Who

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:4

Who – Who are you?  The answer has nothing to do with your name, heritage, nationality or gender.  This “who” is really a different question in disguise.  It is really the question: whose are you?  It is a question about belonging.

The surprising fact is that the word “who” does not appear in the Greek text at all.  This verse literally says, “to everyone believing.”  There is no “who”.  The English translation has been altered to make it sound more like the way we speak.  But there is something important about the Greek that we might miss when we add “who”.  You see, in the Greek text, “believing” is a verb that qualifies “everyone”.  The end of the law for righteousness is not for everyone.  It is for everyone believing.  This is an active, present tense, doing it right now believing.  It is not just a bunch of creedal statements that I once repeated years ago.  It is not a membership agreement or a prayer that I said one time in the past.  It is the moment-by-moment devotion and submission to Jesus as my LORD – and my Savior.  It is the WHO that I am.  I am a believing one.  I know whose I am.  I belong to Him.

Why does Paul want us to see that the end of the law is connected to being a believing one?  Because if I do not belong to Jesus in an active, present tense living relationship, then I still belong to the other group – the ones who are struggling to be good enough for God.  I can’t belong to both.  I am either one who believes that Christ ended the requirements of law over my righteousness, or I am one who believes that God expects me to be a better person before I am acceptable.

It is so easy to fall back into the trap of belonging to the rule-oriented ones.  There are so many rules.  Subtle, tiny, hidden expectations that attempt to come between me and God’s gift of righteousness.  But remember this:  God does not grade on the curve.  He grades on the cross.

Whose are you today?  Have you crossed the line that separates you from God on the basis of your behavior?  Are you living in the glorious freedom of knowing that Jesus gave you right-standing before God in spite of your behavior?  Have you moved to the life of “gift” or are you still living the life of “good”?

Today:  What will I do today when something inside tells me I’m not good enough?  Today I will answer, “God doesn’t grade me on the curve.  He looks at the cross.”