Romans 11-I Corinthians 1
This was a tough section for me to hear, mainly because of all the interruptions! I wonder if Paul had those when he was transcribing this letter. (Loved the writer putting in his greetings at the end!)
Paul is trying to make his case why the Gentiles are now welcomed into the Kingdom of God. They are not Jews, and everyone knows that the Jews are God's favorites. So how did/can this happen?
Apparently this was a major issue for the early church. How glad I am that we no longer worry about who is in and who is out, who God favors and who God doesn't, who God can/will love and who God won't! (You do catch the tongue firmly planted in my cheek there, don't you?) After all his argument it seems to me that Paul finally comes down to the point that God will love whom God will love. God is going to do something, and if that means using Gentiles so be it.
But will God use Methodists? Muslims? How far will we allow God to go in bringing about God's kingdom?
After what seems like a rant from "angry Paul" we suddenly have this shift where the "kinder-gentler Paul" (who seldom gets any recognition) shows up. In Romans 12 we have this wonderful exposition of how we should behave as followers of Christ. It is a wonderful "to-do" list, but also a list that reminds me of how much I do need the grace of God!
How many times growing up did I hear sermons about how we shouldn't do things that might cause others to fall? At least monthly! It was a way of driving into us that we need to stay on path--but I wonder how often those verses have been used to keep us on a cultural course rather than a Christian one? Don't do anything that might offend someone? Isn't that the argument the ministers in Birmingham used against Martin Luther King, Jr? How much do we take others ingrained prejudices, mores, into consideration? This is always a sticky wicket for me. I do think that our actions affect others--often negatively, but there are times when following our faith will put us at odds with the way things are. Tough!
I loved the "hellos" to friends at the conclusion of the letter. Reminds me of the wonderful PS in older days!
The shift to Corinthians is rather abrupt! Here is a church that Paul knows well and it is obvious that he loves them while at the same time rather disappointed that they would fall prey to such petty fighting. Again, thankfully we don't have any of that today!
So how do you like Paul? It is not too late to join the conversation! Leave your comments. Your voice may just be the one we need to hear.
3 comments:
So, we shouldn't do things to cause others to stumble? Should avoid things that others abhor? I've never liked that this message is related to eating and drinking the wrong things. Who cares what people think about what I eat and drink? Shouldn't it be the way we treat each other that matters? But then, perhaps respecting someone else's beliefs and not rubbing in their faces that you disagree IS a pretty nice way to treat someone. One of my favorite contemporary quotes is from Maya Angelo when she says she has learned over her lifetime that she can turn the music up when it is pleasing to those around her and she can turn it down when it is not (my attempt at a paraphrase - it's from the wonderful book "Letter to my Daughter.") She states that turning the volume up or down does not change who she is or how strongly she believes - it is only a way to bring harmony into the world. But what about when the world needs to be changed? Without loud, obnoxious proclaimers, does anyone listen?
Here again, I think we will each have different ideas about when it is OK to speak softly and when we should be turning tables. All we can do is think, determine our personal beliefs, and then act on them! And pray we are getting at least part of it right.
One thing about Paul - he gets one thinking!
Kinder, gentler, Paul? Yes, to some extent. But he still says that God will choose to have mercy on whom God will choose to have mercy. The implication is that there are those on whom God will choose NOT to have mercy. He actually even says that God hardens some people's hearts so that they won't believe. He's not the first to say it, of course; it's in the Old Testament several times. But what do we do that?
What Paul makes me think is, what do we do with Scripture? He seems to give the advice to believers here that it is okay as Christians to eat and drink even things that the Jewish law, their Scriptures, told them not to eat or drink. He's telling them it's okay to follow their conscience rather than the Bible! Be mindful of other believers and your own heart, he tells them, but don't worry so much about the letter of the law. This still flies in the face of what I was taught in the little Baptist church on a hill in Kentucky where I first came to faith. There, I was told that if there is any conflict between my own heart/mind/spirit and the Bible, guess who's wrong? One hint - it ain't the Bible! It seemed so black and white to me then, but the reality is, even the writers of the Bible conflict with each other! Heck, even Paul disagrees with himself on certain points if you put his letters side by side! His theology develops over time; he learns; he changes his mind. The same thing happened to me, and is still happening to me, even during these few days of listening to the Bible. It is a scary thing to think that what I think and feel about God could be as valid as what is written down in the Bible. How do I know I'm not deluding myself or being led astray? How do I know what I think I'm hearing from God isn't just coming from me telling myself what I want to hear? At one time I would've said, "That's easy. Just see if it aligns with scripture." It's not so easy now, and Paul doesn't make it any simpler. I don't know whether to thank him or scream at him.
Stacy - you say it so well! :)
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