How am I suppose to justify the belief in justice, truth and mercy, with the idea that I too am the culprit of so much injustice, so many lies and so much reckless harm. Romans 1 says...
"Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."
To be honest, those verses really upset me. They make my stomach turn. They make me feel anger and bitterness against those who turn from the truth and follow the ways of wickedness in the world. I jump upon the pedestal of self righteousness and pretend that I am perfect, unphased by the temptation to live an easy life, a life filled with pleasure and virtue. I stand on the very same stage as those I harbor ill feelings towards. Then I read on...
" You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil..."
It is the beautiful thing about Scripture. It humbles you, teaches you, instructs you. Above all else, in fact, it commands you to love. Love. Love. Love. There is no argument, there is no explanation, there is no reason other than love. When we fail to love, we fail to live.
I can stand on my pedestal of self absorbtion, or I can step down in humility and look up to the one who showed us the way. He reaches out. He invites. He calls. He accepts. He loves. There is no other way.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing this Bret. I hear ya.
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