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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion February 20, 2007 Confessing Christ is enough. |
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Frontline Devotion for Tuesday, February 20, 2007 By Fritz Foltz
Romans 10: 9-13 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. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
This is an extremely important passage. In a few words it defines what it takes to be a Christian. At first it seems to make it easy, rejecting those who want to set up special requirements. The mention of Jew and Greek certainly refers to those who think all Christians must first become Jews, being circumcised or at least eating kosher. But we also have to think of those who demand speaking in tongue or accepting certain doctrines or living by special moral standards. To these Paul insists all it takes is to confess with your lips and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead.
Then we realize that his words also remind us this is difficult enough. The confession “Jesus is Lord” is a political statement. It is a public statement meant to express refusal to make the Roman pledge of allegiance, “Caesar is Lord”. Jesus warned that if we wanted to be one of his followers, we would have to be ready to suffer, be rejected, and even killed. In the early years many of us were executed for simply confessing “Jesus is Lord” and refusing to offer sacrifice to the Roman emperor.
We do well to remember Paul’s standards. Today many demand real Christians do this or authentic believers do that. They divide the Body of Christ into a multitude of denominations that fail to witness God’s love for our world. Let’s all try to refrain from looking down our noses at anyone who claims to be a Christian, preferring instead to help one another show love and forgiveness in a dangerous world.
Let us pray: Grant us the courage to confess our faith even in hostile situations, Father. Make us secure in your love that we feel no need to hammer other believers. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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