Path to Salvation || Romans 1:16 || Manna for the Mind #82

Welcome to Day 82 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series is about taking scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses) and building our understanding of their teachings through their context and connecting scripture. I believe that doing this helps us understand how to be the type of human that God created us to be.

Today’s passage is Romans 1:16. We’ll talk about the power of God’s salvation for everyone.

Romans 1:16

16          For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – the Jew first and also the Gentile.

Paul wasn’t ashamed of the Gospel because he knew it was true and could not be refuted by the brightest minds of Greek or Roman culture. Paul had a message of how the world worked, of the true story of humanity, which was the message of salvation to everyone.

The message of salvation for everyone is not something to be embarrassed about. It’s easy to feel hesitant about claiming to be a Christian when we see so many proclaimed Christians causing chaos, evil, dissension, and anger throughout the world. But when those feelings arise, we must remember the Good News. We must wrestle with them and pray for God’s grace and mercy. When those feelings come up in conversation with someone else, we should share in the grief and hurt that was caused. We need to focus on the reality of God’s transforming and life-changing power in the world rather than our weaknesses. When we do this, we will find the confidence to boldly speak about the faith. Confidence is found when we center our minds on God’s power instead of our weaknesses, and boldness is grown. This power is for everyone, including you, our dear reader.

Why was it for the Jews first, then? The Jewish audience was God’s special people for over 2,000 years. It started with Abraham and the promise God made to him in Genesis 12:1-3.

Genesis 12:1-3

1             The Lord had said to Abram, Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.

2             I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.

3             I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

God did not choose the Jews because of the works the Jewish people did or because they deserved it. He chose them because he wanted to show his love and mercy to them. He chose the Jewish people as an example of his love and mercy toward other nations, just as he had shown them. The early Jewish nations would mess it up and try to do this in their own way, but God’s mercy forgave them and allowed the path to continue. It was always through them that the Messiah, Jesus, would come into the world. This broken lineage produced our Lord and Savior. This is a heritage we should all be grateful for, as it paved the way for our salvation.

For centuries, the Jewish people were learning about God through obeying his laws, keeping his festivals, and living according to his moral principles. They would forget his promises and laws and often have to be disciplined. The Old Testament shows us this through wandering, wars, captivity, and more. Yet, they still had a precious heritage of belief in the one true God. Of all of the people on Earth, the Jewish people should have been the most prepared to welcome Jesus, the Messiah, to this world and understand his mission and his teachings. Some of them did, which is excellent! Some of them also shouted, “CRUCIFY HIM!” Some of them were like the disciples and Paul, faithful Jewish people who recognized Jesus as God’s most precious gift.

Is God your most precious gift? Is God accepted in your world? Are you ashamed of God? These questions are essential to reflect on because we can lose sight of the importance of who God is for us and in our lives and what he provides us. The message of God’s salvation is for all of us. No gatekeeping, no stipulations, no demographics, but all people. The salvation plan rescues us from the bondage of sin. Not that we’ll never sin again because the temptation to sin will always exist. We are not living in a way that always forces us to sin. Still, we are free to follow and worship our Heavenly Father, who has a path for us to live with him for eternity. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it. It will be full of love and grief. It will be full of peace and anxiety. It will be full of uncertainty and faith. It’s a path that allows for a source of consistent love and forgiveness. These things are not stable in our world but are always present, available, and stable to our heavenly Father.

Father God, we thank you for the plan and message of salvation. Help us recognize that we don’t have to continue the sinful lifestyle we once had and that we can break free from it because of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. Help us see that your path is full of grace and mercy that is always present and never wavering. Your grace and mercy are not just for a select few but for all who seek it. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen.