Tag Archives: Works

Order and Law

Lent

March 6, 2020

Scripture Reading: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. –Romans 4:13-17

We in the USA speak of law and order while it perhaps she be the other way around—order and law. The desire to bring order out of chaos derives from the needs of basic human interaction. We have traffic laws to help maintain an optimum flow of cars and trucks. While sitting in a traffic jam, it may seem as if those laws were not working but image what traffic would be like if they did not exist. These are formal governmental laws that are updated as needed and if we break them and are caught, we pay the consequences. I got a speeding warning the day they reduced the speed limit on a street near me from 35 to 25 miles and hour. I drive that road several times a day and while I try not to speed, I stopped paying attention to those signs on that road years ago and thus did not notice the new signs.

We also have informal rules, etiquette for example. Some of us were raised with family rules—hang up your coat, homework before screen time. And then there are God’s laws. Depending on how one counts them there are 613 or so Mosaic laws in the Hebrew Bible ten of which Moses reported were given to him directly by God. Jesus picked two from those laws to establish the foundation for all laws—Loving God and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves*.  What we now call the Ten Commandments have served the test of time. Other of the Mosaic laws have modified with cultural changes. Cutting back on cholesterol and salt is more vital to our health today than say not eating pork because we figured out how to cook it without getting trichinosis. While some continue not to eat pork to honor God within their faith system.

God clearly desires that we live healthy, whole lives in communion with God and with one another. God just as clearly wants us to realize that God loves us just as we are and loves to help us grow in wisdom and in truth when we open our hearts and minds to God. One of my college professors drew a line across a blackboard and said that we could obey every rule in the book perfectly and that might help us climb right up next to that line but God’s grace and love fills any gap that exists between our works and God’s love.

Prayer: Thanks you God for filling the gaps that separate us from your love. Amen.

*See Matthew 22:36-40

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.

God’s Gift of Grace

Kingdom Building

October 4, 2019

Scripture Reading:
2 Timothy 1:1-14

Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. –2 Timothy 1:8-14

The argument about works and grace should not be an either/or debate. Grace produces works and works validates grace. And yes, grace is a gift we cannot earn, given freely. Yet, how will others know about God’s grace through Jesus Christ, if they do not observe it in Christ’s followers?  How do Christ followers know about the needs of those who do not know Jesus, if we do not walk among them and with them? How do we know about Christ’s followers who are being oppressed unless we stand beside them and do God’s justice on their behalf?

This scripture is the source of one of my favorite childhood hymns, I Know Not Why God’s Wondrous Grace, which is no longer in the hymn book used at my church. I do not know whether it fell out of theological or musicological correctness or failed to make the top ten list. It does harken back to a day when God was considered a mystery and thus there were some things we could not explain. Perhaps the time has come to recognize God’s grace once again as mystery to mimic.

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
to me he has made known,
nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
redeemed me for his own.

But “I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I’ve committed
unto him against that day.”*

Prayer: Almighty God, thank you for the grace of your love. Help us to grow into loving all your children and creation as you have loved us. Amen.

*First verse and chorus of I know not why God’s wondrous grace by D. W. Whittle, see at https://hymnary.org/text/i_know_not_why_gods_wondrous_grace_to_me

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.

Faith and Works

Eastertide

May 30, 2019

Scripture Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

‘See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work.
‘It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’
The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’
And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. —Revelation 22:12, 16-17

The older I get the more I realize I want the Bible to say what I want it to say. I was raised by the world’s greatest egalitarian, my mother, who instilled within me early that there was no one on this earth I was better than and there was no one better than me. God loves all God’s children at the same level as individuals. The surgeon who removed the tumor is no more important to the success of the surgery than the staff who sanitized the operating room. And then I read Revelation 22:22 where Jesus promises to repay according to everyone’s work. Faith and Works have challenged each other for centuries in Christian thought and practice. I think the truth lies in their interdependence.

Ephesians 2:8–9 reads, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

So what do we make of the above scripture from Revelation on rewards based on work? It seems to be stating what we say today: Christ models for us that when someone does something good for another, we need to pay it forward. Jesus received his reward and he wants to share it with everyone and he wants to repay it according to everyone’s work. Now what does that mean? If we accept the pay it forward idea, when Jesus shares his reward with us, we are to share that gift with others and that gift is somehow tied to our vocation or avocation in life. We are gifted by Jesus in ways that encourage or enable the outcomes of our labor.

Galatians 5:22-23 describes the fruits of the Spirit, which are among Christ’s gifts to us. They are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. All are important in our building relationships with one another and with all others. Such gifts enable the oneness that is so very important to the actualization of the Kingdom of God. They are gifts of grace that embellish our works.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for compelling us to greater works still as our faith calls us to do all we can to be one with each other in a world ruled by love 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.

Living by Faith

Yoke6Living in the Spirit
June 28, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 5:21-43

Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. –Mark 5:25-29

It seems we humans are pretty good at living by faith when there is nothing else left to live by. The old saying holds true; there are no atheists in foxholes. The harder course is living by faith when we put a lot of stock in our own skills. Created in the image of God, we were born with brains and hearts, muscles and senses to use. Called by Christ to be his Body in the world today, we are partners in his kingdom building. Instilled by the Holy Spirit, every action we take comes under the guidance of God’s love. I do not believe faith and works are contradictory but complementary. Jesus said:

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:28-30)

The woman in our scripture today was on a twelve-year quest to be made whole. She was apparently open to trying new things. I love the phrase: She had heard about Jesus. How many people in our world today are longing for wholeness and either have not heard about Jesus, or at least not about his love. Who will tell them about Jesus? Who, in living his love, will expel the negative images of God, people may have experienced? We are the ones called to love like Jesus and when we head out the door to spread the good news we had better put on Jesus’ yoke because we will need it.

Prayer: Holy one hone me as you will use me to spread the good news to anyone who needs to hear it. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.