Romans is Paul’s longest letter.  He has a LOT to tell the church in Rome.  Either they have a lot of questions or he has heard a lot of, shall we say, interesting versions of theology coming from the community.  Whatever it is he has a lot to say to them.

Some of the things he says are the basics, spelled out simply, but also beautifully.  We heard last week, “But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” (5:8)  Other things, like the things we will hear today are teachings that take it to the next level.

I imagine this week’s reading as a sort of answer to an unspoken question – – only I imagine it spoken.  I have heard it spoken – in conversations with confirmation students year after year, in Bible studies with women around that library table back there, in coffee shops and airplane seats when someone with some bones to pick with the church finds out what it is I do.  The question is this, see if you’ve ever asked it, “So if Jesus goes to such great lengths to save us, if God loves us so much that God’s going to forgive any sin we have anyway, why not just keep on living the fun life?  Why bother to be good anyway?  We’ll get forgiveness for our sins anyway, won’t we?” Continue reading →