Lent Reflection #11

I'm a few days behind in the 'Read-the-Bible-in-a-Year' plan and my hope is to do some catching up after Easter. The Old Testament reading for today was Deuteronomy 10-14, which included some good stuff to chew on. It's tempting some days to move through the readings quickly, especially when the daily reading is 4 or 5 chapters. Making the attempt to post with some regularity is causing me to slow down a little bit and pay closer attention to what I'm reading, if only to find something that sparks a little inspiration for a post. 

To be clear, my appreciation for the Old Testament has grown tremendously over the last few years, due mainly to an intentional effort to teach studies focused on the Old Testament on my part. I have come to deeply appreciate the 'humanness' of the Old Testament, finding many helpful points of connection in the stories of some very flawed individuals.

However, since I have been formed and shaped as a Methodist, I automatically look for practical application when I read Scripture or engage in theological reflection. My (occasionally annoying) tendency is to instantly ask of what I read: "What am I supposed to do?" While this is not unique to the Methodism, this kind of emphasis on practical application is definitely a big part of the Wesleyan tradition. So when I read the question at the beginning of Deuteronomy 10:12, my ears perk up a little: "So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you?"

An artist's representation
of me trying to understand
the Old Testament.

I realize that including myself and my fellow Christians in the group being addressed is slightly problematic. But, for the purposes of my daily reading, I include myself (and my fellow Christians) in that group known as "Israel". At a deeper level, it helps me to remember that Israel is a compound word: 'Isra' coming from a verb meaning 'to struggle' and 'el' meaning 'God', which means that 'Israel' literally means 'struggles with God'. I'm definitely part of this group, these are my people - I struggle with God. And I'm in really good company when it comes to that particular struggle…

Anyway, back to what God requires of us. That's a difficult question. What does God require for the sake of our salvation? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. If anything is required of me as it pertains to my salvation, then Jesus' death on the cross was pointless. This is Paul's argument in Galatians 2:21 - "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing." This means that if I can achieve salvation through my obedience to law (what God requires, according to the Old Testament Law), then God's grace is ultimately unnecessary for my salvation. There's a lot more that can be said about this and other people have said it much better than I can, so I'll move on.

But there is more to life/faith/the world than justification - life continues beyond the moment of justification. In Wesleyan/Methodist terms, that continuing life is referred to as sanctifying grace. This is the grace of God at work in us through the Holy Spirit, perfecting us in love. And yes, participating in sanctifying grace requires something of us. There's stuff for us to do. But it's not perfect obedience to the Law (which is one of the things that is required in the response to the question of Deuteronomy 10:12). It's not even the oft-quoted list in Micah 6:8, which I love (do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God). It's not perfect church attendance or saying the right words when praying or going to the 'right' church or any other human attempt at earning God's grace. Most of what many of us Christians call "Biblical standards" or "traditional values" are just different manifestations of Pharisaical self-righteousness. They are convenient ways to tear other people down while trying to feel better about ourselves. They far too often are more about our judgmental, narrow, tribal assumptions masquerading as our "witness" or our "walk". By the way, Jesus sees right through our various masks. We ain't fooling God with our desperate play-acting.

To soften the harsh tone just a little bit: our hypocrisy is, at root, motivated primarily by fear. We are afraid of being rejected, abandoned, neglected, forgotten, judged and found wanting. We are afraid that others will see the real person - the broken, imperfect, incompetent, incapable real self - that most of us feel the need to project an image of strength and confidence, even superiority and self-righteousness to the world. If people knew the real me - what I think, things I've done or left undone, what I've said - then they would reject me, hate me. If God knew the things...so, yeah, God knows. And God still loves us. Amazing grace, indeed.

Ok, then, what can we do? I'll let John give us the answer: "Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action…and this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us."

Love God. Love your neighbor. Love the stranger. Love your enemies. Love one another.

I'm noticing a theme…