But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

Today's Scripture Reading (March 7, 2021): Romans 5

American radio speaker and author Earl Nightingale argued that "When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself." In our judgment, we try to shape the world around us, maybe even prove that we are better than the one who is the object of ridicule. We use judgment to exclude the one who is not like me. Somehow, we even seem to believe that exclusion is part of what it means God followers in our culture.

What we seem to miss is that Jesus worked hard against the exclusion of the people who were subjected to religious judgment in his culture. He defends the woman, caught in the act of adultery, by responding to the judgment of the men who brought her to him by arguing that the one without sin should throw the first stone (John 8:7). The men eventually realized that they had been excluded, instead of the woman, and walked away. He told the parable of the Jewish man who is robbed on the way to Jericho. He is rejected by a Priest and a Levite before being rescued by a despised Samaritan, a man who was a victim himself of Jewish judgment (Luke 10:25-37).  Jesus tells his followers that they are actually welcoming him when they welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:34-40). Nowhere does he judge and exclude those who the religious elite would seek to exclude. If there were anyone that he would judge, it would be the religious elite. And in each case, it is not the one that the elite judge that is the defining moment; it is the elite who dared to judge.

Paul argues that this is a portion of what it means to be part of a Christ-centered movement. God loved us so much that he sent his Son to die for us while we were still sinners. God didn't wait for us to be worthy of his love or Christ's sacrifice. While we were still sinners, he came to us and made a sacrifice on our behalf.

The problem is that we have become the modern-day Pharisees who believe that we can shape and define our world with our judgments. I don't think that we understand Paul's argument. If we did, I think our actions would be very different. Paul is adamant that the Christian Church is the body of Christ. If that is true, then we are the ones who should be willing to die for a world that is caught in sin; we are defined not by our judgment but, instead, by our acceptance.

There is currently a fight in many of our denominations over two issues that appear to have become polar opposites. However, the relationship between the two issues is not readily apparent. These issues are accepting LGBTQ+ Christians into our fellowships and those who view the role of women in Christian ministry to be subordinate to a male figure (complementarian instead of egalitarian ministry roles). Both seem to want to exclude the other. According to some, we should exclude both LGBTQ+ Christians as well as female Christian leaders. Those who accept women in leadership are generally more willing to accept women in leadership.

But the argument here is not whether or not either of these issues is a sin. If we are the body of Christ, why would we want to exclude either of these groups, regardless of our view of what is right?  Christ died on a cross for our inclusion, even when we stood outside of the orthodox Christian behavior. We need to continue the discussion around the acceptance of women in leadership and LGBTQ+ Christians. I am not arguing either view here. But our desire to exclude based on sin would seem to be anti-Christian. Because "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" and for our right to be included.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 6

And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. – Romans 4:11

Today's Scripture Reading (March 6, 2021): Romans 4

In "My Ancestor Was an Ancient Astronaut," Indonesian author Toba Beta comments that "you are the fairy tale told by your ancestors." It is an interesting concept that sometime in the past, someone might have been telling stories about you, proclaiming their dreams of what you might accomplish in your life. All of the possibility of your family is placed in you and your siblings. You are unique, and the reality is that there are things for which each of us is uniquely gifted, even if the world does not acknowledge those talents. So, we have a choice. We can work to uncover the fairy tale in us, the one our ancestors told, or become bitter about the things we lack or how some people treat us and ignore the dream our ancestors possessed as to who we might become.

The opposite is more likely. We dream about the things that our ancestors might have done. I am proud that hanging out in the family tree branches are University presidents, authors, and ancestors who emigrated to North America in the mid 17^th century (the 1600s). Back in England, I am a descendant of Sir William Atte Wode, the Captain of the King's Guard at the Palace of Westminster during King Edward III's reign. I am not sure that Sir William ever dreamt about me, but I know that I dream about him.

