Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear people.

Even though it’s so late, we plan to proceed with a walk/jog, partly because it’s so relatively cool at this late hour. We’ll do so on our own property again.

I will pursue both sign work and mill work today.

Becki’s here now, so I will press PAUSE.

OK—I’m back at 9:12am. I’ve decided to add an attachment today—a rendering of Romans 10 from The Message paraphrased translation. I encourage your reading it—for the sake of expanded and thought-provoking meaning. I realize there are those who despise that translation—as though it were part of some evil conspiracy to neutralize Biblical truth. I don’t agree. I’m convinced that THE WORD OF GOD is bigger than translations—capable of communicating effectively to a HEART AFTER GOD via the medium of any translation that has been conscientiously translated. I know there are some who even judge that I may not make it simply because I regularly consume GOD’S WORD via the NIV (New International Version). As an extreme example, I remember a fellow evangelical missionary in Vanuatu from Australia saying to me on one occasion, “I would rather not even give someone a Bible than to give one in NIV.” Ironically, that same person would never admit to being legalistic.

Have a wonderful blessed day—no matter what translation you do it in.

Love, Dad/Ray.

The combined engagement of four vital body parts are metaphorically called for in our reading—presenting a formula for vital SAVING FAITH. Wouldn’t you agree that SAVING FAITH (effective faith, productive faith, successful faith) is the absolutely best kind of faith to pursue and possess? Let’s identify those parts.

MOUTH. Of course, mouths aren’t everything. And mouths alone sure can’t save. But the words that flow from one’s mouth in confession of Christ as Savior and Lord are highly significant—highly important—IF they are launched from an honesty of heart. Notice the importance given to the publicity of SAVING FAITH—using one’s mouth to form words that express faith in terms that others can hear and understand. Indeed, if a person has a faith that is not worth talking about, it is most likely not worth having.

HEART. To be sure, the “heart” in Biblical meaning is much more than an internal organ that pumps blood. It is the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of one’s entire life. It encompasses the intellect, emotions, and the will. It is the center of beliefs, values, and choices. It is here that one BELIEVES (or doesn’t believe) that Jesus is Who He claims to be—“the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE” (John 14:6) and that He really DID rise from stone-cold death as a guarantee of that fact—just like the scriptures foretold and recorded.

FEET. The implied message here is that SPEAKING (the mouth) is not enough, even though it may be connected with honest THINKING (the heart). There needs to be the further action and demonstration of GOING and DOING. That’s what FEET represent when Paul quotes from Isaiah, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (v. 15). Understand that when one uses his MOUTH to confess, and his HEART to believe, he is, in fact, engaging in the missionary mandate of the Word by proclaiming the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel. So rather than putting our feet in our mouths, we are to put our mouths in our feet. That’s the divine formula for developing beautiful feet in God’s sight.

EARS. I add this to the list because EARS symbolically represent the medium by which we receive Gospel input—HEARING. This is actually preliminary to the activation of the MOUTH and the HEART. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (v.17).