Saturday 13 October 2007

Background

We live in a world in which many people find the Christiangospel 'shameful'. Attacks on belief by critics such as RichardDawkins, author of The God Delusion, find a ready audience. Andeven many Christians are ashamed of some of the ways in which theChristian gospel (or at least what claims to be it) ispresented.

In Britain the worst things Christians are likely to face arehostile argument and ridicule, but in some places the stakes arehigher, even life-threatening. At the time Paul was writing theletter to the Romans, there were many reasons why the gospel mightbe a cause for shame.

The beliefs of those early Christians scandalised those brought upin both Jewish and Greek belief-systems. The behaviour of someChristians did them and their faith no credit. Christians wereregarded as potential enemies of the Roman state and were subjectedto harassment, arrest and even the possibility of death.

Paul was writing to people who were well aware of all those thingsand trying, by expressing his own confidence in the gospel, toencourage others not to lose heart.

But it was about more than simply facing up to embarrassment andpersecution! In this letter, Paul recognises that the gospel facesan even stronger test: put simply, does it work? There aredeep-seated reasons why human beings and the world are unable tofree themselves to live as God intended. Can the gospel help?

Paul asserts categorically that the gospel has God's power to saveabsolutely every one.

To Ponder

What are the challenges to faith for you?Ridicule, the 'cringe factor', intellectual arguments, difficultlife-events, something else?

Why might people be prepared to be put to deathfor their beliefs? What is the most you would do to defend what youbelieve to be true?