Thursday of the 2nd week of Lent - Reflections on the Letters of Lent
All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God's sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all. But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
"The doers of the law will be justified." It seems to me that Paul is making a good case for walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Those who do, especially those who have not been taught, are what it's all about.
In Paul's letter to the church in Rome, he continues to exhort those who think that they are better than everyone else, just because they are Jewish. He goes on to explain the intent of the law rather than the letter of the law, much like Jesus did. Paul makes a case for those who are acting on the intent of the law and doing instinctively what the law requires without any prior knowledge or study of the law. He also admonishes those who know the law, and preach the law, and then do that which is against the law. Paul says that those folks should pay more attention to teaching themselves.
Today's call to action that I hear would be to walk the walk. If you know it's wrong, don't do it. If you know it's right, do it. If it will destroy your relationship (with God and others) don't do it. If you walk in love, then others will see that God is love. Yet, if you walk in hate and disdain, who are you showing others God to be?
All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God's sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all. But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
"The doers of the law will be justified." It seems to me that Paul is making a good case for walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Those who do, especially those who have not been taught, are what it's all about.
In Paul's letter to the church in Rome, he continues to exhort those who think that they are better than everyone else, just because they are Jewish. He goes on to explain the intent of the law rather than the letter of the law, much like Jesus did. Paul makes a case for those who are acting on the intent of the law and doing instinctively what the law requires without any prior knowledge or study of the law. He also admonishes those who know the law, and preach the law, and then do that which is against the law. Paul says that those folks should pay more attention to teaching themselves.
Today's call to action that I hear would be to walk the walk. If you know it's wrong, don't do it. If you know it's right, do it. If it will destroy your relationship (with God and others) don't do it. If you walk in love, then others will see that God is love. Yet, if you walk in hate and disdain, who are you showing others God to be?
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