Love and Truth

Yesterday the Farmer and I experienced the pain and joy of attending the funeral of a dear senior saint who had been a faithful inspiration to us for over twenty years. Although our hearts will ache at her absence we will greatly rejoice because those in Christ who are absent from the body, and our gatherings, are present with their Lord. ( 2 Corinthians 5:8 ) 

In this we rejoice with her. 

The Book of Romans has been called by many Bible scholars and commentators the most important and greatest book in Scripture. 

"Paul's letter to Rome is the high peak of Scripture, however you look at it. Luther called it the 'clearest gospel of all.' 'If a man understands it,' wrote Calvin, 'he has a sure road opened for him to understanding of the whole Scripture.' Tyndale, in his Preface to Romans, linked both thoughts, calling Romans the principal and most excellent part of the New Testament, and most pure Evangelion, that is to say glad tidings and that we call gospel, and also a light and a way in unto the whole of Scripture,' 

All roads in the Bible lead to Romans, and all views afforded by the Bible are seen most clearly from Romans, and when the message of Romans gets into a man's heart there is no telling what may happen." ( Knowing God, J.I. Packer, pg. 230 ) 

When I first came to faith in Christ I read Romans through many times attempting to absorb as much of the doctrine of the gospel as I could comprehend, little by little. There was a problem though: I would concentrate heavily on chapters 1 - 11 and then coast through 12-16. Rinse and repeat. 

In Chapters 1-11 in the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul unpacks the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the clearest, most detailed explanation that exists in the entire Bible, beginning his exquisite exposition with a stark and graphic picture of the human condition and ending it with this glorious doxology:

"Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him are all things to him be glory forever. Amen." ( 11:33-36 ) 

Except that's not he end of the story. 

There are five more chapters to go. 

If Romans 1-11 is theology; Romans 12-16 is how we are to live that theology out in our lives and the church. 

I thought about this yesterday of all places at a funeral as I was hugging necks. I'm writing this blog to remind myself more than anyone else, and any other Bible nerds that coast through the end of Romans, that a head full of knowledge without a heart full of love is a "noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." To have all knowledge and have not love is the same thing as having nothing. ( 1 Corinthians 13:1- 3 ) 

The beauty of the gospel is that it is the power of God, not just to save us, but to transform us back into the image of Christ that was shattered after the fall in the Garden of Eden. In other words, if we are reading and studying the Bible properly, we should see a change in our lives. 

Listen to Paul's Holy Spirit inspired words in Chapter 12: "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." ( verse 3 ) 

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil'; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peacefully with all..... " ( verses 9-18 ) 

And the exhortations continue for four more chapters intertwined with examples lest we have any doubt of what it looks like to walk in the same way as Christ walked or to follow him. 

Chapters 12-16 are how we are to live in light of chapters 1-11. This is what the gospel will look like when it is lived out in the life of a believer. We don't do these good works to earn our salvation; they are the fruit, the proof, of our salvation. The proof we believe 1-11. 

No one reads three-fourths of a novel. That's not the whole story. And yes, we also don't open a novel either and start reading from the back and expect to understand the story. 

Love without sound doctrine can be just as dangerous, leading to acceptance of sin and false teaching. Love must be built on the foundation of truth. The two mustn't be separated, in fact, they can't be. 

Listen to one more verse at the end of Paul's letter to the Romans: 

"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive." ( 16:17-18 ) 

Paul addresses the importance of both love and doctrine, making a final appeal to the church as he closes up the epistle, to guard each other ( love ) against anyone who would harm the flock and to guard the doctrine ( truth ) you were taught. Love and truth. Guard both. 

Live in both. 

- to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. ( verse 27 ) 

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