Kingdom Building

June 20, 2019

Scripture Reading: Galatians 3:23-29

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. –Galatians 3:23-27

There is a difference between discipline and punishment. Discipline is designed to help people integrate life lessons, hopefully learning positive ways of functioning; punishment shames or frightens children or adults into behaving in the way another wants them to behave. Discipline applied well helps people internalize proven processes. While all discipline may not be wise and may not be as helpful for some people as for others, it can be modified based on individual circumstances. Once punishment is rendered it is hard to undo.

Galatians above describes the law as our disciplinarian until Christ came so we might be justified by faith. We are children of God called to attain Christ like maturity.

The Hebrew Bible contains essentially three types of “laws” that discipline us: God’s commandments, civic law, and etiquette rules. Living in a country founded on the separation of church and state our civic laws stand apart from our faith commandments. Since we are a country founded on government of the people, by the people, for the people our faith values as may the values, influenced by faith or not, of others guide our civic laws. Emily Post and Miss Manners are drivers of etiquette. God’s Commandments are eternal in nature while civic laws are altered as our world changes from messages etched on stone to the digital environment. Etiquette is most often driven by culture.

The advent of Christ did not replace eternal laws but added the component of grace through faith. The commandments still provide guidance for daily living while we work to love God and our neighbors in forming a world ultimately ruled by love.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the gift of grace that enables us to partner with you in developing your kingdom. Guide us in the use of your eternal commandments as they help to discipline us in practicing our faith. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.