Jesus is Lord
by Kathy Matuschka
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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 (Romans 10:9).
Read Romans 10:1–13
The Christian church in Rome likely consisted of both Gentile and Jewish converts to Christianity. This may not strike us as remarkable, but in the first century, it was unprecedented that Jews and Gentiles might share a common faith, on equal footing with one another! Paul exhorts the congregation to grow in unity with the following words: ‘For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him’ (verse 12).
There is no difference. Verse nine above is addressed to all readers, regardless of their backgrounds. Paul explains that no matter where you have come from, you are set free – you are right with God – through faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for your sins. Paul says that ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ (verse 13).
As today’s reading began, Paul prayed that the Jewish people might submit to the righteousness of Jesus Christ to be saved, instead of seeking to ‘establish their own righteousness’ (verses 1–3).
How about us? How do we seek to establish our own righteousness? Do we add conditions that allow us to categorise our fellow Christians into different levels of faithfulness? Of course we do!
There is no limit to the ways we as humans can foster discord and division within the body of Christ when we add our preferred conditions to the gospel. St Paul knows this from his own experience. In the first case, he failed to recognise Jesus as Lord, and then he grappled with the idea that Gentiles as well as Jews might be chosen. That’s why he returns repeatedly to the centre: ‘For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Triune God, thank you for the gift of faith in Jesus. Please forgive me for the ways I seek to establish my own righteousness by adding conditions to your gift of salvation. Please help me to see and honour my fellow Christians just like you do. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.
Kathy Matuschka works as a hospital chaplain and worships at Our Saviour Lutheran Church Rochedale in Brisbane. As parents of three adult children, Kathy and her husband Mark have been taking great delight lately in learning how to be grandparents.
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