The Obedience of Faith

Paul wrote the book of Romans to both Jews and Gentile believers who belonged to the church in the city of Rome. Interestingly it is unlike any of the Gospels or the Book of Acts which preceded it.  Like all of Paul’s writings, the book of Romans is actually a letter and not a book – and it reads in stark contrast to any of his other letters anywhere in the Bible.  The Gospels and Acts are largely historical narratives that just tell us what happened in the life of Jesus, and in the birth and life of his early church. Paul’s other letters tend to deal with rebuke, correction, or practical advice for the kinds of challenges that arose among the people in the faith communities that he planted.  But Romans is neither historical narrative, nor practical advice or correction.  Instead, it is a complex and daunting work of doctrine and theology. If you read it in a formal equivalency translation like the ESV, the NASB or the KJV you’ll find that his very first sentence is one long, sprawling, densely packed string of thoughts that touch on the  concepts of formal and collective apostleship, messianic prophecy, both the full humanity and the full divinity of Christ, faith, calling, resurrection, grace, the redemption of the nations, and obedience (Romans 1:1-7)  – and that’s just his greeting! 

The rest of the letter develops deeply theological ideas that undergird almost all genuine Christian thought. Don’t be intimidated by Paul’s complexity. Embrace it. Study it. Be encouraged by it. And do your best to understand it. If you can do these things, you will find that God flows through the words of Paul, and that in those words, he will give you the belief structures you need to walk out your faith with power in a world opposed to you because it loathes the God you serve.

In fact, Paul obliquely mentions that kind of power in that very first theologically laden sentence when he says that through Jesus “we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations. . .(Romans 1:5).” What does any of that have to do with power?  An awful lot.  Paul is arguing with that phrase how real faith – that is a real trust in Jesus as the Son of God – produces obedience.  Obedience is a chief response to trusting the power of God, the love of God, and the goodness of God as he uses you to glorify his name among all the nations!  After all, if you trust God, you’ll do what he says. 

Compellingly, Paul closes his letter with a version of that very phrase (Romans 16:25-27)! Both the greeting and the valediction of his letter to the Romans reminded his audience (which includes you) of a serious truth: Because of its sin, God separated mankind into the nations at Genesis 11:6-9. In Deuteronomy 32:6-9, God divides those nations up among lesser gods, but saves back the Hebrew nation for himself.  In Acts 2:1-13, God fills devout Jews with the Holy Spirit and begins the process of bringing his people out of those nations. He then transforms the Jewish, rabbinically educated Paul into the Apostle for those nations.  The responsibility of Paul’s work has transferred down to all faithful believers through the centuries. So, as you read his words be prepared to take his baton and continue his race for those nations as you assume the obedience of faith.