Discover His heart: He will determine our faith in Him by our deeds
My mom seldom made pies for her large family because of the time factor involved, but one day she made a beautiful blueberry pie. I watched her roll the pastry dough, mix up the blueberry filling, top the pie and slide it into the oven. The smell as it baked was almost intoxicating – I love pie.
After dinner mom sliced up big pieces and topped them with vanilla ice cream. We all took a big bite simultaneously and then one by one our smiles turned to frowns from the bitter filling. It seems mom mistakenly used baking soda instead of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. It looked like a blueberry pie and smelled like a blueberry pie, but it sure didn’t taste like one. The old English phrase comes to mind, “The proof is in the pudding,” or more accurate is the original saying, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” In our reading today, Paul challenged us with the proof of a believer.
@ Romans 1
The church in Rome had been around for quite some time, but the Apostles had not had opportunity to visit Rome. Paul longed to visit the church to strengthen its members in the faith and to teach them, but in the meantime, his letter to them would have to suffice. His first order of business was to establish their faith. In this chapter, faith is not the same faith of hope and trust mentioned in Hebrews 11 but is a faith signifying a belief in God. “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’”(16-17) Our belief, our faith in God, is what we live by and what brings us to eternal life.
@ Romans 2
But then Paul made a statement that could be considered contrary to this scripture when he wrote, “He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.(6-7) We may look like a believer, walk like a believer, go to church like a believer, but He and others will determine if we truly are a believer by what we do. In other words, the proof is in the pudding. Our deeds give overwhelming proof of our belief and what is in our hearts.
Paul went on to write that the condition of our hearts is not determined by strict adherence to the law, but rather by the work of the Holy Spirit, “One is not a Jew outwardly. True circumcision is not outward, in the flesh. Rather, one is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit, not the letter; his praise is not from human beings but from God.” (28-29) Only a heart that is submitted to the spirit of God will do the good deeds that the Lord will judge. Like that old saying, the proof is in the pudding.
Moving Forward: As I submit my heart to the Lord today, I pray my deeds will prove my faith in God – overwhelming proof!
Tomorrow @ Genesis 1-3
Phyllis Benigas 