As the early church began to emerge out of Judaism, the question arose about what to do with their great ancestor Abraham. Abraham was the beginning of Israel's story and several other ethnic groups in the Middle East. Israel was proud that they were the descendants of the first Patriarch, and one of the things that set Abraham apart from all other leaders of his era was the concept of circumcision. The idea of circumcising males did not begin with the giving of the law to Moses; it started generations earlier in the days of Abraham. And for the people, the proud identification with Abraham was found in the practice of circumcising the male. To share in Judaism and the promise of Abraham meant that males needed to be circumcised.

In Judaism, this circumcision happens on the eighth day after the male child's birth, even if the eighth day falls on the Sabbath. Circumcision is done at conversion for those who convert to Judaism, and this would have been the argument for  Gentiles who converted to Christianity. If Christianity wanted to maintain its relationship with Abraham, it seemed evident that circumcision was part of that identity.

Even followers of Islam agree. In Islam, which also identifies with Abraham as a sacred ancestor, circumcision happens much later in life, either in late childhood or early adolescence, and is without as much ceremony as is found in Judaism, but the idea is still present. Identification with the ancestor Abraham means being circumcised.

Paul is arguing against the idea of circumcision for Christians, and part of his argument is that Abraham's faith did not begin with circumcision. Circumcision came later. According to the story found in Genesis, "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). But the rite of circumcision wasn't given until Genesis 17, fourteen years later.

So, if Abraham could be righteous for fourteen years without being circumcised, why do we believe that we have to be circumcised to be part of Abraham and his righteousness. Paul argues that forced circumcision on Gentile believers just didn't make sense. Abraham was the father of all who believe and are circumcised, but he is also the spiritual ancestor of all who believe and are not circumcised. In this case, Paul argues that belief is what is necessary to be counted as the spiritual descendants of Abraham, and not circumcision.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 5

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. – Romans 3:1-2

Today's Scripture Reading (March 5, 2021): Romans 3

Abraham Lincoln argued that "You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was." It is an interesting quote considering not only that Lincoln stood 6'4", but also because of the political shadow that the Great Emancipator has cast over American history. You have to grow every inch of your own life. You have to live your life; you can't let your parents live it for you. And the same advice has to be given to parents and grandparents. You can't live the lives of your children either. They have to do their own growing.

Paul poses to his Roman audience a question he imagines that his audience might be wanting to ask him. They were proud of being Jews, God's chosen descendants throughout the length and breadth of history. They were the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They believed that that was to their advantage. But Paul seemed to be saying that the Jews were on equal ground with the rest of the world. That was not what they believed; they didn't want to conclude that there was no advantage to being Jews.

Paul's response? There was an advantage. And part of that advantage was that they had been given the words of God. They were the custodians of the law, handed down directly from God to Moses on Mount Sinai. They were the keepers of the words of the prophets, as God spoke directly to these people throughout the nation's history. They were the guardians of the writings, the poems, proverbs, and stories that had been written under the inspiration of God, sometimes by Kings like David and Solomon. All of this had been given to Israel and not to the other nations. And this was the advantage of Israel.

The problem is that Israel had spurned their advantage. God had set out his expectations to Father Abraham long before giving the law to Moses on Mount Sinai.

 "I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you."

I will bless you so that you can, in turn, pass that blessing on to the world. It is the reason behind the advantage. And the very place where God's followers, both Jew and Gentile, usually fail. We want the benefit to mean that we don't have to do our own growing. But that is impossible. We are to grow every inch and moment of our lives. And in the process, we will have to decide whether to bless ourselves or become a blessing for others. But if we are following the will of God, following the biblical record, we will become a blessing to the world that exists all around us because that is what the very words of God demand. Words that were first given to the Jews as part of their advantage and then passed onto the Christian Church, which holds that these same Mosaic laws, prophetical words, and writings inspired by God, are sacred. And those words should be what shapes us as we grow every inch and moment of our lives.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 4

So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? – Romans 2:3

Today's Scripture Reading (March 4, 2021): Romans 2

In his "Battles in the Desert and Other Stories," Mexican author Jose Emilio Pacheo comments that "We are all hypocrites. We cannot see ourselves or judge ourselves the way we see and judge others." There is truth in his words that we don't want to hear, yet we need to be told. The truth is this; those things that bother us in other people, the very things that we condemn in those around us, are often the same thing with which we are struggling, whether we realize it or not. An adage argues that if a preacher frequently speaks on one particular topic, it might be that issue with which he or she is struggling. As I look back at the things that are important to me as I write and speak, I see a message of community and love that are frequently a part of my focus. So, as an acknowledged introvert, it might be precisely those things about which I am struggling. Maybe you see something else, in yourself or me.

