Day Eighty -- Love letters from afar
Romans 1:1 to Romans 14:23
One of the things that makes the scriptures of the New Testament different from the Old Testament is that they are predominately letters. Twenty-two of the twenty-seven New Testament books are written to faith communities or individuals for the purpose of instruction, admonishment or encouragement in the faith. The preeminent letter writer is Paul, who brings to the budding Christian churches a form of writing that was typical in the Greco-Roman world of his day. Such letters were seen as personal conversations between people who were separated by distance. The letters were viewed as more than written words but as vehicles for carrying the presence of the letter writer to the recipient(s).
Today we begin reading the longest of Paul's letters, the one he addresses to "all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" (Romans 1:7). It begins with much expressed affection for the believers in Rome and Paul's desire to visit them. What he might tell them in person that he doesn't go on to say in this letter is anybody's guess. He is nothing less than thorough in lining out his proposition that we are not saved by works or the Law, but by the mercy and grace of God in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His arguments include references to Creation, Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and a myriad of prophets. What I like is that he is not just making theological points for he is concerned for pastoral issues as well. It is not enough to think rightly or to have faith in one's heart; it is about how we live sacrificially with each other. I probably wouldn't get any support for proposing an addition to our weekly liturgy, but it wouldn't hurt our congregations to regularly hear Paul's words on love (12:9-21), or what he has to say about passing judgment on others (14:1-23).
One of the things that makes the scriptures of the New Testament different from the Old Testament is that they are predominately letters. Twenty-two of the twenty-seven New Testament books are written to faith communities or individuals for the purpose of instruction, admonishment or encouragement in the faith. The preeminent letter writer is Paul, who brings to the budding Christian churches a form of writing that was typical in the Greco-Roman world of his day. Such letters were seen as personal conversations between people who were separated by distance. The letters were viewed as more than written words but as vehicles for carrying the presence of the letter writer to the recipient(s).
Today we begin reading the longest of Paul's letters, the one he addresses to "all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" (Romans 1:7). It begins with much expressed affection for the believers in Rome and Paul's desire to visit them. What he might tell them in person that he doesn't go on to say in this letter is anybody's guess. He is nothing less than thorough in lining out his proposition that we are not saved by works or the Law, but by the mercy and grace of God in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His arguments include references to Creation, Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and a myriad of prophets. What I like is that he is not just making theological points for he is concerned for pastoral issues as well. It is not enough to think rightly or to have faith in one's heart; it is about how we live sacrificially with each other. I probably wouldn't get any support for proposing an addition to our weekly liturgy, but it wouldn't hurt our congregations to regularly hear Paul's words on love (12:9-21), or what he has to say about passing judgment on others (14:1-23).
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