I would like to begin this morning by asking you to engage in a thought experiment. I would like you to imagine looking into a mirror, but this is not just any mirror. This mirror is a rather nasty mirror. It takes every flaw that you have and multiplies it 1,000 times..
• Every wrinkle looks like a canyon.
• Every pimple looks like a mountain.
• Every mole looks like a grizzly bear.
• If your nose is a little long, it will look like an elephant’s trunk.
• If your eyes are a little small, they will appear like pin holes.
• If your lips are a little swollen, they will appear like bananas.
• If you are beginning to bald, your head will look like a balloon.
• If you have a bit of flabbiness, it will look like a sheet blowing in the wind.
• If you have a bit of a belly, it will look like you weigh 600 pounds.
I could go on, but I think you get the idea. You would like to avoid this mirror, but each and every day, you are forced to walk past it. Each and every day you are forced to look at what stares back at you.
How do you handle it? How do you deal with what the mirror shows? Several avenues are open for consideration.
First, you can pretend as if the mirror doesn’t exist. You can pretend that it isn’t there. You could try to hide it behind something so that you are not confronted by the ugliness it presents to you. You could say, “There really isn’t such a mirror, and since I stopped believing in the mirror, I am free from the horrors it showed me.” This might prove effective, but the mirror is still lurking in the background even if you are trying to deny its existence.
Second, you could be overwhelmed by what you see in the mirror. You could become depressed and angry about what is there. You could try and fix the flaws–achieve perfection–prove the mirror wrong. But soon you discover even deeper flaws that the mirror enhances. You discover it is a never-ending battle. You become angry and spiteful at the mirror as well as loathsome of yourself. You delight in bringing other people before the mirror so that they can be as horrified about themselves as you are about yourself. Anger and bitterness fill your heart and your life.
Third, you can convince yourself that the mirror is a liar. You can work very hard to deny what the mirror shows–that what is there is not really what is there. You can work to convince yourself that the flaws are actually marks of beauty. That there is nothing wrong with you–that you are perfect in every way. And you want others to know that they are perfect too–no matter what the mirror says. After all, you are a better judge of beauty than that stupid mirror.
Perhaps there are other ways of dealing with this mirror, but in some way, you must come to grips with it. What do you choose? Keep this thought in the back of your head as we turn now to this segment of the book of Romans. Paul is finishing up his scathing condemnation of humankind with these verses.
Beginning in chapter one verse 18, Paul has unequivocally shown that Gentiles do not obey the natural law they see all around. They exchange worship of the Creator for worship of the created, and everything falls apart. They become deserving of God’s wrath.
Jews, thought they fared better because they had heard God’s Law, had a special relationship with God, and bore the marks of the covenant with God. But Paul has devastated these arguments by showing that it is not hearing the Law that counts but doing it. God not only has promised blessing upon the Jews but also punishment if they fail to keep the covenant–hence God is faithful in His blessing and in His wrath. And, Paul has said that if you are circumcised–bearing the mark of the covenant–and break the Law you have actually reversed your circumcision. Despite the fact that God indeed has a special relationship with the Jews, there is no escaping that Jews share the same condemnation as Gentiles. Both are under God’s wrath.
And up until this point, Paul has made very few appeals to the authority of Jewish scripture to prove his point. But now, after all the philosophical and rhetorical commentary, Paul brings the words of scripture to bear on his argument.
Verse 9 What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, 10as it is written: ‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one.’ 13 ‘Their throats are opened graves; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of vipers is under their lips.’ 14 ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’ 15 ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery are in their paths, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.’ 18 ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’
Before we get to the direct biblical quotations, it is important to note Paul’s comment that Jews and Greeks are “under the power of sin.” People are not just sinners. People are under sin’s power–they are under sin’s influence. Sin is not simply something we commit and do–it is a power that enslaves us! It is a power we cannot escape on our own. And the proof? Here is the scripture:
• Ecclesiastes 7:20: ‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one;
• Psalm 14:1-3: there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one.’
• Psalm 5:9: ‘Their throats are opened graves;
• Psalm 140:3: they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of vipers is under their lips.’
• Psalm 10:7: ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’
• Isaiah 59:7-8a: ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery are in their paths, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.’
• Psalm 36:1b: ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’
Scripture is clear. The Jew has no advantage under the Law because the Jew has failed to keep the Law.
It is at this point that Paul shifts to a courtroom setting. His early audience would have recognize the terminology and the language as indicative of this. 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. Paul unequivocally says that the Law speaks to those under the law. A few sermons ago, I stated that whenever Paul referred to those “under the Law” he was referring to the Jews. This is the case here as the Law is condemning the Jews. They have the Law, but they have failed to follow it. They have failed to keep the covenant. Therefore, Paul draws the conclusion that every mouth should be silenced.
This might seem confusing to some folks especially since Gentiles are “not under the Law.” And it also rubs us the wrong way as we generally do not condemn one group based upon the actions of another. Each person or group is responsible for only that person or group’s behavior. Why would Paul extrapolate this to everyone instead of just sticking with the Jews? The answer given by most scholars is that if the Jews who were recipients of God’s special revelation; of God’s commands; of God’s will and favor have failed, then there is no way the Gentiles who had none of these benefits could succeed. All stand defenseless.
Let me put it the way one of my commentaries did. Let’s say you have three swimmers trying to swim to Japan. One doesn’t know how to swim. One can swim but isn’t trained. The final swimmer is an Olympian caliber swimmer. The first swimmer drowns immediately. The second swimmer swims 100 yards and then drowns. The Olympian swims 30 miles but then drowns as well. Despite the clear advantage of the Olympian, he shared the same fate as the others–AND if the Olympian drowned given all his training, there was no possible way the other two could have made it. Hence, Paul says neither Jew or Gentile has any room to make a defense. All fall far short of the ultimate goal.
