Freedom in salvery?! Surely not.
I really don’t know how Jesus’ disciples managed to keep up with him as spoke to them on that Galilean hillside that historic day. He had only been preaching for a few minutes but already their entire world had been turned upside down and then they discovered that [without any training] they had become the sole exponents of the truthful light of Jesus’ message.
Before their minds were able to settle Jesus suddenly makes another extraordinarily contradictory claim:
"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God's law will remain until its purpose is achieved. So if you break the smallest commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
"But I warn you--unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all!” Matt 5:17-20
Because we sometimes focus heavily of God’s love for us through Jesus Christ [which is right] we forget about His call to righteousness which is just as much an integral part of our faith. This gospel is not to be mistaken for one of acceptance [even though it accepts everyone]; it is a gospel of revolution. It is a call to devotion and holy living, it is unnervingly counter-culture. But instead of giving us a list of abstract laws to adhere to Jesus himself is our role model; we are to look to him and imitate him. In doing so we find ourselves free from sin, but in becomes slaves to righteousness we become completely free and completely us (our true character shines out through righteousness – we discover our radiant beauty):
“So, since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!” Rom 6:15-18 (Msg)
How do we know when we are imitating Christ? When we love God [wholeheartedly], love others [relentlessly] and tell others about the hope [and joy and fulfilment] we have found in Christ.
Before their minds were able to settle Jesus suddenly makes another extraordinarily contradictory claim:
"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God's law will remain until its purpose is achieved. So if you break the smallest commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
"But I warn you--unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all!” Matt 5:17-20
Because we sometimes focus heavily of God’s love for us through Jesus Christ [which is right] we forget about His call to righteousness which is just as much an integral part of our faith. This gospel is not to be mistaken for one of acceptance [even though it accepts everyone]; it is a gospel of revolution. It is a call to devotion and holy living, it is unnervingly counter-culture. But instead of giving us a list of abstract laws to adhere to Jesus himself is our role model; we are to look to him and imitate him. In doing so we find ourselves free from sin, but in becomes slaves to righteousness we become completely free and completely us (our true character shines out through righteousness – we discover our radiant beauty):
“So, since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!” Rom 6:15-18 (Msg)
How do we know when we are imitating Christ? When we love God [wholeheartedly], love others [relentlessly] and tell others about the hope [and joy and fulfilment] we have found in Christ.
posted by Andrew at 9:04 pm
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