Trust

"Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you?"

The words faith and belief in Scripture are both more appropriately translated trust. This is not an active word, but very passive. God saves us. We do not save ourselves. We're the ones drowning.

Once we have been pulled to shore and comprehend how dangerous the water is, we are free to take swim lessons, maybe even become a life guard, but most certainly learn how to enjoy the beach and help others do the same.

It was cool to see a reference to one of the minor prophets we slogged through: "Habakkuk had it right: 'The person who believes God (read trusts), is set right by God—and that's the real life (read abundant).'"

Toward the end of our reading, Paul covers what Luther called the 1st and 2nd uses of the law:
#1. To keep us safe from ourselves and others in an ordered society.
#2. To drive us convicted sinners into the arms of Christ.

Moses was our go-between for purpose #1, but when Jesus comes, it's personal between each of us and God. "Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for. But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe."

Paul ends by lifting up the truth that in Christ's family, all are equal. The ground at the foot of the cross is level.