CALLED TO PERFECTION (32 OF 52)
Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48
This content is part of a series.
Called to Perfection (32 of 52)
Series: Discipleship Part Three
Christopher B. Harbin
Matthew 5:38-48
All too often, we associate the living of the gospel with ''The Good Life,'' as defined by the larger society around us. We equate the gospel with ''The American Dream,'' being successful, or simply living comfortably in some idyllic setting. In part, we get that from our popular notions of heaven as a place of wealth, tranquility, and peaceful rest. When we actually read the Gospels, however, these associations we make simply find no toeholds. Why is it so hard for us to grasp the notion that God's grace and love call us to holy living, what Jesus terms as ''perfection''?
We have dealt with the fact that legalism does not reach far enough in transforming our lives into holy examples of the love and grace of Christ Jesus. It is easy to see that Jesus calls for a much higher standard of holy living than religious institutions generally portray or even promote. At times, religious people seem to be living completely at odds with God's purposes as Jesus described them. It is too easy to limit the Christian life to a hope of eternity or being upstanding citizens in the eyes of the law or the leaders of society, especially those who attempt to speak publicly for God.
Social norms too easily interfere in our reading of the Scriptures, silencing what Jesus actually had to say. As we are bombarded more often with the views of our political and social leaders than with the words of Jesus, we fail to see the disconnect between following the law or the social norms around us and following God. When the two enter into conflict, we are all too likely to skip over what Jesus actually had to say.
When Moses set down a legal code with the phrase ''An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,'' he was following Hamurapi with a shared purpose of limiting revenge. The Mosaic code understood inherently that revenge was not the same as justice. It saw the need to place s ...
Series: Discipleship Part Three
Christopher B. Harbin
Matthew 5:38-48
All too often, we associate the living of the gospel with ''The Good Life,'' as defined by the larger society around us. We equate the gospel with ''The American Dream,'' being successful, or simply living comfortably in some idyllic setting. In part, we get that from our popular notions of heaven as a place of wealth, tranquility, and peaceful rest. When we actually read the Gospels, however, these associations we make simply find no toeholds. Why is it so hard for us to grasp the notion that God's grace and love call us to holy living, what Jesus terms as ''perfection''?
We have dealt with the fact that legalism does not reach far enough in transforming our lives into holy examples of the love and grace of Christ Jesus. It is easy to see that Jesus calls for a much higher standard of holy living than religious institutions generally portray or even promote. At times, religious people seem to be living completely at odds with God's purposes as Jesus described them. It is too easy to limit the Christian life to a hope of eternity or being upstanding citizens in the eyes of the law or the leaders of society, especially those who attempt to speak publicly for God.
Social norms too easily interfere in our reading of the Scriptures, silencing what Jesus actually had to say. As we are bombarded more often with the views of our political and social leaders than with the words of Jesus, we fail to see the disconnect between following the law or the social norms around us and following God. When the two enter into conflict, we are all too likely to skip over what Jesus actually had to say.
When Moses set down a legal code with the phrase ''An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,'' he was following Hamurapi with a shared purpose of limiting revenge. The Mosaic code understood inherently that revenge was not the same as justice. It saw the need to place s ...
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