Romans 10:5-15
10:5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that "the
person who does these things will live by them."
10:6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart,
'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down)
10:7 "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up
from the dead).
10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, on your lips and in your
heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
10:9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10:10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the
mouth and so is saved.
10:11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."
10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all
and is generous to all who call on him.
10:13 For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
10:14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they
to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone
to proclaim him?
10:15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written,
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
I can only look at "good news" here as the good news of Jesus Christ. Vs. 14 asks how people can call on the Lord if they don't believe, how can they believe without hearing, how can they hear without someone proclaiming. Then in vs. 15 the good news is the proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord.
How beautiful are the feet? The feet of those who traveled when this was written would have been in major need of a pedicure! Sandals on dusty, dirty roads; calloused and blistered; depending on the terrain - cut up, muddy, etc. Yet they are beautiful in the eyes of God. For God does not see as we do. Everything is upside down in our view compared to God's.
No matter how dirty we are when we come to Christ, when we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths, we become beautiful in God's eyes.
Am doing a Wesley Covenant Service this week (Aug. 11, 1755 was lst one) and will most likely preach on this text combined with the Gospel.
katinPA
Ilike this passage, perhaps God bringing me along to preach on it. Title "FEET" couple that with homonym "Feat" Faith- Feet for a Feat! Do not depend on the law to save you. Got to have faith. I need some 'feet' stories. Like the apostles feet, St. patrick's feet, Francis of Assisi's feet, John and ending with John and Charles Wesley's feat...Beautiful feet...accomplished a feat for faith! Pastor mary in ohio
Paul is writing this in the context of how the Jewish people- except for a remnant who will save them- have rejected God's call.It's not as though it hasn't been preached (as he and others with their "beautiful feet" (whatever that is!) have been proclaiming it. He and others have been sending out this "good news." You'd think this happy thing would be welcomed. Most of us say we like to hear "good news." I think, though, that what happens instead is a universal phenomena: we'd all rather hunker down and close our ears rather than stay alive to possibility through the Creative Spirit. -AEA
There seems to be a continually pervasive attitude among some "Christians" in the church. Their view is that you should: Learn the rules and follow to the letter; Keep in step at all costs; Make sure no one sways. And then, you win a big reward." This works righteousness attitude is so difficult to defeat. (No pun intended.) I read Paul's comments to the Romans as an attempt to destroy the lock-step adherence to "The Law." Isn't he saying that Christianity is not about marching to the tunes of the old band, but rather, waltzing and dancing in the joys of God's love and Grace. Therein is the good news!
Too many seem to hinge their trust and beliefs on something hard, physical, concrete, or etched in stone (The Law). God's salvation isn't like that. It requires a step of faith (or Leap of faith - Keirkegaard). Isn't that what Peter had to do in the Gospel story, step out in faith onto nothing hard, nothing fixed, nothing as strong as the tablets of the law?
I look forward to your responses.
Steve in NC
I've been away for a few weeks -- computer problems! -- and have missed having the discussions available to prob my own thinking. This week I am thinking I'll focus on the importance of "confession" (in the form of proclamation) to us. Both the Hebrew Scripture passage and the Gospel reading are wonderful opportunities for telling the story that God has given us. Telling the story is the mandate of Romans 10:14 for all believers. How important are the story tellers we have all known to our spiritual growth and development?
StudentPastor in KS
I'm wondering about the connection between what Paul advises people to do and what not to do. He says not to say, "Who will ascend into heaven to bring Christ down" and then later says to confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord (essentially, that Jesus is already God "brought down" from heaven to earth). He says not to say, "Who will descend into the abyss to bring Christ up from the dead" and then later says to believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead (essentially, that Jesus has already been brought up from the abyss). Paul has taken the birth and death/resurrection of Christ and shown how God has already accomplished what we were unable to do ourselves. I'm hoping to include some of what Jesus did between his birth and death as examples of the "good news" Paul talks about in verse 15.
*Brian in IL
