Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Two Sides of a Coin

A coin only has value when it is intact. A coin cut in half doesn't have half the value, it has no value for its intended purpose. So it seems with Faith and Obedience. 

Jesus said: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? LUKE 6:46

Faith calls us into a different way of being. 

Jesus went on to say: "As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”  LUKE 6:47-49

Of course faith gives peace and the confident hope in eternity, knowing that our sins have been paid for. Faith also calls us to obedience, not to earn salvation, rather in joyful response to it. Paul talks about it as "the obedience of faith." They are intricately connected. 

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, ROMANS 1:1-6 

Through Jesus we received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith. When asked “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  

Love God AND Love your neighbor as yourself


When we love another, we desire the best for them. I think of parents raising a child, providing all that is needed for the child to thrive, provisions of food, clothing, shelter, nurture through interaction, education and accountability. All of this comes in the context of relationship.  

It is impossible to love another if we are not in relationship with them, and so BEING the neighbor is at the heart of obedience. 

In what way is the Lord challenging you to BE a neighbor today? 

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