These are weighty words from Paul. And they have huge implications for everyone and every nation. These words are also very offensive to a lot of people if they understood clearly what Paul is saying. After reading up on it and listening to a message preached on it, I learnt several things.
God is one. There is only one true living God and he is the ultimate source of everything except God. How do we know there is only one ultimate God? Well, the very word ultimate is the key. You can only have one ultimate source. You can't have two ultimates. If there is one ultimate God, then everything comes from him. It's as simple as that.
The Bible states clearly there is only one God who made all things by his own power. There is no other. God is one also means that he has only one way for all the nations to get right with him. That is, justification through Jesus by faith alone. God has a oneness about him, he has a coherence in all his dealings with men. He doesn't reveal himself with one set of standards to one people and another set of standards to another group. In other words, he does not reveal himself in contradictory ways. He is always the God of sovereignty, grace and wrath. Therefore no one can claim they have a different way to be made right with God because God provided only one way.
For many non-Christians, this is no doubt starting to sound offensive. Such talk flies in the face of pluralism. In today's world people are saying, "I have my truth, and you have yours. We can live together, no problem." Such an opinion as God has only way one to salvation is offensive. How dare you say what I believe is not the right way! I learnt that we should not be too worried about this because the church of Jesus Christ was born in one of the most pluralistic cultures in the world. The Roman world was far more pluralistic with its plethora of gods and cultures. And the early church back then had far fewer members than we do today and still the church flourished and grew. We therefore have no excuse about finding it hard to fight a world steeped in pluralism. The church has been through it before.
With the message we carry of one God and one way to salvation, we will encounter the criticism of arrogance, presumption and offensiveness. Our faith is very threatening to pluralism. But we must not back down from the truth. We must however, go in humbleness. We can go in humbleness because we hold fast to another great truth. In John 18:36, Jesus declares, "My kingdom is not of this world..." Jesus was not interested in taking over geography and establishing an earthly kingdom where his subjects would rule and lord it over others. No, Jesus' kingdom is in the hearts of people. Therefore, as his followers, our commitment is not one of bringing others under our rule but rather going to others in love. Jesus' kingdom is not spread by violence, nor political maneuvering, nor coercion. His kingdom is spread by love, spread by service, spread by prayer, spread by proclamation, spread by being persecuted.
One last thought. Verse 30 says God will justify the circumcised and the uncircumcised. I think there is meaning here that goes beyond physical circumcision. Circumcision can be broadened to include all the things we do which we think will make ourselves right with God. This could be doing good deeds, being religious, reading the Bible and so forth. These things will not get us justified before God. The uncircumcised can be expanded to include all those who feel they are completely unworthy to be in the presence of God and do deserve his wrath. God says in verse 30 that he will justify both types of people through faith in Jesus. It is not anything we are or anything we've done that will merit God justifying us, i.e., making us righteous before him. This act of justification is done by him, outside of anything we could ever be or do. And that's the beauty of the Gospel. It is not gained by merit. It is freey available to all.
There is only one way to God but that way is available to all who believe and not based on any merit in a person. Now that truly is good news.
