Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word says of Romans 4 “In verse 16 Paul writes, “For this reason it all depends on faith … .” Paul is saying that the gift is already ours, but if we are to experience it we must have faith. Like Abraham, we must trust God's word on it. The Message paraphrases it this way: The fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and God's way, and then simply embracing God and what God does. God's promise arrives as a pure gift. That's the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it. While some will consider this heresy, and others will judge it universalism, what I hear in these verses is the clear message that the GIFT of salvation is given to, and for, everyone. What a tragedy that the Church has treated it as a private possession that others must come to us to get. The truth is it is already theirs. Like Dorothy who always had the power to go home to her family's love in Kansas, we, too, have always had the power that comes from being utterly loved by God; we just have to receive the gift by faith in order to experience it.”
Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word says of Romans 4 “In verse 16 Paul writes, “For this reason it all depends on faith … .” Paul is saying that the gift is already ours, but if we are to experience it we must have faith. Like Abraham, we must trust God's word on it. The Message paraphrases it this way:
ReplyDeleteThe fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and God's way, and then simply embracing God and what God does. God's promise arrives as a pure gift. That's the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it.
While some will consider this heresy, and others will judge it universalism, what I hear in these verses is the clear message that the GIFT of salvation is given to, and for, everyone. What a tragedy that the Church has treated it as a private possession that others must come to us to get. The truth is it is already theirs. Like Dorothy who always had the power to go home to her family's love in Kansas, we, too, have always had the power that comes from being utterly loved by God; we just have to receive the gift by faith in order to experience it.”