IV.
As you spend time with Paul’s words today, may I suggest you take his last sentence as your first and your entrance into hearing what he says to us,

“So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.”

Let that lead you prayerfully into Paul’s words and thoughts –

Romans 10:5-17

Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say?

“The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart”

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

V.
“The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart”

Paul writes of what not to say, what not to give voice and words to, and then of confessing, acknowledging by giving words to, and of believing. Might believing be an aspect of not only giving voice to words but of allowing the words to find their place more deeply in our consciousness and life?

VI.
When Paul writes to us, “For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved” do you take “justified” and “saved” as two different things involving two different actions?

Or is he writing of how one gives words to and voice to what is already finding rootedness in one’s heart and being?

“So faith comes from what is heard ….”

Might it be said that faith comes by “the word that is near you” being heard and recognized and finding expression in our own words and lives?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}