For the obedience of faith…
Over the last couple of days, I’ve shared posts related to some of our discussion with the church last Sunday when we studied Romans 1:1-17 together. (See my posts “Amazed at living in the last days” and “That I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you.”)
There was another phrase in that first part of Romans 1 that resulted in a great and encouraging discussion. It was the phrase “the obedience of faith.”
Here is the phrase in the context of Romans 1:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1-6 ESV)
Isn’t that an interesting phrase: “the obedience of faith.” We don’t often think about obedience in relation to faith like that.
Later, I searched for that phrase and found that it only occurs one other time Scripture… also in the letter to the Romans… and at the very end of the letter. Here is the only other occurrence of the phrase “the obedience of faith” in Scripture:
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith — to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25-27 ESV)
The fact that the phrase “the obedience of faith” occurs at the very beginning and very end of this letter (and nowhere else) could be very significant and could indicate a theme for this letter (a literary device called inclusio).
Now, you may have noticed that in both instances the phrase is included with a prepositional phrase that was translated as “to bring about the obedience of faith.” Without getting to technical, the phrase “to bring about” comes from a preposition that often translated “to” or “for.” In this case, I think it would have been better if the translators had left it as “for the obedience of faith,” instead of “to bring about the obedience of faith.”
Here are some other ways the phrase is translated:
… for obedience to the faith… (KJV and NKJV)
… to the obedience that comes from faith… (NIV)
… to bring about the obedience of faith… (NASB, with a note “for obedience of faith”)
Similarly, the HCSB offers a few different possibilities: to bring about (“to” or “for”) the obedience of faith (“the obedience that is faith,” “the faithful obedience,” or “the obedience that comes from faith”).
But, regardless of how we translate the preposition (and it is an important question), the phrase “obedience of faith” remains to be considered. You can see some of the questions raised by looking at the options given by the HCSB translators.
What do you think Paul meant by the phrase “the obedience of faith”?
That I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you
As I’ve mentioned a few times – most recently in my post yesterday “” – we’re currently studying through the book of Romans together with the church. A few weeks ago, we read through the entire book together – which was extremely rewarding, by the way. Then, last Sunday, we read, studied, and discussed the first few verses of the first chapter.
Of course, as we talked about Sunday, it’s difficult to break apart a book like this into little chunks. The book is a whole entity and should be considered as a whole. When we break it up, we often miss what the author is saying. But, it took us over an hour to read through the letter, and it would take several hours – perhaps several days – to talk about meaning and application and to discuss how God would have us respond to this letter.
So, for better or for worse, we have to break it up into chunks that we can read and discuss in 1 – 1 1/2 hours. (Yes, that’s usually how long we spend working through various parts of Scripture. Of course, it’s not one person talking for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, but that’s for a different post.) And, we try to keep the whole letter in mind while discussing various parts of it.
Last Sunday, we ran across this passage that is quickly becoming one of my favorites:
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you — that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. (Romans 1:11-12 ESV)
Now, there is so much that could be said about this short passage. But, consider this…
Paul had never been to Rome. In fact, in the very next sentence, he says that he had tried to visit them before but had been “prevented.” He knew a few Christians in Rome – obvious from chapter 16. But, for the most part, he did not know the Roman believers.
So, while he was looking forward to coming to Rome for many reasons – for example, as a base to continue to proclaim the gospel in Spain (Romans 15:24,28) – he was also looking forward to strengthening the faith of the Roman believers. He knew that God would use him to build them up and encourage them as they follow Jesus.
But, that’s no all. And, to me, this is the extremely exciting part. Even though Paul did not know many of the Romans, he knew that they would be able to strengthen and encourage him as well!
How did Paul know that his Roman brothers and sisters in Christ would be able to strengthen his faith?
1) He knew that God dwelled in them through his Holy Spirit.
2) He knew that those Roman believers would have opportunities to build him up.
Those two things must go together in order for the Romans to be able to strengthen Paul and for Paul to be able to encourage them.
I wonder what would happen if we expected God to work through us whenever we gathered with others in order to strengthen them in the faith? I wonder what would happen if (at the same time) we also expected God to work through our brothers and sisters in order to strengthen us in the faith whenever we were with them?
For me, I think this should be our attitude whenever we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Amazed at living in the last days
Before you start reading this post, I need to clarify something. When I use the phrase “the last days” in this post, I’m not using it in the manner that it’s often used by those who love to study and discuss eschatology – that is, that time just before the world comes to an end.
Instead, when I use the phrase “the last days” in this post, I’m using it in the manner that Peter used it in Acts 2, when he quoted the prophet Joel: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams…” (Acts 2:17 ESV; Joel 2:28)
This reference to “last days” is often found in the Old Testament (such as that passage in Joel). This was a time that the people of the Old Testament longed for. They looked forward to the time when God would be with his people (“Immanuel”), when God would give them a new heart, and when they would live under a new covenant.
Here’s the thing… if Peter is correct (and I think he is), then he saw himself and those of his generation as living in “the last days,” and I would say that we still live in “the last days.”
The difference is, for the authors of the New Testament, there was an excitement – an amazement – a wonder – at living in “the last days.” I already mentioned what Peter said about “the last days” on the day of Pentecost. Now, consider these passages also:
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians 3:4-6 ESV)
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:10-12 ESV)
Paul and Peter both recognize that they were living in an exciting time – a time that others wondered about and look forward to. It was in their time (and our time) when God was demonstrating his grace to all peoples – even the Gentiles. Now, they (and we) know how God is with his people.
