Friday 19th September
Read Romans 10:4-10
“Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’ 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’(that is, to bring Christ down) 7 ‘or “Who will descend into the deep?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? ‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (NIVUK)
Paul draws upon Moses’ great challenge to choose life in Deuteronomy 30. Moses’ words run richly through his thoughts, though there is only the one direct quote (v8). What is striking though is how central Christ is in his thinking. Paul is thinking about Moses’ challenging words but he knows that the life Moses spoke of is found fully and finally in Jesus. It is no longer the law that is close by, it is Jesus. Paul might have grown up meditating upon the law, but now he meditates upon Jesus.
