|
|
Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
April 1
Click on verses for Full Scripture
|
previous - - - - - - - - - -
next
|
Today's Pathway:
|
Paul has spent much of the last few verses explaining the availability and simplicity of the Gospel, particularly to the Jews. However, as he has already stated, Israel as a nation is not saved, and is being cut off by God. Paul gives the reason why in today's passage. They have not obeyed the Gospel. The problem is not with God, nor with the message itself, nor with the messengers. The problem lies squarely on the shoulders of those who rejected the message. The quotation Paul mentions is from Isaiah 53:1, and is repeated in John 12:38. The message of salvation must be heard, but it also must be believed. Hebrews 4:2 states,
"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."
There is no profit in simply hearing what the Bible says about redemption, or about any topic for that matter. It needs to be accepted. James wrote this:
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves... But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:22, 25).
Verse 17 gives a simple yet profound truth. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. C.I. Scofield defined faith this way,
"The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works."
Please note that it is the Bible that produces this faith. This obvious truth is sometimes forgotten by many well-meaning preachers and Christians. Faith does not come as a result of a preacher's humorous or tear-jerking illustrations. It is not even produced as a result of sharing your testimony, although this is certainly a valid thing to do. It is produced by the Scriptures. Hebrews 4:12 tells us,
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
My words are not quick and powerful, but God's Word is. That must be the focus of our preaching, teaching and soul-winning efforts. As believers, we have access to the world's most powerful evangelistic Tool, God's Word, and we are indwelt by the most powerful Teacher, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26), and yet so often our outreach attempts are done in our own strength and by our own methods. It is the Bible that changes people's lives, and we must always remember that.
Having said that, in verse 18 Paul once again shows that the problem of Israel's salvation ultimately goes back to their own refusal to believe. The Gospel message had gone forth, and the Jews had heard it. Adam Clarke commented,
"There is not a part of the promised land in which these glad tidings have not been preached; and there is scarcely a place in the Roman empire in which the doctrine of Christ crucified has not been heard: if, therefore, the Jews have not believed, the fault is entirely their own; as God has amply furnished them with the means of faith of salvation".
Psalm 19 and Romans 1:18-20 show that mankind in general, and Israel in particular, have no excuse. God has revealed Himself to the world through His creation and through His Word. It is up to the world to choose to receive the Truth.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
|
|
You Are Here: 
