July 17, 2009

Texts:
Leviticus 6 and 7
Romans 6

Leviticus:
The fire burning on the altar must be kept burning. at all times.
Think about the work involved there. Constant tending and maintenance. No vacation days. No nights off.
Is there any part of your faith practices that are like that? Are there any fires you keep burning all the time? How about your Year of the Bible readings? Are you taking your Bible on vacation with you?

Romans:
Remember, Paul is trying to help Jewish Christians, who have lived under the Law, to understand how Gentile Christians, who have never lived under the law, experience God's righteousness. He is trying to break through their understandings to have a radically new relationship with God.
Our salvation has occurred because we have faith in the righteousness of God. Note that for Paul, "salvation" doesn't only mean "I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior" as it does for many Christians today. Salvation is God's act for ALL of creation. And when Paul talks about having "faith", it doesn't mean prescribing to a set of beliefs or doctrine. Faith (the word in Greek is also the word "belief" or "trust") is being loyal to God. It means declaring that God is the one God and to that God we give our trust, our loyalty, our faith.
By being baptized into Christ's baptism, we are showing our loyalty and our intention to be God's own people for the world.
It isn't about salvation only at the end of time. It is salvation right here, right now. God's reign has begun (but is not complete) in the particular life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.