A Musical Triumph
Beethoven's 9th Symphony is a triumph. It takes the listener
to such amazing heights and depths. It is a pure musical journey that tells a
story. Not a story of characters and events, but a story of sounds. It is a
masterpiece in every sense of the word. And the final movement is one of the
finest musical climaxes in all of human history.
It resounds with joy, and the listener is transported by the
victorious sound of the orchestra and choir singing that remarkable melody that
is so familiar to all—Ode to Joy. No matter how many times I hear it, it
is fresh every time. It is truly an amazing accomplishment of human art and
achievement.
The Epic of Salvation
As amazing as this piece of music is, it is nothing compared
to the lofty grandeur of Romans chapter eight. The book of Romans walks the
reader through the epic of personal salvation. Opening with the power of the
Gospel to give salvation (Romans 1:16), through the darkness and hopeless
depravity of man—leaving no exception. Then the Hero, Jesus Christ, shows up on
the battlefield. He alone can conquer the evil of sin and death. And at the
cross He does exactly that. Taking that mortal wound and paying the penalty for
the sin that we could never pay, but for eternal punishment. The Lord Jesus
Christ is the hero that we need. Because of His work we are free from sin's
penalty.
Because of Him we are free of sin's power as well! Given a
position in Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6), we are
now free from the oppressive authority of sin, though we are not yet free from
sin's presence and influence. We are free to walk in this newness of life which
He has won for us.
The Struggle of Romans 7
Romans 7 returns to the difficult situation of sin in the
life of the believer. How our own best efforts to please God still lead us only
to failure and frustration. Wanting one thing, but failing in our flesh, we
resonate with all of Paul's complaints: "I don't do the things that I
want. The things I want I do not do!" and "O wretched man that I am,
who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:15, 24). Our hope
is in Christ. And then comes the climax.
The Victory of the Spirit
Our position in Christ is lived out through the power of the
Holy Spirit. He must be drawn upon to grow and realize the spiritual blessing
which the Lord has given us by His amazing grace. When we walk by means of His
Holy Spirit, we experience the victory that He has given.
The Grand Finale
The classical symphony was typically four movements, or
sections, long. But Beethoven couldn't stop with four and gave us the fifth and
final movement referenced earlier. Full orchestra and choir exploding into the
powerful ending that left an indelible mark upon the world. This is exactly how
Romans 8 ends. It is breathtaking. It reveals truth of a love so great that we
cannot ever lose it or be lost by it. It is a picture of a salvation which God
spent everything to win for us, and therefore it is impossible for it to fail.
These words have encouraged believers since they were
written by the power of the Holy Spirit. The only challenge that I see among
Christians today is how they refuse to believe them. This great hymn of the
power and the love of God is treated as if it is hyperbole—or overstatement.
The modern reader adds imaginary caveats and qualifications that are totally
alien to Scripture.
Dare to Believe
It is a common human folly, it would seem, to refuse to dare
to believe in the goodness, grace, and love of God. But He has made clear His
undying, unchanging love. He has made clear the power that He has and will
exercise to save fallen mankind. If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ,
these words are true of you. If you have trusted in Him for salvation, this is
your future.
Dare to read these words afresh and believe that the same
God who saved you by the work of His Son Jesus Christ will bring that work
through to its conclusion—all to His glory.
After you read those powerful verses afresh, listen to the
fifth movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony just to reinforce the lesson—what
God has done for us is worthy of eternal celebration!
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