The New Testament Along the Camino: Romans

Growing up in East Texas, I was often asked "what is your favourite book of the Bible?" It's a difficult question, but for me, it was always Romans. Romans has the clearest explanations of what it takes to be a good Christian beyond your belief in Jesus. It is where we are released from the laws of the Old Testament and circumcision, grace is explained, and practical steps to being a good Christian are enumerated in list form.

Role of Circumcision. A Catholic friend of mine has, for years, hounded me about my thoughts on male circumcision as a matter of religion. Naturally, my responses have never been good enough. Circumcision was originally God's covenant with the Jewish people; however, with the Last Supper and Jesus's death, resurrection, and ascension, that covenant is no longer required. Now, as a matter of health, I have absolutely no issue with the practice (I have friends who have had severe problems from not being circumcised). As a matter of religion, I acknowledge that, for Christians, circumcision is no longer required; however, if a person wants to practice it as a religious aspect, I don't have an issue with it provided it is from a sincere place of worship and devotion and not some arbitrary adherence to Old Testament law or denominational doctrine.

For Christians, circumcision is more metaphorical than it is literal. If a man is uncircumcised and keeps to the law and faith in Jesus, "his uncircumcision [will] be regarded as circumcision," and vice versa. Reading these passages, it made me think about the role of our general faith. If we profess to be Christian, but do not act like it nor adhere to the Bible's teachings, are we still Christians? Making a singular declaration does not save someone, as it can be renounced in both words and deeds at any time. Thus, "circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter." And if our hearts change, so does our end of the covenant.

Sin for the Purpose of Grace. Reading chapter four, I found the notion "without sin, there is no grace" interesting. After all, if God is all powerful and good, then why is there sin in the first place? Why is grace even necessary? That is a much deeper question than I am going to get into here; however, as I read, I thought about things I have taken for granted along the way. I have run out of drinkable water on military deployments, I live on a strict budget while travelling, and I have been stranded without accommodations in foreign lands. These are all things that I don't think about back home. The money always comes in, the water always runs, and the roof never moves. In a way, that is a comparison for sin and grace for me. Without temptation, without things that separate us from God, we would not have an appreciation for the grace we have been afforded. Adam and Eve, in the Bible's opening book, exemplified this, as they had given everything, but threw it away.

Not the Law, but Righteousness of Faith. In the Gospels, Jesus says that he did not come to Earth to abolish the law but to fulfil it. But what did that mean? It has been a question on my mind for some time. Romans answers that question. Jesus gave the Apostles the authority to make declarations pertaining to faith on Earth as a part of their ministry. In Romans, we are in no uncertain terms released from the laws of the Old Testament. Just as a widow or widower is released from the laws of marriage, so are we released from the laws of the Old Testament now that He who was sent to fulfil the law died and ascended to heaven.

The Marks of a True Christian. "What makes a good Christian?" That is an eternal question that is hotly debated between denominations and even elders in individual churches. Believing in Jesus is obviously the fundamental cornerstone of faith, but a cornerstone alone is not a home. While there are no additional requirements, Romans lays out the marks of a true Christian. This sort of guidebook lays out practical, day-to-day behaviours we should emulate, such as abhorring what is evil, being patient in tribulation, and not cursing those who persecute you. The list, taken individually, is thirty items long (by my count). None of them should surprise anyone, but we often fail at these most basic of instructions.

Avoiding Manmade Obstacles. By now, it should be obvious my issues with manmade doctrines of various denominations. As a Protestant, I have always rejected Papal requirements, but even as a Baptist, I have taken issue with our own doctrine. After all, Baptists once used the Bible to justify slavery. Yet again, after being stated in the Gospels and Acts, we are again told to avoid those who cause divisions and create obstacles that are contrary to the teachings of the Bible. There is no requirement to confess to a priest for forgiveness, there is only one way to Heaven (and it is not to be baptized in a specific denomination or church), and cookie-cutter prayers have no formal role in our faith (except for the Lord's Prayer).  Now, these practices, if done in a truly worshipful manner, are fantastic, but to requiring them of others as part of religion is clearly and explicitly against the Bible's teachings. This is one reason I like how my church back home practices baptism these days. We have a portable tub, and you choose who will baptise you. It doesn't have to be the pastor. All that matters is your public declaration of faith.

As the first letter, Romans sets the tone for the books to come. It is longer than most of the Epistles, but at the same time, the Romans ruled Israel and the Jews, so it is understandable that this letter should be longer. Many of the letters that follow were written to individual communities which were ruled by the Romans, so Romans necessarily sets the baseline for the rest of the Epistles.