This is the meaning of “every mouth may be silenced” by the way. There is no defense that you can give. There is no excuse you can come up with. Every time you open your mouth, you dig the hole deeper and deeper. In fact, in the ancient courts, if you tried to do such a thing, someone literally would stand over you and slap you across the mouth to shut you up. The language here is that strong. No one in the whole earth has any excuse. All have failed, and all are accountable to God.
After saying this, Paul puts the final nail in the coffin. 20For ‘no human being will be justified in his sight’ by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. This statement actually seems to contradict a statement Paul made earlier when he said, “13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified.” Did Paul suddenly go senile? Hardly. Paul was making two separate points. The first point was that simply hearing the Law doesn't justify a person--doing it does. And can anyone truly fulfill the Law? Can anyone truly do it? No. And simply doing things that the Law requires will not erase the times that you missed the mark.
I’d like to return to an analogy that I made in a previous sermon regarding if you ran into your neighbor’s car and left a dent. It was just a small one, so you drove away leaving your neighbor to pay for the damages. Later, upon reflection and some bit of guilt, you gave some money to a homeless person. Your good deed evened things out, right? Your good deed made everything right, correct?
No. It didn’t. The car still needs to be fixed. You are still liable for that misdeed. No action that you complete somewhere else will account for your wrongdoing right here. No amount of feeding the hungry will overcome the hurtful words you spoke about another person. No amount of doing justice and working for peace will overcome the lies you told to get out of a speeding ticket. No amount of time you spend with aging grandparents will atone for ignoring your kids when you felt like you needed a break. You cannot make a wrong into a right by doing other right things. The only way you can make a wrong a right is by correcting the wrong that you performed. The only way you can make a wrong a right is by paying for the damage you caused. You cannot justify yourself by doing good things.
Partially because–the Law tells you to do those things anyway. AND the Law also shows you where you have gone wrong. The Law brings you knowledge of what is right and wrong. The Law reveals to you your sin–your flaws. And against the holiness of God, your flaws are magnified, exaggerated, and multiplied. Against the holiness of God, your sins make you look horrible. Do you see why I started this sermon with the mirror thought experiment? Do you see now that the Laws and commands of God are the mirror that reveals what you look like when you stand in the presence of God? Do you see now that the Law makes you look horribly small and horribly ugly when you stand in the presence of God ready for His judgment?
Oh, and it would be easy to dismiss the mirror of the Law and pretend that it doesn’t exist. It would be easy to try and say there is no authority out there to condemn you or hold you accountable. But no one lives that way. Everyone subscribes to some form of justice and law.
It might be tempting to say that the Law isn’t a true revelation of who we are. We can convince ourselves that we haven’t broken any of those laws and that we are blameless and beautiful. We can slough off the Law’s condemnation by telling ourselves over and over again that we are perfect just the way we are and in need of no critique. God knows there are more than a few folks like this around, and everyone but them know how arrogant and selfish they are. Do you want to be like them?
Or, we can acknowledge just how fallen we are. We can acknowledge that there isn’t a single part of our lives–a single part of our being that isn’t touched by sin. We can admit our fallenness before God and before one another. We can sit in silence as we await the judgment of God to be rendered. And at this point, it might seem hopeless. It might seem like the only thing awaiting us is divine, holy wrath and punishment. We deserve it, but we will see next week that the end is not bleak. The end is not tragic for us. The end is, quite wonderful. For next week, we get to hear the Gospel! Amen.
Showing posts with label Judgment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Judgment. Show all posts
Monday, October 24, 2016
Monday, October 3, 2016
Romans 2:12-16: Judged by Your Own Standards
There are two very important issues that St. Paul is dealing with this morning as we continue on through the book of Romans. First, there is the issue of judgement and justification. Second, there is the issue of what happens if people do not have God’s revelation. Both of these issues affect the church in a very real way today, so let’s deal with them one by one as we look at the text for today.
As we turn to the text, let me give a brief review of where we have been. Paul begins Romans with a greeting to those he is writing to. He then gives a brief summary of what he is going to cover in the letter. Then, he offers a scathing condemnation of humanity showing how humankind is fallen because they have refused to worship the Creator of the universe and instead worshiped the creation. This causes God’s created order to unravel and we therefore experience hell on earth.
Last week, Paul pivots to deal with those who worship God–who think that by following the commands of God that they somehow are worthy of salvation. Paul shows that they have made an idol out of their goodness and therefore are hypocrites. They do the exact same thing that non-religious people do and are under the same condemnation of God
Today, Paul continues to cut through the reasons that people would give to justify themselves in his day as he writes: 12 All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. In these verses, Paul basically says, “It is not what you know that will justify you. It is what you do.”
I am reminded of a joke at this juncture. Forrest Gump dies and goes to the Pearly Gates. St. Peter meets Forrest there and says, “Welcome, Forrest. We are glad that you are here, but you need to know there is an entrance exam to get into heaven. You will need to answer three questions. The first one is, ‘How many days of the week start with the letter T?’
Forrest thinks a moment and says, “Two.”
Peter responds, “That’s right. Now, which ones?”
Forrest says, “Today and tomorrow.”
Peter is a little taken aback. He says, “Well, technically, that’s not right, but you did get two right. I will let that one slide. Now, the second question is, ‘How many seconds are there in a year?’
Forrest thinks for a while and says, “12.”
Peter is shocked by the answer and says, “Forrest. That’s completely wrong. How did you come up with 12?”
Forrest replies, “Well, there’s January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd...”
Peter scratches his head and says, “Well, you know. I never thought of it that way. You are right in that light there are 12 seconds. I guess I will have to give you credit. The final question is this, ‘Tell me God’s name.’”
Forrest quickly says, “That’s an easy one. His name is Andy.”
Peter stammers, “What?! How in the world do you think God’s name is Andy?”
Forrest replies, “You know, the song. Andy walks with me. Andy talks with me..”
Maybe you’ve heard that one before. What does it have to do with Paul’s comments? Nothing at all. I just wanted to tell the joke.
Well, maybe in a round about way because there were many Jews at the time of the writing of the book of Romans who believed that their knowledge of the Law–or Torah–the first five books of the Old Testament, would grant and guarantee them salvation. As God’s chosen people–as the people of the book–they believed that as long as they knew the Torah, had studied it, and had heard it, their salvation was guaranteed.
Paul says, “Not so fast.” It doesn’t matter if you know what law number 432 out of 613 is. What matters, Paul says, is whether or not you have followed law number 432. It’s not whether or not you know the law–it’s whether or not you follow the law.
For instance, if a DPS trooper pulls you over for doing 100 on I-10, he is not going to excuse you because you knew that the speed limit was 75. The point is not that you knew the speed limit–the point is, you didn’t follow it.
Paul unequivocally tells the Jews in his audience, “Your knowledge of the Torah and the Ten Commandments and the Law will not save you. If you want justification, you have to follow the commands. You have to do everything required of you. You have to be blameless before God.”
Is such a thing possible? Paul has just shown at the end of chapter one and the beginning of chapter two that it is not possible. He will reiterate this point in chapter three. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The Law cannot be fully fulfilled. As a Jew, you have no advantage.
The application for those of us who are Christian is this: don’t pride yourself in being able to quote what is right and what is wrong. Don’t pat yourself on the back because you know what Jesus commands His followers to do. Don’t get a big head because you can quote all sorts of Bible verses about justice or peace or morality or sexual purity. It doesn’t matter a flip if you can do that–the important part in the eyes of God is whether or not you have done such things. And if you haven’t fulfilled them perfectly, you are in trouble.
But, and there’s always a but...what happens to those who don’t have such knowledge? What happens to those who have never heard the Law read? What happens to those who have never heard of the teachings of Jesus? What will happen to them? This is a big question in all reality. There are many from outside the church who question the nature and justice of God because of this. They ask, “Will God condemn a person to hell if they have never heard about Jesus?” Many cannot accept this and actually walk away from Christianity or refuse to engage it because they see God as vicious because of this.
Paul addresses this question next: 14When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all. Paul says that while not having the revealed Torah–or Law, the Gentiles still have a law. They still have a set of moral codes.
They still have an understanding of how to treat one another. They still have a conscience.
Scholars are actually have three different understandings of what is going on with the Gentiles and the Law here. Depending upon which scholar you read, you will get three options. To me, as I place this argument within the context of what Paul has just written and the points he has just made, I think he is returning to the concept of natural law. I think he is returning to the idea that deep down within each and everyone of us–written deep within our heart (and remember, the heart was considered the source of right and wrong and desire), there are ideas of justice, fairness, and peace. As we grow the axiom, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” becomes a good guide of what we should and shouldn’t do. Societies base all sorts of moral codes based upon this, and for the most part all societies share them. Where they have differed across history is that the laws usually only apply within their own society. If you are an outsider, you are fair game. But that is not the point Paul is making. The point is–Gentiles have a law–a Torah–deep within themselves. And their conscience helps them understand whether they are right or wrong.
Now, we need to understand that the concept of a conscience in St. Paul’s day was not like our understanding of conscience. We understand conscience as the source of our moral norms–whether or not we feel bad about something we do or don’t do. Paul is using the word differently. He is using it as a mechanism that we have deep within our hearts that helps us reflect upon whether or not we meet a certain norm. For instance, if I see that it is normal for people to refrain from stealing, my conscience helps me to see whether or not I meet that norm. If I am consistently stealing and no one else is, then I am not meeting that norm in the least. I am breaking the law. Paul says that this conscience accuses them when they do not measure up, or it excuses them when they do, and this will be the basis that God uses to judge them.
What does that mean? Just this: the Jew who is under the Torah, will be judged by the Torah. But the Gentile will be judged by the standards that he or she judges everyone else. Let that sink in a moment. The Jews will be judged by the standard of the Torah. Everyone else will be judged by the standard that they judge everyone else. None of us are Jews here this morning as far as I can tell, so I think this question is pertinent to each of us: think about the moral standard that you have for everyone else. Think about the moral standard that you have for young people; for older people; for fellow Christians; for those who work; for those who don’t work; for those who drive in their cars; for those who live a certain lifestyle; for those who are gay; for those who are straight; for those who are Republican; for those who are Democrat; think about the standard you hold for politicians; for police officers; for teachers; for preachers; for day laborers. Think about all those standards and then ask yourself: do you live up to those standards yourself?
The most blatant example of this that I have run across in my life came when I was serving in my last congregation. A gentleman who at one time was a bank president was chiding the senior pastor because the senior pastor felt like he didn’t get the raise he deserved. The former bank president said straight up, “You work for God. You are not supposed to want money.” To which, the senior pastor responded, “Well that works for you too.” The former bank president said, “No. It’s different for me.”
Paul would say, “No. No, it is not. To the standards you hold everyone else, you will be judged!” I think, if you are being honest with yourself, this is a terrifying thought. None of us live up to the standards we hold for other people. None of us fulfill the law that we have unto ourselves. If indeed we are judged by this standard, we are all in deep trouble. We are in need of a savior.
Fortunately, there is good news, but we will have to wait once more to hear it. Reflect upon your own nature for the time being. Reflect and ask yourself: are you content simply to know what God demands; what Jesus asks. Are you satisfied with knowing instead of doing? And, then wrestle with your heart. Ask yourself if you live up to the standards you hold for others. If you find yourself a bit uncomfortable with the answers to these questions, hold on–when you see what God has done, you will know why grace is truly amazing. Amen.
As we turn to the text, let me give a brief review of where we have been. Paul begins Romans with a greeting to those he is writing to. He then gives a brief summary of what he is going to cover in the letter. Then, he offers a scathing condemnation of humanity showing how humankind is fallen because they have refused to worship the Creator of the universe and instead worshiped the creation. This causes God’s created order to unravel and we therefore experience hell on earth.
Last week, Paul pivots to deal with those who worship God–who think that by following the commands of God that they somehow are worthy of salvation. Paul shows that they have made an idol out of their goodness and therefore are hypocrites. They do the exact same thing that non-religious people do and are under the same condemnation of God
Today, Paul continues to cut through the reasons that people would give to justify themselves in his day as he writes: 12 All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. In these verses, Paul basically says, “It is not what you know that will justify you. It is what you do.”
I am reminded of a joke at this juncture. Forrest Gump dies and goes to the Pearly Gates. St. Peter meets Forrest there and says, “Welcome, Forrest. We are glad that you are here, but you need to know there is an entrance exam to get into heaven. You will need to answer three questions. The first one is, ‘How many days of the week start with the letter T?’
Forrest thinks a moment and says, “Two.”
Peter responds, “That’s right. Now, which ones?”
Forrest says, “Today and tomorrow.”
Peter is a little taken aback. He says, “Well, technically, that’s not right, but you did get two right. I will let that one slide. Now, the second question is, ‘How many seconds are there in a year?’
Forrest thinks for a while and says, “12.”
Peter is shocked by the answer and says, “Forrest. That’s completely wrong. How did you come up with 12?”
Forrest replies, “Well, there’s January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd...”
Peter scratches his head and says, “Well, you know. I never thought of it that way. You are right in that light there are 12 seconds. I guess I will have to give you credit. The final question is this, ‘Tell me God’s name.’”
Forrest quickly says, “That’s an easy one. His name is Andy.”
Peter stammers, “What?! How in the world do you think God’s name is Andy?”
Forrest replies, “You know, the song. Andy walks with me. Andy talks with me..”
Maybe you’ve heard that one before. What does it have to do with Paul’s comments? Nothing at all. I just wanted to tell the joke.
Well, maybe in a round about way because there were many Jews at the time of the writing of the book of Romans who believed that their knowledge of the Law–or Torah–the first five books of the Old Testament, would grant and guarantee them salvation. As God’s chosen people–as the people of the book–they believed that as long as they knew the Torah, had studied it, and had heard it, their salvation was guaranteed.
Paul says, “Not so fast.” It doesn’t matter if you know what law number 432 out of 613 is. What matters, Paul says, is whether or not you have followed law number 432. It’s not whether or not you know the law–it’s whether or not you follow the law.
For instance, if a DPS trooper pulls you over for doing 100 on I-10, he is not going to excuse you because you knew that the speed limit was 75. The point is not that you knew the speed limit–the point is, you didn’t follow it.
Paul unequivocally tells the Jews in his audience, “Your knowledge of the Torah and the Ten Commandments and the Law will not save you. If you want justification, you have to follow the commands. You have to do everything required of you. You have to be blameless before God.”
Is such a thing possible? Paul has just shown at the end of chapter one and the beginning of chapter two that it is not possible. He will reiterate this point in chapter three. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The Law cannot be fully fulfilled. As a Jew, you have no advantage.
The application for those of us who are Christian is this: don’t pride yourself in being able to quote what is right and what is wrong. Don’t pat yourself on the back because you know what Jesus commands His followers to do. Don’t get a big head because you can quote all sorts of Bible verses about justice or peace or morality or sexual purity. It doesn’t matter a flip if you can do that–the important part in the eyes of God is whether or not you have done such things. And if you haven’t fulfilled them perfectly, you are in trouble.
But, and there’s always a but...what happens to those who don’t have such knowledge? What happens to those who have never heard the Law read? What happens to those who have never heard of the teachings of Jesus? What will happen to them? This is a big question in all reality. There are many from outside the church who question the nature and justice of God because of this. They ask, “Will God condemn a person to hell if they have never heard about Jesus?” Many cannot accept this and actually walk away from Christianity or refuse to engage it because they see God as vicious because of this.
Paul addresses this question next: 14When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all. Paul says that while not having the revealed Torah–or Law, the Gentiles still have a law. They still have a set of moral codes.
They still have an understanding of how to treat one another. They still have a conscience.
Scholars are actually have three different understandings of what is going on with the Gentiles and the Law here. Depending upon which scholar you read, you will get three options. To me, as I place this argument within the context of what Paul has just written and the points he has just made, I think he is returning to the concept of natural law. I think he is returning to the idea that deep down within each and everyone of us–written deep within our heart (and remember, the heart was considered the source of right and wrong and desire), there are ideas of justice, fairness, and peace. As we grow the axiom, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” becomes a good guide of what we should and shouldn’t do. Societies base all sorts of moral codes based upon this, and for the most part all societies share them. Where they have differed across history is that the laws usually only apply within their own society. If you are an outsider, you are fair game. But that is not the point Paul is making. The point is–Gentiles have a law–a Torah–deep within themselves. And their conscience helps them understand whether they are right or wrong.
Now, we need to understand that the concept of a conscience in St. Paul’s day was not like our understanding of conscience. We understand conscience as the source of our moral norms–whether or not we feel bad about something we do or don’t do. Paul is using the word differently. He is using it as a mechanism that we have deep within our hearts that helps us reflect upon whether or not we meet a certain norm. For instance, if I see that it is normal for people to refrain from stealing, my conscience helps me to see whether or not I meet that norm. If I am consistently stealing and no one else is, then I am not meeting that norm in the least. I am breaking the law. Paul says that this conscience accuses them when they do not measure up, or it excuses them when they do, and this will be the basis that God uses to judge them.
What does that mean? Just this: the Jew who is under the Torah, will be judged by the Torah. But the Gentile will be judged by the standards that he or she judges everyone else. Let that sink in a moment. The Jews will be judged by the standard of the Torah. Everyone else will be judged by the standard that they judge everyone else. None of us are Jews here this morning as far as I can tell, so I think this question is pertinent to each of us: think about the moral standard that you have for everyone else. Think about the moral standard that you have for young people; for older people; for fellow Christians; for those who work; for those who don’t work; for those who drive in their cars; for those who live a certain lifestyle; for those who are gay; for those who are straight; for those who are Republican; for those who are Democrat; think about the standard you hold for politicians; for police officers; for teachers; for preachers; for day laborers. Think about all those standards and then ask yourself: do you live up to those standards yourself?
The most blatant example of this that I have run across in my life came when I was serving in my last congregation. A gentleman who at one time was a bank president was chiding the senior pastor because the senior pastor felt like he didn’t get the raise he deserved. The former bank president said straight up, “You work for God. You are not supposed to want money.” To which, the senior pastor responded, “Well that works for you too.” The former bank president said, “No. It’s different for me.”
Paul would say, “No. No, it is not. To the standards you hold everyone else, you will be judged!” I think, if you are being honest with yourself, this is a terrifying thought. None of us live up to the standards we hold for other people. None of us fulfill the law that we have unto ourselves. If indeed we are judged by this standard, we are all in deep trouble. We are in need of a savior.
Fortunately, there is good news, but we will have to wait once more to hear it. Reflect upon your own nature for the time being. Reflect and ask yourself: are you content simply to know what God demands; what Jesus asks. Are you satisfied with knowing instead of doing? And, then wrestle with your heart. Ask yourself if you live up to the standards you hold for others. If you find yourself a bit uncomfortable with the answers to these questions, hold on–when you see what God has done, you will know why grace is truly amazing. Amen.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Where is Grace?
(Trying the video thing once again. For those who wish to simply read, continue below.)
During my senior year of college, my roommate and I went camping in Perdernales Falls State Park. We enjoyed a couple of days of hiking around and enjoying the hill country scenery. On the second morning of our stay, we hiked around one of the “mountain” trails–actually, it was more of a hill. As we hiked along the main trail, I saw a narrow pathway heading toward the woods. On a whim, I took this branch. My roommate wasn’t exactly thrilled about getting off the main trail, but I said, “Let’s just see where this leads.”
We walked around a few cedar trees and came upon a small creek. As this creek made its way down the hill, it had eroded into three small waterfalls. The falls had eaten into the rock and formed three pools a couple of feet deep each. The clear, cold, spring water had turned various shades of green, blue, and dark blue. The red and white of the rock added further color to this sight. The color and chuckling of the water made the place overwhelmingly peaceful, and we sat there for several minutes before carrying on. We actually traveled up the creek, and in about 75 yards, we intersected the main trail once again.
At this point, I wondered to myself, “Why is it the main trail diverges so far away from this little piece of heaven? Why isn’t that little side trail marked on the map? Aren’t people being deprived of seeing this little piece of beauty–especially if they simply stick to the main path?”
I mean, I know there is something to be said for staying on the main path–taking the same road everyone takes–following where the crowd has gone before. For the most part, it’s safe. For the most part, there are others traveling along the way who can help you out if you get in trouble. For the most part, the path is usually the easiest to follow as it is well marked and generally avoids the most troublesome spots. There is nothing necessarily wrong with following the well marked path.
But the marked path does not always lead you to the places of utmost beauty. The marked path does not always lead you to the places of tranquility and peace. The marked path may get you to the end faster, but it does not always guarantee you arriving in the state which is best for you.
Jesus makes no bones about the fact that Christians are not called to walk on the main path. We are not called to go through the wide door. We are to intentionally seek out and find the more narrow paths–the more narrow doors as we grow in faith and seek to serve God.
In our Gospel lesson, Jesus is asked, “Will just a few be saved?”
Jesus responds, “24‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then in reply he will say to you, “I do not know where you come from.” 26Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” 27But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” 28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. 29Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’”
In some ways, this teaching is very troublesome for certain people. Jesus here makes no bones about the fact that some people will be left outside the door knocking and begging to come in. There will be some people seeing the great saints in the Kingdom of God, and they will weep and gnash their teeth while seeing them. Even more frustrating to those who are left outside is the fact that they knew the Lord. “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets!”
And the Lord’s reply is curt and cuts to the bone, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!”
Now, the temptation here is to try and label those who are the evildoers. The temptation here is to find a group that fits that description. And of course, when we label that group, it will not include us. It will be them and those people who have the problem. It will be that group that has to worry about what Jesus is saying. It certainly can’t be us–no, not at all.
I would caution us very strongly against doing such a thing. Because whenever we label ourselves as the “in” group and those others as the “out” group, we find ourselves butting up against Jesus’ next statement, “Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God.” And listen to this, “Indeed some who are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
Some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last. Whenever we start labeling such things and putting ourselves first, we might just find ourselves bringing up the rear. We might just find ourselves on the outside looking in. We might just find ourselves weeping and gnashing our teeth. It’s not a pleasant thought. Not at all.
At this point, at least with me, the question then becomes–what is the narrow door? What does it mean to seek out the narrow door? How is it possible to enter through that door, and where is grace in this whole process?
I believe the concept of grace is important here–very important. I think we must remember that Jesus didn’t speak these words in a vacuum. In fact, these words are surrounded by others which I think help shed some important light on this teaching and help us understand it much, much better.
