May 12, 2007

So That...

Romans 15:1-13

"...so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God

and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." vs. 6

Yesterday we dealt with becoming secure in our own selves, today the passage speaks about the necessity of letting go of prejudices toward others. If we aren't careful and explicitly gospel oriented, Christianity can slip into a marketable psychological or sociological project. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, this temptation has loomed large before Christianity. In recent years, it isn't uncommon to go to the bookshelves of a Christian section of a bookstore and find numerous self-help books masked in Christian terms. Likewise, the political system of our country has attempted to adapt Christian language of reconcilliation and unity void its orientation to the God of the Christian story.

Please understand that I do believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is so incredibly substantive, holistic, and healing that as we surrender our lives to the will of the One in whom all things hold together, we can experience psychological healing and prejudices can be shattered so that we are able to live at peace with our neighbor. But this isn't some principal based project of self-determination. Christianity is premised on the concept of Gift. Any healing whether personal or social is based upon the gift of the One who has the power to change and transform our lives. Surrender is restorative as our lives are consumed by the power of God's Spirit.

But then we must push one step further. This restoration and healing doesn't make us the "end all be all." Instead, this passage helps us understand that we live in response to the gift of God's miraculous grace...so that...we might bring glory to Him. As we are dispossessed of ourselves and live in accordance to God's self-giving love, He is the one that receives the glory. As we let go of prejudices, (for Paul's audience Jews versus Gentiles) for us black and white--rich and poor--American and Arab--God is recognized as the One that brings unity amidst diversity. The point being, as we live oriented to the gospel, as we live in complete submission to the Spirit of God that brings "endurance...encouragement...and unity," as we let go of ourselves so that we might hold on to one another, we fulfill God's purpose for mankind. We recover right representation of God and as we represent God rightly...the whole of creation proclaims the praise and honor of the One that makes all this possible.