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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
March 31
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Today's Pathway:
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We concluded yesterday with the statement that men believe in order to receive salvation, but that they also should show that they have been saved by using their mouths to say that they agree with what the Bible says about Jesus. Verse 11 gives a reason why:
"Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed".
Often this verse is used to teach that the Christian should not be ashamed to tell others what he believes, and this is obviously a true statement. However, this is not the primary meaning of this verse. The Greek word translated "ashamed" is also translated "dishonored" and "confounded". The idea here seems to be that the believer will never be ashamed of having chosen to receive Christ. There will never be a time when the Lord does not fulfill his promises, or leaves His child spiritually stranded. Paul had just said this very thing in Romans 9:33, and it is rooted in Isaiah 28:16. Adam Clarke put it this way:
"He shall neither be disappointed of his hope, nor ashamed of his confidence."
No one who gets saved will ever be sorry that they did. The corollary is that if God has never done anything that would cause me to be ashamed of trusting Him, I should never be ashamed to tell others of the salvation He has given me.
In verse 12 Paul teaches specifically that both Jews and Gentiles can be saved, and that God greatly blesses all who trust in Him. In verse 13 he makes sure that this fact is clear: anyone, regardless of their background or ethnicity, who calls upon the Lord in faith will be saved. Albert Barnes writes,
"In the previous verse Paul had quoted a passage from Isaiah 28:16, which says that every one that believeth shall not be ashamed; that is, every one of every nation and kindred. This implies that it was not to be confined to the Jews. This thought he now further illustrates and confirms by expressly declaring that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek in the way of justification before God. They all had sinned; all had failed of obeying the law; and all must be justified in the same way, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."
In verse 14-15 Paul shows the process by which someone arrives at the point of calling upon the Lord for salvation. Before an individual can call on God, he must believe. This is an obvious truth. Simply saying a "sinner's prayer " without truly believing in the heart will never say anyone. However, a person can't believe on Someone Whom they have never heard of. Acts 4:12 states,
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
If you haven't heard of Jesus, you can't believe on Jesus, and if you can't believe on Jesus, you can't call on Him for salvation. The next step is that someone needs to tell those who have never heard the truth about Jesus. Don't let the word "preacher" throw you. This is not just the job of the pastor. Any Christian can, and should, proclaim the truth of salvation. Finally, in order to preach, someone must be sent. This verse is often used in connection with sending out missionaries, and rightly so. However, all believers have been sent. In John 17:18 Jesus prayed,
"As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world."
He told the disciples after His resurrection,
"Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21).
Paul concludes this verse by quoting from Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15. The feet of those who share the Gospel message of salvation are beautiful, for they are carrying out God's Great Commission of taking the truth of Jesus Christ to the world.
Have you received Christ? If you have, are you ashamed to tell others? Honestly, how beautiful are your feet?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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