STANDPOINT360

Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.  Romans 10:1-3

Paul understood exactly what he was speaking of.  He was a dedicated Jew. He loves the Israelites. Prior to his encounter with Jesus, Paul was zealous and ambitious in chasing down and persecuting people who were not in full pursuit of the religious law.  Based on the framework of law recorded in the Old Testament, the law of the Israelites had become layers upon layers of conformity. The belief in all of this is that one could restore a relationship with God. Set free by Jesus, Paul has come to understand the challenge of giving up trying to save ourselves through the law.  

This continues to be true today in different forms.  Every form of the Christian faith has added layers of conformity and law to be followed.  We focus on conformity and compliance as a way of celebrating our faith.  The challenge is that the rules, laws, and codes become more important to us than the way of Christ.  The body of Christ divides over things that are not core to belief in Christ.  It actually makes believing and following Jesus more difficult.  

Reflection

To some degree, I understand Paul’s passion and conviction.  I love the body of Christ, the Church.  Yet, I watch the growing burdens of religious compliance snuff out the vibrancy of lives coming to believe in Jesus as the way the truth, and the life.  Perhaps that is why I am drawn so strongly to Christian Camping as part of the Body of Christ.  At the heart is a simple desire to draw people to Jesus around a campfire where His love and invitation are freely shared with anyone listening.  

We know that trying to save ourselves through compliance and conformity to the law does not work. It doesn’t work individually or corporately.  Yet, just as the people of Israel in Paul’s day, we cling to these things. The illusion of controlling our own destiny is so attractive.  Yet, it is not the way of God. God offers a way of being made right with Him through Jesus Christ.  It is beautiful, requiring only faith in Jesus. 

Encouragement

Take a look at the way you have structured your life.  Is conformity and compliance to religious form more important than accepting God’s way of being saved and restored with God?  Receive the gift God gives.  Lay aside the things that drive you to “earn” your own way.  Lean into being an apprentice of Jesus and learning His ways.  By our own nature, we tend to cling to structures we make as our spiritual security.  Focus on the way of Christ that only comes through faith that gives us a restored life with God.  

Prayer

Dear Father God, 

Thank You for making a way to be right with You through Your Son, Jesus Christ.  Please forgive us for our desire to cling to our own rituals of compliance and conformity that do not reflect You and Your ways. Please help us to embrace the change You offer.  Help us to follow You.  

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen

For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:4-13 NLT

It is rare to hear about something that is for everyone.  Everyone is actually invited and included.  It is simple.  Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  Let that sink in for a minute.  The person you and I may have stereotypically passed judgment on is invited and included.  People who see life differently, look different, and have different cultures, customs, traditions, and backgrounds are invited and included. Everyone.

The Apostle Paul is writing something that was so hard for the people of God’s law to accept.  After all, they had been set apart by God for centuries. Yes, an outsider could become part of the community, but it was a process of coming into full participation of the law, customs, and rituals.  Now, Paul is restating what Jesus said and did.  

Everyone is invited into a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  Paul writes it this way: “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.”  Let me state it one more time.  This is for everyone.

Reflection

We are living in a time that is not for everyone.  Mr. Putin is proclaiming “liberation” in Eastern Ukraine while tens of thousands have been killed and millions of people displaced.  This clearly is not for everyone.  In fact, if you get in the way, you are dead.  The rhetoric and actions in the United States of America are anything but united towards people who are different from each other.  Increasingly, people are divided and canceling each other out.  The Church is struggling with how to relate to all of this.  Some have “bought into” the spirit of division, citing scripture and tradition.  Others have left conviction and belief in the name of getting along.   

Encouragement

Let’s come back to the words of the Apostle Paul.  God provides a way to a restored relationship through His Son, Jesus Christ, for everyone.  Yes, a response of faith and sharing is needed.  Any relationship of value is always reciprocal. Let’s approach today with these words:  “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”   Let’s not be part of “writing people off” and dismissing others.  God is inviting everyone.  So should we. 

Prayer

Dear Father God, thank You for including everyone in Your will and purpose.  Thank You for including me.  Help me to see everyone with the invitation that You extend to them.  Thank You, that in a time of division and destruction, Your invitation continues to be for everyone.  

In Jesus’s name, Amen

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

Hebrews 10:24 NLT

When is the last time you got together with people close to you and asked this question: What are ways we can motivate each other in doing good and loving people well?  

Do you know what the writer of Hebrews says just before this?  “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” Hebrews 10:23 NLT

God is trustworthy.  He will keep his promise.  Hold tightly to the truth of this.  Think together and motivate each other in doing good and loving others well.  

Reflection

Our world needs a flood of good and loving actions toward people.  We are being challenged by the writer of Hebrews to be intentional and do it together.  We are encouraged to pursue this off of the confidence we have in God.  

Encouragement

This is an opportunity to get together with a family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Think together.  Talk, make a list, and develop a plan to do good and loving things for other people.  Check-in with each other.  If you really want to have some fun, set some goals with timelines for completion.  Let’s flood the world with good and loving acts toward people everywhere. 

Prayer

Dear Jesus, 

What an amazing challenge You have given us today.  Help us to pick up the challenge and get together with a few other people to identify and develop ways to do good and love those around us.  Holy Spirit, help us gather a few people together in the next two weeks for this specific purpose. 

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen