I’m on a quest to read through the New Testament in a year. Today I read Romans chapter two.
At the same time at our church we are studying with The Man in the Mirror studies which promotes the concept that Christianity is not a set of rules set up for behavior modification but it is rather a relationship with Jesus where he transforms us from the inside out through his grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to change us.
Chapter 2 talks about behavior. It has confused me.
“He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.”
Rom.2:6-8 NLT
This sounds like it is all up to us. That we earn what we get.
But later in the same chapter as Paul speaks to his fellow Jewish believers we read this:
“ No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.”
Rom 2:29 NLT
Later on in chapter 3 Paul will show us that we all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God both Jews and non-Jews (gentiles).
“But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”
Rom 3:21-28 NLT
We enter into a relationship, into a family, it’s like we are born anew or born again into a relationship with Jesus when we believe in his death and resurrection washing us clean of all of our sins and mistakes.
Christianity is not a mold we form ourselves into my lobbing off the behaviors that don’t fit the mold. It is being born into a new family where we are guided by the very spirit of the God we have fallen down to worship and adore. We now grow into the new thing God is creating in us.
We grow into a new person like when a baby is born. We aren’t forcing a new life over an old life. We are starting a fresh new life.
I was hoping for a clever finish but this the best I can come up with. I hope this makes sense. If you are a man looking for a place to learn more about Jesus and how best to follow him, Desert Men – Kingdom Builders meet every Thursday, 7 pm, at Desert Church in Ephrata. Come and join us.
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