Made One
Good Morning Friends,
Today at church we begin a study of Romans and in that I imagine a study of one of the most studied minds of history, Paul of Tarsus…a Roman citizen and Saul of Tarsus, a Jew of Jews who was brought up, as tradition has it, under Gamaliel, one of the greatest and most honored teachers in the Sanhedrin. Paul stretches us to think differently while still realizing it takes time for cultures to change.
It is doubtful that Paul’s letter to the Romans was read much when it was first written, but though time…what an impact! What an impact on Martin Luther too, Johnathan Edwards and more… You see Paul was as gifted an intermediary between cultures as anyone. But his impact like Christ was to be across time. He pressed for change but also unity. As Gentiles we owe our theology to Paul and our religion. But we should not forget our roots. Paul was a master of connecting the Christ of culture with the Christ of our community…the Christ of our History with the Christ of our Home. In his writings we see that marriage is like Christ and the Church. It is not an either or proposition….we are to be Made One.
Scripture: The Lord says, “You are precious and honored in my sight. . . . Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”
Isaiah 43:4-5 (NIV)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Ephesians 5:21–24 (NIV)
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
Acts 17:22-23 (ESV)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:17 (NRSV)
Message: Is your motivation by fear or faith? Paul is an amazing example of how they are married in the glorious life of a mind submitting in active service of God. People miss the point of Paul, and unfortunately Paul is more maligned today for his perceived view of woman than for the fact that he murdered Christians. But I do not think people really get him and the bridge builder he was. He came from a culture that was one of the most male dominated cultures in the world. Women were not taught scripture nor actively engaged in the Temple. Cultural change, if peaceful, takes a long time. This is why justification by faith is so important to reformed church people. This is why we must never forget our roots….We must never forget the direction we are going…nudged and always reforming while still coming home to Christ.
Pray we see Christ as both the Authority and the Source…the headwaters of the Spirit. Pray we appreciate the supple mind of Christ in Paul with His logic and argument and poetry and imagination. Pray we as Christians become part of the fabric of our society. Pray we lead when called to lead and follow when called to follow. Pray we are justified by our faith as Christ weaves us together making us one.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 