Romans 10:5-10…“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.” vs. 9
Paul was dealing with people who believed that righteousness came through obedience to the Law. But Paul taught that righteousness came through faith, that there were no heroic actions required to win God’s favor. Rather, he taught, righteousness came through confession of Jesus as Lord and belief in his resurrection. In other words, God comes to us where we are, and the Spirit of the Living Christ brings us salvation–and it isn’t something we have to wait for. The gift is ours now.
There are countless believers who can attest to the truth of what Paul taught. They know that salvation is theirs by grace and that through the power of the Spirit they are being made holy. And they know this gift hasn’t been made real in their lives by chance, but that it is somehow connected to their relationship with Jesus. So in order to keep that living faith alive they tend to their Jesus connection through prayer, meditation, and worship.
Sadly, because the gift is by grace, some have concluded that staying in touch with Jesus isn’t all that important. Since they don’t have to worry about the afterlife, they neglect what they have been taught, and stop practicing their faith. And when faith dies, salvation ceases to be real for them. It really is a sad sad story!
Thought for the Day: How do I keep my faith alive?
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