14 Oct 2014 - not all washed up

Jesus sets us free so that we can be free. It sounds obvious. But we are more inclined to wear our freedom as a badge. We are more concerned with outward signs and symbols. What does that reveal about us? When we are concerned to appear a certain way before others it reveals insecurity within. We have something to prove. We are trying to add value to the intrinsic worth we have from God. When we start down this path we will never achieve it to our satisfaction.

Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised
that he is bound to observe the entire law.
You are separated from Christ,
you who are trying to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace.

This is why Jesus himself is so insistent on integrity and so opposed to hypocrisy.

Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

He wants everything to be clean for us, inside and out. He sets us free so that we can stand in freedom. If our inside is not clean we will always obsess over the externals, whether circumcision, ritual washing or their modern equivalents which let us be seen as religious people in the eyes of others. Maybe if we can convince them we can convince ourselves? It isn't going to work. He is the one that makes us free. It only happens with his grace.

But when the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior (cf. Tit. 3:4-6)

So if that is true, what is this business about giving alms? Are we falling back into earning something? Are we trying to prove ourselves again? No, we are now called to be who we are. We are made free by Jesus.  He now calls us to stand in this freedom. We are a new creation. Now we need to act like it. And even this is only possible through grace. We have to rely on him or we will keep falling back into proving ourselves. We won't be satisfied with who we are and we won't have peace. Giving alms is hard enough. But we are called to do it without reference to the superficial reward to our self-image. This is humanly impossible. But this morning we are given the grace to stand in freedom.

His law is a beautiful thing when we he is the one which empowers us to keep it. With his word of truth his ordinances are changed from condemnation to hope.

Let your mercy come to me, O LORD,
your salvation according to your promise.
Take not the word of truth from my mouth,
for in your ordinances is my hope.
And I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever.