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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Acts 20:1-3, Rom. 1
I love a good double meaning. The Bible is full of them. Sometimes things even have multiple meanings. God designed language and He definitely knows how to use it! Anyway, I noticed one such double meaning in this chapter. I didn’t actually see it in the written translation but, rather, in the CSB footnote. The last part of Romans 1:17 reads, “The righteous will live by faith.” My immediate interpretation of that statement is that we who are saved through God’s new covenant in Christ are no longer bound by the Law, so our lives are governed instead by faith.
The CSB footnote, however, offers an alternate translation of, “The one who is righteous by faith will live”. Depending on how you phrase that statement, it could have the same meaning or a slightly different one. My immediate interpretation of that statement is that those who are righteous because of faith in Christ, as opposed to works or anything else, are the ones who have life. The point is that without faith in Christ we have no righteousness. And without righteousness, we die. So there’s your double meaning. Faith both gives us life and changes the ‘rules’ by which we live.
Rom. 2
“You who preach, ‘You must not steal’ – do you steal? You who say, ‘You must not commit adultery’ – do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?” (Rom. 2:21b-23). I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount when I read that. It’s not too hard to say that you don’t steal, commit adultery, rob temples, or break the letter of the law. However, Jesus taught that God’s perfect law goes far beyond our outward, physical actions. Thus, anger and insults break the law just as murder does. Lust is as wrong as adultery. And twisting the law to your own advantage is the same as stealing, both from God and others. The hard truth, therefore, is that none of us can place ourselves above any other based on the Law.
Rom. 3
Paul quotes from the Old Testament prophets regarding the unrighteousness of all mankind. And, wow, is it harsh! Let’s be honest – nobody wants to see themselves this way! Our pride immediately throws up our defenses to say, “That isn’t me!” But guess what? God, who speaks only truth, says that it is. It takes humility to accept hard truth. The beautiful thing, though, is that once you drop your pride and accept that hard truth, things change. Then, because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we can look at that description and say, “That’s who I was and no longer am.” And that thought overwhelms my heart with gratitude.