Today marks three more weeks until Good Friday, crucifixion day. It is Friday the 13th also, a superstition that comes from 13 (Judas Iscariot, the betraying disciple, being the thirteenth, whether one count Matthias as replacement 12 or Paul*) and Friday, the traditional day seen as the crucifixion (which puzzles us because of the "three days in the grave" requirement**).
I am stopping to explain what I am doing here before I move into Ephesians 2, which I noted this morning in my study is a "testimony" of individual Gentile believers in Ephesus as well as the corporate church community in that region of Turkey. I was privileged and blessed to visit it in late September/early October and it was one of three high points. No, I take that back; the whole trip was a high point that is almost impossible to process even now because so much happened.
I am writing these daily posts as part of my Lent. I did not "give something up" for Lent. I don't believe in that as a necessity although I am sure it is meaningful for some. I come from a deeply embedded legalism and I avoid anything that would make me trust in or impressed by or proud of myself, which is the essence of legalism, not the actual practice. I could even say I gave up chocolate and desserts, but I did that in January for health purposes, so it would be even more hypocritical and legalistic to say that is part of Lent. No, Lent is not about giving something up, but about looking forward to something important. Anyway, the practice started because in the late winter months, food supplies were short in the medieval world so fasting made economic and practical sense. Second anyway, if I was really trying to be impress myself with giving something up and "suffer" through it, I would give up coffee.
One year I gave up podcasts. That was a good idea for me, but it didn't give me any favor with God. No human activity gives us favor with God, which is one of the Christian doctrines that requires faith because we are so sure we have to do something for God's approval.
Nothing I do or could do or would do can make God love me more or less. That is part of the gospel. The other part is "Jesus in my place," both in His life, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension.
That is why I am writing this post today, to emphasize the gospel. If you come here, I hope and pray that you will understand God's perfect love in Christ and His ministry, and go to the Bible, starting with Romans 5:6-8:
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
and Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,
*Some evangelicals say that the choice of Matthias to replace Judas was a mistake; the text does not ever say that. The fact that Matthias is not mentioned again is meaningless; neither are most of the disciples, whom Jesus picked and had their own ministries across the known world.
**This is another point of debate. Parts of three days (Friday, Saturday/Sabbath, and Sunday are said to be enough for the three-day requirement. Others argue Christ was killed on Thursday, using verses about when the Passover was supposed to be, etc. Rather technical ones for most laypersons. We might find out in eternity and we might find out most of what we think about today matters little..
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