Romans 10:8b-13
On this first Sunday of Lent, the reading from Romans dramatizes the eternal consequences of the choice posed by the Gospel. A word has come to all who hear. This word is not external, alien, or far away. It is, in fact, a word coming from within. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” (v. 8) Paul is saying that the confession of Jesus as Lord is something built into the DNA of the human spirit. It’s a confession that every human heart, created by and for Christ, longs to make. Though the people of the earth have lost their awareness of this spiritual longing and live in ignorance of their souls’ true destiny, the Holy Spirit is working to awaken the desire for union with Christ and salvation through his name. The awakening comes through the announcement of the Good News.
Paul’s Jewish readers/hearers will recognize the source of his quotation. It’s from Deuteronomy 30, where Moses sets before the people the choice between life and death.
“Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)
Paul is saying that, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a new life-giving word has come to all who will hear and respond in faith. The called-for response is breathtakingly simple: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (v. 9) Paul is taking the mouth and heart components from the words of Moses and infusing them with the elemental content of Christian faith. Our confession (with the mouth): “Jesus is Lord.” Our belief (from the heart): “God raised Jesus from the dead.” It’s a primitive creedal affirmation for the early church.
If Paul is correct about the inner origins of the word of faith (and, of course, we believe he is), it’s a truth that confronts preachers about the perceived need to prod, cajole, coerce, or otherwise manipulate people toward confession. We are called upon to proclaim the Good News of the gospel (as the succeeding verses of Romans 10 make clear). But deep heart work is the domain of the Holy Spirit. Do we really believe that “the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”?
Karl Barth, in his majestic commentary on Romans, says it this way: “No skill in manipulation, no positive or negative dislocation, is required. It is necessary only to look into what is nigh at hand and to perceive the tribulation and promise of life as it is set before us in every word we speak and in every motion of our heart.” (The Epistle to the Romans, Oxford University Press, 1968, p. 379) Do we trust the Spirit of God to stir up the word of faith in the hearts of our hearers? Of ourselves? In the words of the U2 song, we can “stop helping God across the road like a little old lady.” We can let the Spirit do the Spirit’s work.
The church at Rome included diaspora Jews, Jewish proselytes, and Gentiles who had no Jewish connections. Does “the word of faith” resonate within all hearts with equal clarity? Do Jews have an advantage or a head start? How can Gentiles figure out where to fit Jesus into the pantheon of Greco-Roman deities? Paul anticipates these questions and has an answer: “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.” (vv. 11-12)
This is the scandalous, all-inclusive, “come one, come all” nature of the kingdom invitation. “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek.” We lack the context to fully appreciate the holy disruption caused by such a statement. Of course, there are distinctions! Any person on the streets of Rome could list the distinctions for you. But because of the generosity and kindness of the Lord, these distinctions do not matter. It’s not that the distinctions disappear, but that in Christ, they no longer have power to divide believers from one another. All, without exception, are invited to the feast.
In these days of resurgent Christian nationalism (not limited to the USA), commentators are careful (and correct) to point out the political dimensions of the confession, “Jesus is Lord”. When uttered by subjects of the Roman Empire, the phrase was indeed political and, in many cases, dangerous. Caesar was proclaimed the Lord of the whole earth, anointed by the gods to rule. For early Christians, the lordship of Christ could not be limited to “spiritual matters,” as in “Jesus is Lord of my heart.” His lordship encompassed every aspect of thought, relationships, behavior, and political participation.
The church has always been called to maintain a critical distance from the political regimes of this world. This does not mean we cannot vote, lobby, or even run for office. We need Christ-followers in every hall of government. But we understand the fallen nature of the kingdoms of this world. Therefore, we don’t expect any political creed, manifesto, or party platform to express the values of the kingdom and we never pledge unquestioning allegiance to a human leader. The Emperors, Kings, Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Grand Poohbahs of earth will have their moments, then falter and pass away. Only Jesus is Lord. And we long for the day when “the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)