THUMBNAIL - Paul begins Romans 10 with a narrow lens of salvation: "the longing of my heart . . . is that the Jewish people might be saved" (NLT 10:1). But as the chapter unfolds, we peer through the wide-angle lens the gospel to include "anyone" and "all," Jew and Gentile" (10:11, 12).

 

It might be well to rehearse the logic of Paul’s midrashic argument:

The Law was meant as a way to trust in God Law = trust in God Misinterpretation: Law = works of piety Christ = engenders trust in God who sent him Christ is telos (goal and end) of Law But Christ rejected by Israelites Law and Christ as way to trust are both rejected by Israelites

 

C & B? NEXT! - Some well-meaning religious groups put great emphasis on the "confess with your lips . . . and believe in your heart . . ." as the formula par excellence for conversion. It’s like we’re in this long line to get saved; the cleric hunched over his ledger buried with bookkeeping, announces, "Next." A person walks in and stands before the cleric. "Do you believe . . . ?" "Yes, I believe . . ." "Believe in the heart too?" "Yep." The cleric stamps the ledger. "Okay, you’re saved." Another saved person exits. "Next," the cleric announces and the scenario loops around endlessly. Is that what salvation is all about? Getting our theological A, B, C’s according to the formula, and instantly we’re saved? You may want to honestly hold this view up if such a theological understanding of this passage is common among your congregation. Raise questions about formulas, about events and processes in the Christian journey, and suggest another way to come to this passage. Liturgists that I’ve studied with at Drew would see in this formulation an ancient baptismal formula that encapsulates-not reduces-Christian faith just prior to being immersed into the Body of Christ.

What are some of the ways that you’ve developed to improve a letter grade in school? What’s your strategy?

List the written (and unwritten) laws in your family that you grew up with.

How would the attitude of a person coming to God on the basis of his or her performance (v.5) be different from that of someone coming to God by faith in Christ (vs. 8-9)?

Two ideas for a homily on this passage:

Evangelism (vs. 5-10). "Evangelism, in many quarters of mainline Protestant churches has been the shunned stepchild of preaching. Yet every road running through postmodernity cries out for someone to speak good news." [1]

Radical Inclusivity (based on vs. 11-15). Notice the inclusive emphasis: No one who believes in him will be put to shame . . . same Lord is Lord of all . . . riches upon all . . . everyone who calls . . . will be saved

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[1] The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2002 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001), page 285.