Thoughts for the Day

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Over the years I have worked with different Diocesan ministry courses, each linked to a university and aiming to train the laity and clergy in a wide range of subjects about Christianity. Marks are graded for work from 40-49% (a Pass), to 70% and over (a First). I would get students who were quite happy to achieve marks around 48%, meaning they had passed, while others were desperate to achieve a 75% mark which was perhaps one mark better than their last essay. Getting 100% though was totally beyond any of them.

For the Israelites at the time of Jesus it was the same - Abraham had made a covenant with God, and Moses had given them God's law, but they found it impossible to obey it. Even the Pharisees with their thousands of rules, who tried to achieve 100% obedience, failed. In his letter to the Galatians Paul argues that the Law was there to bring a person to God - to make them see that on their own they were helpless. However, when we come to Christ we are freed from the minutiae of the Law because of our faith in Him, and because of His grace - His love for us when we admit our failings.

From the moment of our Baptism, whether as a child or adult, we are one with Christ. Not just that, but whatever our circumstances Paul says we are one body, whether we are male or female, American or British, we are all equal in Christ Jesus. Similarly, whatever we call ourself - Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Methodist, United Reformed, Baptist, Evangelical or Charismatic - we are Sons and Daughters of God, through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You called us to You at our Baptism,
and we became Your disciple.
At first we heard Your call from afar,
and we did not heed Your words.
Now we draw near aware of Your love,
growing stronger in faith,
and longing to be forgiven.
You know our weaknesses
but we ask Your help to become
the child of God You would have us be.
Amen.