James 4:4-10
The key words are: friend, enemy, proud, humble. James says that friendship with the world means that you are God's enemy. He also contrasts God's treatment of the proud with his treatment of the humble. He then calls the reader to submit to God, even though the word picture is more of sorrowful repentance (which makes sense, since repenting from pride means that you will humble yourself).
The key for me is this: I can't have a foot on both paths, I can't be friends with both the world and with God. The paths are headed in opposite directions and the world is directly opposed to God. The world is all about raising yourself up, getting ahead, looking out for yourself (and seeing yourself as #1). God is all about raising himself up, making him famous and looking out for the real #1. The world is all about living for the moment, carpe diem. God is all about living for eternity, seizing the future. The world is all about play now, pay later. God is more about pay now, play later. As Joshua said, "Choose you this day whom you will serve..." I can't have it both ways.
Showing posts with label choices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label choices. Show all posts
Monday, November 12, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
til death do us part...
Romans 6:1-6
Observe:
"Law" is used repeatedly, sometimes in contrast to "the Spirit." Death/dying is a concept that is repeated, sometimes in contrast to being alive. Paul uses a word picture of marriage to illustrate our relationship to the law.
Interpret:
Paul is continuing his argument that we are dead to sin but made alive, through faith, to God. We no longer need to obey sin. His illustration may seem a bit strange: in Paul's time, a wife was basically property and was bound to her husband "til death do us part." She had to be obedient to him. But once her husband was dead, she was free to find a new husband. Paul argues that because we have died, we are no longer subject to sin - we are not bound by it any longer.
Apply:
I have been released from my commitment to sin and the law because I have died to sin. I am now bound to Christ and to serve him, not in the old way of the law, but in the new way of the Spirit. As Korey, Mick and I talked this morning, this means that I have a choice: I don't need to automatically sin. It also means that I need to take more responsibility for my actions - I choose to subject myself to my old master (which means I am stupid because he treats me badly).
Observe:
"Law" is used repeatedly, sometimes in contrast to "the Spirit." Death/dying is a concept that is repeated, sometimes in contrast to being alive. Paul uses a word picture of marriage to illustrate our relationship to the law.
Interpret:
Paul is continuing his argument that we are dead to sin but made alive, through faith, to God. We no longer need to obey sin. His illustration may seem a bit strange: in Paul's time, a wife was basically property and was bound to her husband "til death do us part." She had to be obedient to him. But once her husband was dead, she was free to find a new husband. Paul argues that because we have died, we are no longer subject to sin - we are not bound by it any longer.
Apply:
I have been released from my commitment to sin and the law because I have died to sin. I am now bound to Christ and to serve him, not in the old way of the law, but in the new way of the Spirit. As Korey, Mick and I talked this morning, this means that I have a choice: I don't need to automatically sin. It also means that I need to take more responsibility for my actions - I choose to subject myself to my old master (which means I am stupid because he treats me badly).
Friday, August 3, 2007
servitude (I like the word as long as it doesn't affect me)
Romans 6:19-23
Observe:
Key words: slave(ry), righteousness, holiness, life, death, impurity/sin
Paul contrasts the results of being a slave to sin (shame and death) with the results of being a slave to God (holiness and life). Holiness and righteousness are connected to life and sin is connected to death.
Interpret:
Paul recognizes that his analogy is not perfect - it is causes some problems to talk about our obedience to God as slavery in the same way that our obedience to sin is slavery. However, the analogy is there in that we are either obeying sin or obeying God.
Paul carries on the idea of wages vs. gift in verse 23 which echoes his language in chapter 4 where he argues that Abraham's righteousness was credited to him as a gift not as an obligation based on his works. This also furthers Paul's argument that we live by faith and that life is a gift from God; not based on works - just as Abraham's righteousness was a gift from God not based on works. This is Paul's whole point: Our righteousness is a gift from God and so is our life. We achieve both by faith in Jesus Christ, not by works or any social status.
Paul is specifically arguing in this passage that there are only two choices when it comes to life: either obeying sin (which leads to shame and death) or obeying God (which leads to holiness and life). The difference is that one is what we deserve (wages of sin) and one is not (gift of God).
Apply:
It follows that my justification will lead to holy living. If I rely on God to save me, why wouldn't I rely on God to help me live? I'm not talking about physical life (although that is a gift from God as well) but about really living, being alive. I have settled for living death when Christ offers living life! I think that we, as a Christian society, have stopped short of the life that God wants.
I also don't think we see the two options very clearly. We tend to think that our choices stand alone and don't see the effect they may be having on history and eternity. We need to recognize that in this battle between sin and holiness, death and life, that we must be very intentional in the things we do and say. I need to evaluate every choice: how can I best promote the cause of holiness and life and act against sin and death?
Observe:
Key words: slave(ry), righteousness, holiness, life, death, impurity/sin
Paul contrasts the results of being a slave to sin (shame and death) with the results of being a slave to God (holiness and life). Holiness and righteousness are connected to life and sin is connected to death.
Interpret:
Paul recognizes that his analogy is not perfect - it is causes some problems to talk about our obedience to God as slavery in the same way that our obedience to sin is slavery. However, the analogy is there in that we are either obeying sin or obeying God.
Paul carries on the idea of wages vs. gift in verse 23 which echoes his language in chapter 4 where he argues that Abraham's righteousness was credited to him as a gift not as an obligation based on his works. This also furthers Paul's argument that we live by faith and that life is a gift from God; not based on works - just as Abraham's righteousness was a gift from God not based on works. This is Paul's whole point: Our righteousness is a gift from God and so is our life. We achieve both by faith in Jesus Christ, not by works or any social status.
Paul is specifically arguing in this passage that there are only two choices when it comes to life: either obeying sin (which leads to shame and death) or obeying God (which leads to holiness and life). The difference is that one is what we deserve (wages of sin) and one is not (gift of God).
Apply:
It follows that my justification will lead to holy living. If I rely on God to save me, why wouldn't I rely on God to help me live? I'm not talking about physical life (although that is a gift from God as well) but about really living, being alive. I have settled for living death when Christ offers living life! I think that we, as a Christian society, have stopped short of the life that God wants.
I also don't think we see the two options very clearly. We tend to think that our choices stand alone and don't see the effect they may be having on history and eternity. We need to recognize that in this battle between sin and holiness, death and life, that we must be very intentional in the things we do and say. I need to evaluate every choice: how can I best promote the cause of holiness and life and act against sin and death?
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