I started thinking about this recently when we were studying Romans 1 together with the church. There, in the opening address, Paul refers to this same idea of living in “the last days”:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord… (Romans 1:1-4 ESV)
Paul recognized that he and his readers were living out the promises that God had made generations before. And, he was amazed at this fact.
May we never lose the wonder and amazement at living during a time when God is with his people, indwelling us by his Holy Spirit.
Scripture… As We Live It #249
This is the 249th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe and then who do all the things that Christians are supposed to do. (Romans 3:21-22 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #248
This is the 248th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, as long as we read our Bibles and pray daily and don’t do anything to make God mad at us. (Romans 5:1 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #247
This is the 246th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother instead separate into different groups based on your various beliefs and convictions so that you do not have to deal with people who disagree with you. (Romans 14:13 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #246
This is the 246th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
[Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves…] Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. Therefore, judge everyone who lives in this dishonoring way. (Romans [1:24];2:1 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #245
This is the 245th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope to give us ammunition with which to argue against those who disagree with us. (Acts 15:36 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Replay: Walking together in a worthy manner
Five years ago, while studying Ephesians, I wrote a post called “Walking together in a worthy manner.” (Interestingly, we just finished studying and discussing Ephesians together when we gather on Sunday morning.) In this post, I meditate on what it means to “walk in a worthy manner” when everything is not going perfectly among a community in Christ. What if there is relational friction or disagreements? What would it look like then to “walk together in a worthy manner”?
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Walking together in a worthy manner
In Ephesians chapter 4, Paul begins to “flesh out” the implications of the previous three chapters of the letter. He begins with these words:
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV)
I’ve been meditating on these verses lately. I realize that Paul is calling us to live a certain way together – remember, this was written to the church, not the individual. But, I’ve also started thinking about the assumptions behind this statement.
Why would Paul remind the church to be humble? Why would he encourage them toward gentleness and patience? Why would the church need to bear with each other in love? Why would they need to maintain unity?
The church is composed of people – yes, the people of God, but we are all still fallen people. In order for the church to walk in a worthy manner, we must recognize that those around us are not perfect. What should we expect? Pride… harshness… impatience… apathy… division. Paul is painting a picture of a church that is composed of real people with real problems. But, Paul also recognizes that there is a solution.
The Ephesians no longer have to respond to pride with pride; they can now respond with humility. They no longer have to respond to harshness in like manner; instead, they can be gentle. When divisions occur, the Ephesians are now able to maintain unity. Why? Because, even though they are human with human failings, they are indwelled by the Spirit. This new people will continue to deal with sin in their lives and in the lives of others, but they can now respond in a completely new way: with the grace, kindness, love, patience, and unity of God.
We who find ourselves in the church should recognize that we will struggle in our relationships with other people. If we were not going to struggle, then there would be no need for Paul’s statement. However, like the Ephesians, we no longer have to respond like the “old man”. We can now respond as the “new man”.
So, as you walk together with those believers that God has placed around you… and as those around you stumble and cause friction… walk in a worthy manner.
Reading through and then studying Romans together
Starting next Sunday, during our regularly scheduled weekly gathering, we’re going to begin studying Paul’s letter to the Romans together. That morning, we’ll read through the whole book. Yes, all 16 chapters. It will probably take just over an hour to read through the whole letter.
We won’t talk about Romans next week. That will be a good chance for us to hear the entire book in one sitting, listening for the themes and connections and divisions in Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome. I think this is a very important (and often overlooked) part of studying a book together.
We’ve done this several times before. The last time was a few weeks ago (last fall) when we started studying Ephesians together. Of course, Ephesians is quite a bit shorter.
As far as I can remember, this will be the first time that we’ve read a longer book (like Romans) on a Sunday morning. Usually, when we read through a longer book, we’ll get together at a different time, like a Saturday night. We’ve read through all four Gospels and a couple of other books like that.
Then, the following week – about two weeks from now – we’ll begin studying Romans together, always trying to keep the entire letter in mind while we discuss different parts.
While we’ve studied many books of the New Testament and Old Testament together, we’ve never studied Romans. But, a few weeks ago one of our sisters in Christ asked if we could study Romans, and everyone agreed. I think it will be a great study for all of us!
The hard part, of course, will be to try to listen to what Paul actually wrote instead of just listening to what we’ve already been told that it means. Now, some of what we’ve been told that it means is true and good. But, we can’t count on that… no one should ever count on that.
Instead, we will read and study and discuss carefully, trying to understand this important letter and what God wants us to know and do in response.
By the way, I assume that we’ll get some thing wrong… that we’ll disagree about some things… that we’ll be confused at parts. But, that’s ok. We can trust God to help us grow in maturity in spite of this… and we know that he will use this letter and the words of our brothers and sisters in Christ to accomplish this.
So, we’ll read and study and discuss, and we’ll listen to one another, and we’ll seek to discern what God wants to teach us and how he wants to change us through this time together.
Have you ever read through Romans (or any other book in Scripture) at one time with a group of brothers and sisters in Christ? What did you think about that experience?