The gospel, the mystery, and the Scriptures. All three woven together by God through Jesus Christ that we might become two things: Established and obedient. Paul has encapsulated the difference between a "scholar" and a "believer", a "reader" and a "seeker", and I wonder if sometimes I am too much the former than the latter.

Paul has spent much of his letter to the Romans explaining "the mystery", that being God's plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentile, and how He has used, is using, and will use Israel for its accomplishment. Paul has quoted many of God's commandments through His Old Testament prophets substantiating not just "the mystery" but how His Word is supposed to work in our life. And all of this has been revealed to us and brought together through the life and gospel of Jesus Christ. Each of these are intellectually fascinating, even the source of nearly endless theological debates, books and lectures; but intellectual satisfaction—even achievement—is not the end goal.

Established and obedient. Completely grounded in the gospel, the mystery, the Scriptures, and how they interrelate with and compliment each other, yet continually obedient so that everyone—even I, myself—can tell I don't just have knowledge, but the character of God's heart.

Paul's letter to the Romans is inarguably the most prolific source of New Testament doctrine and theology of all his letters, yet I wonder how many of us get to the end and realize the true purpose is very narrowly and personally focused: Established and obedient._††_†

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