The result is that we are all hypocrites. The very sins which we condemn in others are sometimes the very ones that make us feel guilty. But even if that is not true, we suffer under variations of the theme, which is actually Paul's point. None of us are perfect; we all have some area where we are struggling. We all have some space in our lives where we fail. The Gentiles in Paul's audience had a vulnerability to certain types of sin. Paul outlines some of these sins in Romans 1, although he definitely does not cover all of the possibilities. He is about to speak to the Jews about their sins. But the common thread is that both groups have a vulnerability to some kind of sin. They both want to judge the other for the wrong that they see in others while committing that sin or another themselves. And that is a problem.

But more than that, Paul argues that the fact that they judge meant that they understood God's laws and what the presence of these laws might mean in their lives. The proof that they understood the law was found in their judgment of their neighbors. Theologian John Murray puts it this way. "Since you know the justice of God, as evidenced by the fact that you are judging others, you are without an excuse, because in the very act of judging you have condemned yourself." The fact that we are willing to judge others means that we are not ignorant of God's laws. And yet, we still sin.

Jesus acknowledged this fact with a hint of humor in the Sermon on Mount.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye (Matthew 7:1-5).

You know what sin is because you can recognize it in others. But rather than judging your neighbor, why do you not focus that knowledge on yourself, making you a better person. Why do you not react with empathy and understanding to your neighbor who sins because their failures are a reflection of your own? Maybe instead of judging, we need to commit to overcome our personal sin, with each supporting the other in the undertaking.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 3

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. – Romans 1:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 3, 2021): Romans 1

Christian author and pastor, Aiden Wilson (A. W.) Tozer said, "I am Thy servant to do Thy will, and that will is sweeter to me than position or riches or fame, and I choose it above all things on Earth or in Heaven." I am not sure that it is an assertion that many of us would understand. We don't want to be servants; we want to be rulers; we want to be recognized as the ones in charge. We are surrounded by people who believe that they should make all the big decisions in our nation or the companies that shape our country. Workers often feel that their company would be in much better shape if we were the ones in control. The words that we do understand were written by John Milton in "Paradise Lost." We really believe that it is "better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven." We don't want to serve. We want to be kings and queens, even if it is just over our small domains.

Paul opens up his letter to the Romans by telling the Roman Church three things about himself. First, he was a servant of Christ Jesus. Second, God had called him to be an apostle. And third, that he had been set apart for the gospel of God. And the order, as well as what is missing, is essential.

Maybe we should first address what is missing. Paul was a Roman citizen, which might be something important to remind the citizens of the Capital city. Repeatedly throughout Paul's life, the fact that he was a Roman citizen had saved his life. But that Paul was a Roman citizen was not something that Paul felt was important enough to write down in his letter's introduction.

Paul was well-educated. He had been taught by the great Rabbi Gamaliel the Elder, who had died just before Paul wrote his letter to the Romans. Educational achievements might be important to us, but apparently not to Paul. All Paul wanted the Romans to know was that he was a servant of Christ, called to be an apostle by God, and set apart for the Gospel of God.

