(if you are viewing this via email, the website has a recording of this poem and commentary; click the title above)
Commentary
Recently, I have been reading or listening through Romans repeatedly. I’m trying to understand this epistle independently, largely ignoring all I have been taught by others. I DID purchase a book* that surveys views of Romans across the centuries, but I’m hopeful that reading that book will leave me still capable of honest, independent thinking. Don’t be alarmed… I have a conservative hermeneutic, so I’ll almost certainly land on orthodox ground.
Paul gives us a severe assessment of man. But he also acknowledges those “who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality.” We know such people. Some—perhaps many—of them are not followers of Jesus Christ. Yet they outshine many Christians in their goodness. How does this reality affect our understanding of Romans and the power of salvation?
[Note] Below is a stanza I thought of after signing this poem. It’s a poet looking for a sharper metaphor. There’s a slim chance I’ll try to fit it in some day:
Sipping whiskey and vermouth,
A liar cries out,
“Liars, tell the truth!”
#blackandwhite #gray #hypocrisy #condemnation #romans1v16 #gospel #powerthatbringssalvation #romans2v7 #persistenceindoinggood
(background based on image by Yao Charlen on Pixabay)
*Romans in Full Circle: A History of Interpretation (by Mark Reasoner)
