5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 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. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Confess and Believe

It really is amazing that we can get this so mixed up, isn’t it? I mean, for 2000 years we’ve been debating what it takes to be saved. We keep making it about what we do (and don’t do). We keep coming up with a list of rules and regulations. Those rules are our way of striving to be good enough for God. They are our attempt to bring ourselves up to where Christ is, rather than allow him to meet us where we are.

And that’s what Paul is getting at in this passage. Look, you can’t go up to where he is. You can’t go down to find him. You can’t do anything to make it right. He does the work. It’s by grace along.

What’s our role? Receiving the gift of grace. Confessing our need for the gift, and believing that it’s truly all we need.

As you read these words, we are only a few days away from celebrating Christmas. Waiting for you is a gift. A gift of grace. Why not unwrap it today and allow it to be applied to your life?

My prayer: Lord, I can’t bring you down from Heaven. I can’t raise you from the dead. Why? Because you have already done it all. As you said on the Cross, “It is finished.” You accomplished it all. And you’ve come to me. I confess my need for you. And I believe that you’ve done it all. I receive your gift of grace, I open it and allow it to be applied to my life. I live for you. Amen.

Until tomorrow.