And of those three things, he was most proud that he was a servant of Jesus. I might have changed the order. But for Paul, being a servant trumped being called to be an Apostle. Australian New Testament scholar Leon Morris breaks down the word that Paul uses here, which is translated as "servant" (doulos). "Doulos" indicated a "complete and utter devotion, not the abjectness which was the normal condition of the slave" (Leon Morris). Nothing was degrading about being identified as a servant of God. Being recognized as a Servant of Christ Jesus was the highest honor Paul could imagine, higher than even the title of "Apostle." And it was how Paul wanted the Romans to think of him. He wanted to be remembered as a servant.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 2

When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. – Acts 20:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 2, 2021): Acts 20

On January 6, 2021, a mob invaded the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the invasion was to stop the official counting of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential ballots by the Congress from the November 2020 election. They hoped that if they could stop the counting, somehow there would be a discovery of some way to overturn Joe Biden's election and return Donald Trump to his throne at the White House. The riot caused damage to the building, instilled fear among all who were present in the building that day, and either directly or indirectly caused the death of some involved in the riot.

But, despite the violence, damage, confusion, and death, the invasion failed. The riot didn't delay the counting of the votes, or at worst, it delayed the counting by no more than a few hours. Drama already surrounded the mundane certification of results by the Congress. Those involved were already expecting this to be a late night. But some of the drama disappeared after the riot. Congress reconvened after the demonstration with a renewed dedication to certify the election results. They refused to allow the riot to destroy or delay, for even a day, the purpose of their gathering. In the early morning hours on January 7, 2021, after the uproar had ended, the election was certified before any Congress members called it a day and went home. The United States Congress won the day, and the rioters lost.

Paul had been in Ephesus for two years. And they were great years. But when his presence caused a riot in Ephesus, Paul decided it was time to leave. No one could have blamed him if he had just left town during the night. Surely the church at Ephesus would have understood and encouraged their Apostle to get out of Ephesus and stay safe.

But Paul refused. At least, he refused to leave without meeting with the church one more time. His purpose for coming to Ephesus was to share with the Ephesians the gospel message alongside a tangible expression of the love of God. He could have taught them the gospel through his practice of writing letters to them, as he would with the Roman Church. But he couldn't show the church love without showing up. And Paul was not going to leave the city without embracing them, making his love tangible, one more time. Loving the Ephesians was an essential purpose as to why Paul had visited the city in the first place, and not even a riot was going to stop him from carrying out that task.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 1

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. – Galatians 6:15

Today's Scripture Reading (March 1, 2021): Galatians 6

It was a moment of honesty. He was worried about his future. The problem was that there was sin in his life. Oh, the worst of it was in the distant past. But that didn't really matter. How was it that he could ever make up for all the wrong that he knew he had done? And what made matters even worse is that he understood from his Bible study that if you break one law, then you have broken them all. James had written precisely that to the early church. "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10). It didn't matter which law you broke, break one law, and you might as well have shot someone on main street. In the eyes of God, you were guilty.

Of course, that is why we need Jesus. But, for many people, he is just too easy an out. Indeed there has to more to it than repenting from our sins and accepting Jesus as our Savior. It has to be more complicated.

And maybe that is because there are many long-time Christians who want it to be more complicated. They want to argue that you have to follow the rules and go to church and get your twenty-year perfect attendance ribbon. You can't drink or smoke if the church prohibits that behavior. You must do everything that elders decree, and just maybe then, you will be worthy of Jesus. I know we would never phrase it that way, but essentially that is what we are meaning. Musician Steve Taylor summed up our dependence on the rules of the Christian Church when he wrote "I Want to Be a Clone" in the early 1980s.

So now I see the whole design
My church is an assembly line
The parts are there
I'm feeling fine
I want to be a clone

I've learned enough to stay afloat
But not so much I rock the boat
I'm glad they shoved it down my throat
I want to be a clone (Steve Taylor, 1982)

Paul's argument is circumcision is meaningless, the law itself is pointless. None of what went before is important. All that matters is that God has done something new in your life. If that is true, if God has created something new in your life, then all of the old falls away. Nothing you can do can make that happen, only a work of God. And nothing that you do can impede that process. It is not in your hands, but God's. And maybe that is the real problem because we want to be the primary mover in our lives. But there is only one primary mover in our world, and it is not us. It is God. And all the rule-keeping in the world can't change that one fact.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 20