Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Romans 2:17-24; Hard teachings

I wonder what this section would sound like to North American Christians today? Maybe it would like this.

"Now you, if you call yourself a Christian and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you grew up in Sunday school; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, a teacher of infants because you have in the Bible the embodiment of knowledge and truth -- you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you cheat on your taxes? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you lust after other people's spouses? You who abhor false religion, do you keep your own free from nationalism? You who brag about the Bible, do you actually try to live every aspect of your life by it? As it is written, "God's reputation is smeared among unbelievers because of you."

Rather than taking this as a rallying cry for preaching, I pray that I take it as a personal cry for repentance. May I live today so that God's reputation is honored among unbelievers because of me.

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