In our daily reading we are in Romans. I love Romans because there are so many great messages in Romans. A few of my favorite can be found there. It helps that I love Paul's story. I love that he went from persecuting Christians (or followers of the Way) to becoming one of them through the direct intervention of Jesus after his death. There is no reason that Paul should have done a complete 180 in this thought process, suffered and eventually died to spread the Good News unless he truly, truly believed it with all his heart. Would you die for something you weren't sure about?
Romans 5:3-5 is where I go when I'm troubled. "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."
I think one of the things that draws me to Paul is that he is one of us. He has trouble doing what is right, he doesn't claim to be above all the temptation in the world, he's right there in it. Romans 7:21 "I have discovered this principle of life-that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong." I'm sure no one I know can relate to that right? (That was sarcasm) I can totally relate to that. But then, just as you're wondering how that struggle is going to affect your eternal life, you get to Romans 8:1 "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." Whew. Praise God! Romans 8:39 helps as well. "No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I was reading Romans 10 today and came across a verse that pretty much says it all. Verse 9 says "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heard that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." And that means really raised. I don't understand people who think that Christ's actual bodily resurrection did not take place. I don't understand why anyone would think that the twelve disciples would die for a cause that was only "representative" of someone being raised from the dead. And I know I'm getting out of Romans here, but in 1 Corinthians 15:17 Paul says "And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins." Your faith is useless, that's how strongly Paul felt. And since "all scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV), it stands to reason that God feels that way too.