I would like to invite you to turn in your Bibles again this morning to Luke chapter 14. In our gospel lesson, Jesus ends with those who will be eating in the Kingdom of God, and just a few verses later, He fleshes that out more fully. Let’s begin reading Luke 14 verse 7
7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’
12 He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’
Notice the humility Jesus calls his followers to display. Notice the narrow door He sends them through. No one would have thought to act in this manner during the time Jesus spoke these words. Everyone wanted prestige and self-aggrandizement, but Jesus says, don’t seek it. Instead, be humble.
This is a consequence of grace. For if we believe that God is responsible for our salvation–that it does not come from anything we do–then we do not become self-righteous. We do not think that we have all the answers. We do not think we are above everyone else. We do not think we have any sort of special privilege because we know Jesus. Because Christianity isn’t necessarily about knowing Jesus–those left out of the door knew Jesus–Christianity is about being known by Jesus. And those who are known by Jesus do not point to themselves and the way they act or behave. Instead, they point to Jesus. Because it is in Jesus that we find Grace. It is in Jesus that we find mercy. It is in Jesus that we find the narrow path and the narrow door. Amen.
Monday, August 19, 2013
What Happened to Jesus?
Something a little different to start:
And for those who would rather read instead of watching the video:
I don’t know how many of you remember the original movie “The Karate Kid,” but I sure do. When I first saw it as a youngster, I thought it was one of the best movies I had seen. I can’t tell you how many times my friends and I would play around and imitate the “Crane Technique.” Anyone remember that one?
There was a very impressionable scene when the main character, Daniel, is about to begin receiving his training from Mr. Miyagi. Mr. Miyagi asks Daniel if he is ready to begin, and Daniel replies, “Yeah, I guess so.”
Mr. Miyagi then says, “Daniel-san, must talk. Walk on road. Walk right side, safe. Walk left side, safe. Walk in middle, sooner or later (squiiiiiiik) get squish just like grape. Here karate same thing. Either you karate do yes or you karate do no. You karate do guess so, (squiiiiiiik) just like grape.”
The implication is awfully clear. There is an either/or proposition. Either you do things one way or you things the other way. There is no middle ground.
A lot of times, we as Christians do the same thing with Jesus, and one of the prevailing thoughts regarding Jesus in the Church is that He is love. And if Jesus is all about love, then He certainly can’t do anything or say anything which is opposite of love.
We flesh out that picture of Jesus by citing many favorite stories and sayings of Jesus. “For God so LOVED the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. And you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:38-39)
There is the parable of the Prodigal Son, or as others have begun to call it, the Parable of the Prodigal Father who goes above and beyond to show love and compassion to both of his children even enduring humiliation to show them that kind of love.
And finally, there is Jesus’ new command given to His disciples at the Last Supper, “Love one another as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Yes, Jesus was all about love–all about showing God’s love–and we just need to love everyone like He loved us. This is what Christianity is all about!!! Love, love, love. It’s that simple. If something doesn’t speak of such love, then it cannot be of Jesus. “Walk on right side of road. Safe.”
Ah, but then one runs across stories and sayings like our Gospel lesson for today. Listen to Jesus’ words once again:
49 ‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ (Luke 12)
Just what happened to Jesus? Where is all that love? He speaks of bringing fire to earth? He speaks of bringing division? What happened to love one another? This sounds quite different. It sounds more judgmental! Surely this can’t be right. It doesn’t seem to gel with the idea that Jesus is all about showing God’s love. Does it? Is Jesus more of a judge? Did Jesus show up to render judgment and call us to mend our ways and get our lives back in order?
Well, there is a portion of Christianity which builds a case for Jesus being exactly this, and they use the above Bible verses and others to show that indeed Jesus renders such judgment upon us.
Matthew 4:7, Jesus says, “Repent for the kingdom of God has come near!”
Luke 5:32. “I have come not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance.”
“Be perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5)
“In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7)
And there is that long parable of the last judgment in Matthew 25 where Jesus tells of the last day when God will judge the sheep and the goats. Those who cared for the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, and the imprisoned will head to a heavenly reward while those who refused to show such compassion will end up separated from God for eternity.
Indeed Jesus came to render such judgment, and there are more than a few Christians who harp on this fact to no end. In fact, some almost revel in rendering these judgments upon others believing they are doing the Kingdom of God a favor. “Walk on left side of road, safe.”
Or so it seems. Either go with Jesus as Lord of Love and be safe or go with Jesus as Righteous Judge and be safe. Try to do anything more, and squish, just like grape. Right?
Wrong. Unequivocally, wrong.
For, the reality is that the same Jesus who showed compassion and love is the same Jesus who rendered judgment and called for repentance. The same Jesus who prayed that His followers would all be one is the same Jesus who said He came not to bring peace but bring division. It is the same Jesus on both counts. It is not an either/or, it is a both/and.
There is no doubt that Jesus came to earth to show God’s love and compassion. He came to heal. To bind up the broken hearted. To restore to community those whom had been shunned. To forgive those whom society had labeled sinner and unworthy to stand before God. To make people radically rethink the nature of God and who God truly cared and loved. One cannot read the gospels without noting this facet of Jesus.
But Jesus was also uncompromising in standing against that which was evil. He didn’t mince words when dealing with the Pharisees who showed a lack of compassion toward the poor and widowed. He didn’t hesitate to call such people “a brood of vipers” which is the modern equivalent of sons of female dogs. He didn’t hesitate to make known the reality of eternal punishment for those who failed to show charity in this life. Anything which stood in the way of God’s Kingdom or led people away from God, Jesus unhesitatingly condemned. And it was this uncompromising stance which led to division.
Love AND judgment. This is Jesus. And as His followers, it is who we are called to be as well.
