This morning, on my way to work on BART, I was listening to the Bible Study podcast from KFUO and they were in Galatians. I don't recall exactly the context but they were talking about the fact that God expects us to be perfect, to obey all of the law perfectly, every day of our lives. Some people like to say that "God knows I'm not perfect, he accepts that I am a sinner," or words of similar import, but this is not true. God demands perfect obedience from us. God does not grade on the curve. Life is not a percentage grade, 95% is not an A-. No, it's pass - fail and we all have failed. Not one human being, other than Jesus, has achieved any grade other than utter and total failure. Yet still God demands perfect obedience from us, and we cannot do it. Thanks be to God we have salvation in the cross of Christ! There is nothing we do that makes us right with God, it is only our Lord Jesus Christ, who covers us with his perfect righteousness, who saves us. ¶ 9/26/2006 09:06:00 AM 0 Comments
Daily Lectionary and Psalter
Psalms 120-125 & 126-132
Job 12:1, 13:3-17, 21-27
Acts 12:1-17
John 8:33-47
Higher Things reflection
Faith makes the Christian, but deeds of love prove the Christian. We might be quick to claim our Christianity, but at times we are quite slow to show it.
We live in a pluralistic society. We have been taught not only to accept all faiths as viable, but that we shouldn’t push our religion on others. Who are we to judge other people’s beliefs? We all worship the same God, but just by a different name. Right?
This is absolutely wrong. There is only one God. He is the triune God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father is the Creator. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent by the Father to redeem the world of sin. God the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith in the hearts of all believers.
Trusting in anyone or anything else is futile. You might spend your whole life doing good for others, sacrificing all your worldly possessions, and trying to live a life in harmony with the universe, but all this will get you is destruction and death.
If the seeds you sow in the field of life are weed seeds, in the end you will have a bountiful harvest of weeds. If the seeds you sow in the field of life are wheat seeds, you will have a bountiful harvest of wheat. This wheat becomes the bread of life for many.
Rest assured that the Lord of the harvest will separate the wheat from the weeds. On the last day there will be those who will say, “Look at all I have done for thee, O Great Eternal Spirit of the Universe.” God’s reply will be swift: “I don’t know you.” To those who have been faithful He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
¶ 9/26/2006 04:35:00 AM 0 Comments
