My hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A [person] who takes away another [person's] freedom is a prisoner of hatred ... is locked behind bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.
- Nelson Mandela, from his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Throwing out my favorite excuse
There's been this issue driving me crazy lately. I hear people say "this is my struggle, the thorn in my flesh, go read Romans 7" and then that person not being able to overcome an issue in their life is considered totally acceptable. Because we all fall short. And I know that is so true. If we get judged by our works, we're screwed. Each and every one of us.
But I'm an idealist. And I believe that God wants to forgive every single one of our sins. I believe he wants to heal every disease. I believe he wants every person to be fed. I believe he wants there to be absolute peace, interpersonally and intrapersonally.
So if God's grace is enough to cover all our sin, why isn't his grace enough to help us overcome our obstacles? I think it is.
I think the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. And I think that spirit, the Holy Spirit, is totally willing to enable us to live as Jesus did. In every way.
I don't think Jesus was a liar. I don't think he set unreasonable expectations. He said "You are forgiven. Now go, and sin no more." If he said it, I believe it. It's possible, it's attainable. Clearly, not by my strength or goodness. But that's not what's getting me into heaven. Why should I rely on my own self to live a good life?
I don't have this whole theology worked out. I'm just having a hard time justifying anything less than holiness lately.
As for Romans 7... in the beginning of the chapter, Paul says:
"By dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.."
We don't have to struggle to earn God's acceptance the way people used to.
I know how that chapter is used. But it's just one chapter. I think reading Romans 6 over and over would be a good idea.
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
But I'm an idealist. And I believe that God wants to forgive every single one of our sins. I believe he wants to heal every disease. I believe he wants every person to be fed. I believe he wants there to be absolute peace, interpersonally and intrapersonally.
So if God's grace is enough to cover all our sin, why isn't his grace enough to help us overcome our obstacles? I think it is.
I think the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. And I think that spirit, the Holy Spirit, is totally willing to enable us to live as Jesus did. In every way.
I don't think Jesus was a liar. I don't think he set unreasonable expectations. He said "You are forgiven. Now go, and sin no more." If he said it, I believe it. It's possible, it's attainable. Clearly, not by my strength or goodness. But that's not what's getting me into heaven. Why should I rely on my own self to live a good life?
I don't have this whole theology worked out. I'm just having a hard time justifying anything less than holiness lately.
As for Romans 7... in the beginning of the chapter, Paul says:
"By dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.."
We don't have to struggle to earn God's acceptance the way people used to.
I know how that chapter is used. But it's just one chapter. I think reading Romans 6 over and over would be a good idea.
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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