There is no doubt that we, like Jesus are called to show compassion, mercy, and love. There is no doubt that we are called to welcome the sinner, the outcast, those whom society turns its back on. We are to love those who are considered unlovable. We are to love our coworker who scoffs at us and gossips about us. We are to bring God’s message of salvation to anyone and everyone regardless of race, color, or creed. Love must be a part of our lives, and we must sense it to our very core.
But we too must be uncompromising when it comes to living by Kingdom principles. We must shun the works of evil. When gossip is laid on our ears, we must not repeat. We must not return evil with evil. We must refrain from abusing anyone who is made in the image of God. We must reject dishonest dealings and refuse to cut corners if it means doing shoddy work. We must take such stands even if it means rejection and division.
Unlike the karate, Christianity isn’t about walking down a road. Christianity is about following a path–a path laid out by Jesus Himself. Too far to the left, and you’re out of His footsteps. Too far to the right, and you’re off the way again. Keep your eye on Him and imitate Him because if you go too far one way or the other, squish, just like grape. Amen.
And for those who would rather read instead of watching the video:
I don’t know how many of you remember the original movie “The Karate Kid,” but I sure do. When I first saw it as a youngster, I thought it was one of the best movies I had seen. I can’t tell you how many times my friends and I would play around and imitate the “Crane Technique.” Anyone remember that one?
There was a very impressionable scene when the main character, Daniel, is about to begin receiving his training from Mr. Miyagi. Mr. Miyagi asks Daniel if he is ready to begin, and Daniel replies, “Yeah, I guess so.”
Mr. Miyagi then says, “Daniel-san, must talk. Walk on road. Walk right side, safe. Walk left side, safe. Walk in middle, sooner or later (squiiiiiiik) get squish just like grape. Here karate same thing. Either you karate do yes or you karate do no. You karate do guess so, (squiiiiiiik) just like grape.”
The implication is awfully clear. There is an either/or proposition. Either you do things one way or you things the other way. There is no middle ground.
A lot of times, we as Christians do the same thing with Jesus, and one of the prevailing thoughts regarding Jesus in the Church is that He is love. And if Jesus is all about love, then He certainly can’t do anything or say anything which is opposite of love.
We flesh out that picture of Jesus by citing many favorite stories and sayings of Jesus. “For God so LOVED the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. And you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:38-39)
There is the parable of the Prodigal Son, or as others have begun to call it, the Parable of the Prodigal Father who goes above and beyond to show love and compassion to both of his children even enduring humiliation to show them that kind of love.
And finally, there is Jesus’ new command given to His disciples at the Last Supper, “Love one another as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Yes, Jesus was all about love–all about showing God’s love–and we just need to love everyone like He loved us. This is what Christianity is all about!!! Love, love, love. It’s that simple. If something doesn’t speak of such love, then it cannot be of Jesus. “Walk on right side of road. Safe.”
Ah, but then one runs across stories and sayings like our Gospel lesson for today. Listen to Jesus’ words once again:
49 ‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ (Luke 12)
Just what happened to Jesus? Where is all that love? He speaks of bringing fire to earth? He speaks of bringing division? What happened to love one another? This sounds quite different. It sounds more judgmental! Surely this can’t be right. It doesn’t seem to gel with the idea that Jesus is all about showing God’s love. Does it? Is Jesus more of a judge? Did Jesus show up to render judgment and call us to mend our ways and get our lives back in order?
Well, there is a portion of Christianity which builds a case for Jesus being exactly this, and they use the above Bible verses and others to show that indeed Jesus renders such judgment upon us.
Matthew 4:7, Jesus says, “Repent for the kingdom of God has come near!”
Luke 5:32. “I have come not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance.”
“Be perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5)
“In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7)
And there is that long parable of the last judgment in Matthew 25 where Jesus tells of the last day when God will judge the sheep and the goats. Those who cared for the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, and the imprisoned will head to a heavenly reward while those who refused to show such compassion will end up separated from God for eternity.
Indeed Jesus came to render such judgment, and there are more than a few Christians who harp on this fact to no end. In fact, some almost revel in rendering these judgments upon others believing they are doing the Kingdom of God a favor. “Walk on left side of road, safe.”
Or so it seems. Either go with Jesus as Lord of Love and be safe or go with Jesus as Righteous Judge and be safe. Try to do anything more, and squish, just like grape. Right?
Wrong. Unequivocally, wrong.
For, the reality is that the same Jesus who showed compassion and love is the same Jesus who rendered judgment and called for repentance. The same Jesus who prayed that His followers would all be one is the same Jesus who said He came not to bring peace but bring division. It is the same Jesus on both counts. It is not an either/or, it is a both/and.
There is no doubt that Jesus came to earth to show God’s love and compassion. He came to heal. To bind up the broken hearted. To restore to community those whom had been shunned. To forgive those whom society had labeled sinner and unworthy to stand before God. To make people radically rethink the nature of God and who God truly cared and loved. One cannot read the gospels without noting this facet of Jesus.
But Jesus was also uncompromising in standing against that which was evil. He didn’t mince words when dealing with the Pharisees who showed a lack of compassion toward the poor and widowed. He didn’t hesitate to call such people “a brood of vipers” which is the modern equivalent of sons of female dogs. He didn’t hesitate to make known the reality of eternal punishment for those who failed to show charity in this life. Anything which stood in the way of God’s Kingdom or led people away from God, Jesus unhesitatingly condemned. And it was this uncompromising stance which led to division.
Love AND judgment. This is Jesus. And as His followers, it is who we are called to be as well.
There is no doubt that we, like Jesus are called to show compassion, mercy, and love. There is no doubt that we are called to welcome the sinner, the outcast, those whom society turns its back on. We are to love those who are considered unlovable. We are to love our coworker who scoffs at us and gossips about us. We are to bring God’s message of salvation to anyone and everyone regardless of race, color, or creed. Love must be a part of our lives, and we must sense it to our very core.
