1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30; Romans 2:25-3:8; Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 19:10-12
“But King David replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the Lord. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!’”
“No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.”
“I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, ‘Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! …The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?’ But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.”
Everything is under control. It may not feel or look like it, but that does not alter the fact. One of the great hallmarks of God is that things rarely look like they are. A flood of destruction was actually a cleansing purge. An order to sacrifice a son became a blessing. A land full of giants ended up a sanctuary and home of a new civilization and religion. A Crucifixion gave rise to salvation. Death ushered in eternal life. The very unpredictability of the Spirit should give us all hope. Those who truly have faith can never be really lost.
I remember hiking in Northern Georgia as a young teen. Our little group was following a path that seemed quite clear at the start. However, the farther into the woods we progressed and the fewer landmarks we were able to keep in sight, the higher our anxiety level rose and the harder it was to stay focused on the narrowing path ahead of us. Eventually, as we spent more and more time looking around trying to gain some beneficial perspective and the path narrowed further, we lost sight of it altogether and ended up completely lost. At that point, we hit a true emotional crossroads. The choice was either keep our heads and attempt going backwards to retrace our steps, or go into outright panic mode, scream and shout, and hope a rescuer would come save us. None of those turned out to be what happened. Right when we felt the most lost, one of our least intimidated members simply found the trail again. No more than ten yards from where we stood, it apparently had just jogged a bit downhill, and we had missed it. What felt like the center of the wilderness turned out to be a short distance from where we were supposed to have been the entire time.
We give up too easily, on ourselves, and on Christ. Jesus promised we would have trouble. We have no right to claim surprise when adversity raises its ugly head… unless we choose to confess to ignorance in the process. But at the same time, the Lord promised to be with us always, and to enter into our lives when we open the doors of our hearts and heads. He also promised He already had overcome the world. Note this was not stated in the future or even present tense. It was said as a fait accompli, a deed already done. Let that sink into the very center of your soul: Jesus already has overcome the world. If we are in the world, chances are we are actually pretty close to where we are supposed to be. Problem is, we are looking everywhere but where we need to look for guidance. Jesus may be just off the beaten path, but He is never far away, and He is always ready to help us if we’ll seek Him.
Nothing worth having ever comes without price. No offering means anything that does not represent some level of sacrifice. Most of us are simply too consumed with keeping track of old, disappearing landmarks to see the potential of the coming age. Jesus said we are to let the dead bury their dead. Let go of the old ways! There is a new path awaiting, a new adventure to be had. The Lord is graciously waiting for us to turn back to Him so we can get started down that road together. We’ve spent enough time in retreat. Let’s get back to moving ahead into the future. We are not as lost as some think we are. We’ve just lost our guide.
2 comments:
Tom,
I feel lucky that I have my guide and I hope I never steer away from Him.
I am a little confused about something in Romans 3:3-4. Is this saying that even Jews who do not follow Moses law will go to Heaven? I know the Jews are considered special, but I thought it was only if they were completed Jews or if they followed Moses law. If so, does that mean we should not try to "convert" Jews?
Sorry if my small mind does not understand all this, but I am only just learning.
Suzy
Suzy, good for you. Hang onto that guide!
I don't think at this point that the issue of heaven or hell is really what Paul is getting at. His issue here is the Jewish right of circumcision and what role it plays, if any. In short, he concludes that circumcision, as ordained by God, is really just a visible sign of a spiritual condition. If the spiritual condition does not exist, the physical one is meaningless.
But he is quick to point out that being a Jew still has its advantages: they remain, after all, God's Chosen People, a race raised up by the Creator Himself to bring His Word into the world. The Covenant remains in effect. Christ did not nullify it; He came to fulfill it. By their very essence and the Covenant, the Jews remain special people. Whether they will find heaven is a different subject altogether.
Since you ask, though, Jesus did say, "No man comes to the Father but by me," but remember, Jesus, God and the Spirit are all One. Overt Christianity is certainly one way to be assured of heaven, and Christ's sacrifice is a prerequisite to eternal life. But I, at least, am a little reluctant to tell God when it is too late for Jews (or anybody else for that matter) to be "completed," as you suggest, by recognizing Christ as the Messiah and accepting Him as Savior. What I am sure of is that the idea of death being the end of anything - especially opportunity - seems to be a peculiarly human belief.
In short, how God chooses to deal with the Jews is His divine prerogative, and it is nonsensical for us to presume to speak for Him on that subject. But it is also no reason not to try to bring as many as possible - Jew, Gentile or outright pagan - into a saving knowledge of jesus Christ ASAP. Why wait and risk uncertainty? God may have another plan available, too, but He still calls us to present His Gospel to any and everyone who will listen.
Hope this helps. It ain't necessarily "mainstream," but since when has anything about God qualified as that?
His, Tom
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