The Gospel According to Paul: Un-complicate Your Idea of Salvation. Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Listen to “Thoughts in Worship 05.01.2018” on Spreaker.
“…The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:8–13).
Simple Qualifications
Sometimes we make the gospel of Christ really complicated. We complicate love. We complicate grace. We complicate mercy. We complicate law-keeping. We complicate forgiveness. We complicate cleansing from all unrighteousness. It is so unnecessary. God’s Word, and His great and precious promises are for us and our children if we will simply have faith in God to believe He will do what He says He will do!
When Paul was addressing his readers in Romans 10, he was doing his best to un-complicate the matter of salvation. Some of his brothers who were born Israelites still tried to qualify themselves for heaven even after Messiah had come. Some of them still attempted to establish righteousness upon their own standards, and tried to accomplish them in their own strength. That’s at least two problems, in case you missed it.
His Failsafe
God’s claim upon all humanity is that we must keep the law perfectly or face the consequences of failing. So, if you wish to attempt this feat in your own strength, you will bear the consequences. However, those who keep faith in Christ, and surrender their all to Him, receive the power to do all God commands, and if they make a mistake along the way, they have the advocacy of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and cleansing from all unrighteousness.
The truth is that God’s truth is near to us in His Word. We don’t need to fly to some new realm to discover salvation’s secret code. We don’t need to commission a deep sea expedition to find treasures of a buried city to find the secret. And we don’t have to be born Israelites. If we are going to be saved, we will be saved on the same basis: by the power of God, through faith in Jesus Christ.
Consider Yourself Empowered
If we believe this with all our hearts and agree with God on this, we absolutely will be saved. Saved people, by virtue of the Holy Spirit’s power that resides in them will invariably do God’s will. Why? Where the Spirit abides, He provides strength to accomplish that which human effort will always fail to accomplish. What is impossible with human effort is more than possible with God.
Don’t complicate salvation. It’s free. It’s empowering. Those who receive it by faith become responsible citizens of the kingdom, while we sojourn in this world.
I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, are you?