But we too must be uncompromising when it comes to living by Kingdom principles. We must shun the works of evil. When gossip is laid on our ears, we must not repeat. We must not return evil with evil. We must refrain from abusing anyone who is made in the image of God. We must reject dishonest dealings and refuse to cut corners if it means doing shoddy work. We must take such stands even if it means rejection and division.
Unlike the karate, Christianity isn’t about walking down a road. Christianity is about following a path–a path laid out by Jesus Himself. Too far to the left, and you’re out of His footsteps. Too far to the right, and you’re off the way again. Keep your eye on Him and imitate Him because if you go too far one way or the other, squish, just like grape. Amen.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The Conversation Goes to Hell
Satan: You love them? So you say. If you love them so much, why do you let me have some of them. Don't get me wrong. I mean, I'll take them when I can get them, but if you love them so dearly and your love is so boundless and you are willing to die for them, then why send them to hell?
God: I was with you right up to that last statement.
Satan: I'm confused.
God: I tend to keep you that way on purpose, but I don't send them to hell.
Satan: Wait a minute? You don't send them to me?
God: No. I don't. I just give them what they want.
Satan: Now, my confusion is even greater.
God: I am not surprised. Let me try to put it into terms even you can understand: I let you fall from grace. That was your choice not mine.
Satan: You mean you could have kept me up in heaven.
God: Do you really want me to exercise that power?
Satan: On second thought, no. I kind of like my freedom. I like doing things my own way, calling my own shots, being in charge of myself. I don't like the idea of submitting to you and your set of rules and regulations. I like being independent and on my own.
God: Exactly. You are on your own. You have chosen separation from me. You have shunned my protection, my providence, my goodness and gone your own way. I did not force that choice upon you. You took it yourself.
Satan: And your point in all of this.
God: Look, heaven is where I AM. Hell is my absence.
Satan: And some people are perfectly content without you.
God: Yep, and I let them go on their way. Eternally. If they want to do it their way, be their own boss, call their own shots, take care of their own salvation whether they believe it or not, I let them go.
Satan: But what about punishment? What about eternal justice? What about your wrath?
God: Ignoramus. What do you think the cross was for? I don't need to send someone to a place of eternal fire. That's nothing. Being separated from me is far, far worse.
Satan: In what manner?
God: If people choose to walk away from me, they walk away from all those who believe in me. They walk away from eternity with those they love. They are completely and utterly on their own.
Satan: Well, they do have me.
God: Do you really think that is a comfort? Lies, manipulation, never fully knowing the truth, wondering what the purpose of life is and what everything means. They find those things with me. When they choose separation, they forsake all of this.
Satan: But don't you want them afraid of hell? Don't you want them afraid of me? Pitchforks and everything? Don't you want them scared of such eternal damnation?
God: Well, then that would mean they turn to me out of fear instead of out of love. That's not an option as far as I am concerned. I don't want people believing in me in order to save themselves from some sort of everlasting bar-b-q. That's not what I am about. That's not what the cross is about. Plus, when you turn to me because you are afraid, then you are simply trying to save yourself. That's counter to grace. So, no. I don't want them to be afraid of hell, but I want them to know the consequences of the choice they make.
Satan: And you give them that choice because...????
God: I...
God and Satan in unison: ...love them.
Satan: Phooey!
God: I was with you right up to that last statement.
Satan: I'm confused.
God: I tend to keep you that way on purpose, but I don't send them to hell.
Satan: Wait a minute? You don't send them to me?
God: No. I don't. I just give them what they want.
Satan: Now, my confusion is even greater.
God: I am not surprised. Let me try to put it into terms even you can understand: I let you fall from grace. That was your choice not mine.
Satan: You mean you could have kept me up in heaven.
God: Do you really want me to exercise that power?
Satan: On second thought, no. I kind of like my freedom. I like doing things my own way, calling my own shots, being in charge of myself. I don't like the idea of submitting to you and your set of rules and regulations. I like being independent and on my own.
God: Exactly. You are on your own. You have chosen separation from me. You have shunned my protection, my providence, my goodness and gone your own way. I did not force that choice upon you. You took it yourself.
Satan: And your point in all of this.
God: Look, heaven is where I AM. Hell is my absence.
Satan: And some people are perfectly content without you.
God: Yep, and I let them go on their way. Eternally. If they want to do it their way, be their own boss, call their own shots, take care of their own salvation whether they believe it or not, I let them go.
Satan: But what about punishment? What about eternal justice? What about your wrath?
God: Ignoramus. What do you think the cross was for? I don't need to send someone to a place of eternal fire. That's nothing. Being separated from me is far, far worse.
Satan: In what manner?
God: If people choose to walk away from me, they walk away from all those who believe in me. They walk away from eternity with those they love. They are completely and utterly on their own.
Satan: Well, they do have me.
God: Do you really think that is a comfort? Lies, manipulation, never fully knowing the truth, wondering what the purpose of life is and what everything means. They find those things with me. When they choose separation, they forsake all of this.
Satan: But don't you want them afraid of hell? Don't you want them afraid of me? Pitchforks and everything? Don't you want them scared of such eternal damnation?
God: Well, then that would mean they turn to me out of fear instead of out of love. That's not an option as far as I am concerned. I don't want people believing in me in order to save themselves from some sort of everlasting bar-b-q. That's not what I am about. That's not what the cross is about. Plus, when you turn to me because you are afraid, then you are simply trying to save yourself. That's counter to grace. So, no. I don't want them to be afraid of hell, but I want them to know the consequences of the choice they make.
Satan: And you give them that choice because...????
God: I...
God and Satan in unison: ...love them.
Satan: Phooey!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)