Jesus’s name through God-fearing, God-honoring, God-worshiping, God-loving communities and families, the church.
We don’t need faith to memorize or copy verses 16-17 and know about God. But following Jesus by following Paul’s example in verses 11-12 is impossible without faith.
The misconception that the Bible is solely—or even primarily—about learning theology is especially rampant in contemporary Asian cultures, where education has become an idol (an idol that contributes greatly to the destruction of our families and the loss of faith—but that is for another blog).
That misconception creates communities that fail in the following respects:
People think that they cannot serve the church or go on missions without acquiring “adequate” and “proper” knowledge.
People think that spiritual growth depends on programs that dispense “adequate” and “proper” knowledge.
People think that church membership requires “adequate” and “proper” knowledge.
Pastor who only preach in Paul’s letters or the New Testament.
And so, churches operating under that misconception tend to be exclusive and uninviting, more interested in keeping out the “non-elect” riff-raff than seeking and saving the lost riff-raff. Ironically, the end result is often a community that is “built up” on demographic similarity rather than knowing and following Christ.
But Christ has taught us better here in Canvas, and may He continue to do so.
Father, You are the Author of our salvation, and You have sent to us the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. Without You, we have no hope. Forgive us for being self-reliant. Forgive us for relying on our “A’s” and being complacent and satisfied in a kind of knowledge that is weak and even dead. Make us alive in Christ. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
