In the story 'Les Miserables' Jean Valjean experiences grace first hand. He deserved to be arrested and punished for his crime, instead he discovers forgiveness.
In the musical at this point Valjean sings a rousing number, tears up his yellow identity papers that mark him apart as an ex-convict, and sings 'Jean Valjean is nothing now. A new story must begin'.
Jesus and Paul, both used to take images from contemporary culture to help explain their message - and if Paul was wanting to share the good news with theatre goers in the West End of London - this extract from Les Mis is a great image of what Paul is talking about in Romans 6:1-14.
Jean Valjean never forgot the grace he experienced - this event turned his life around. The old Valjean is gone - as are his identity papers - and now a new story begins.
Paul has been explaining how peace, hope, new life, forgiveness...are all a free gift from God. There is nothing that we can do to earn them, and we will never be able to pay God back. It is grace - free gift - we don't deserve it, but we can receive it. But there was no doubt a concern by some that if this forgiveness and love are freely given, then what is to stop us doing what we like and presuming on the forgiveness of God over and over again?
But Paul's answer to that question is to point out that if we think like that we've surely missed the whole point. Because when a person becomes a Christian the old self is no more, and a new story has begun. A person who becomes a Christian has chosen to switch from one master to another. From sin to Jesus. And although there will continue to be a struggle to do the right thing a Christian is the person who is looking to live a life that is consistent with the person they have become.
And the reality is that we don't have to sin. We have a choice not to. Whatever the devil may say I don't have to listen to him. As Paul says in verse 14 'for sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace'.
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Wednesday 2 May 2012
It's all in the mind
Apparently, at least according to Descartes, 'I think, therefore I am'. But what do I think? And what does that say about me?
A couple of weeks ago we started looking at part of Paul's letter to the church in Rome. And one of the things that Paul is wanting to do in this letter is to give the Christians in Rome the framework that will allow them to think like Christians. Because the way that we think affects the way that we behave. So if we think like Christians then we'll act like Christians.
In Romans 5:1 (which is building on chapters 1-4) Paul is reminding these first century Chrisitans of something that happened in the past. He is reminding them that because Jesus died on the cross they have been justified*. So when God looks at them he doesn't see all the rubbish and the things they've done wrong. Instead, because of Jesus, it is just as if they'd never done anything wrong. So they no longer need to fear the punishment for the things they've done wrong. There is no longer anything to damage their relationship with God. They can experience 'peace with God' in the present, and they have an incredible hope for the future.
So when we're anxious or worried - what would Paul say to us?
Think back to the cross and the fact that this event in history means you can know peace with God.
[* Justified. In terms of our relationship with God, being justified means that when God looks at me he doesn't see my sin, instead, because of Jesus it is just as if I'd never sinned.]
A couple of weeks ago we started looking at part of Paul's letter to the church in Rome. And one of the things that Paul is wanting to do in this letter is to give the Christians in Rome the framework that will allow them to think like Christians. Because the way that we think affects the way that we behave. So if we think like Christians then we'll act like Christians.
In Romans 5:1 (which is building on chapters 1-4) Paul is reminding these first century Chrisitans of something that happened in the past. He is reminding them that because Jesus died on the cross they have been justified*. So when God looks at them he doesn't see all the rubbish and the things they've done wrong. Instead, because of Jesus, it is just as if they'd never done anything wrong. So they no longer need to fear the punishment for the things they've done wrong. There is no longer anything to damage their relationship with God. They can experience 'peace with God' in the present, and they have an incredible hope for the future.
So when we're anxious or worried - what would Paul say to us?
Think back to the cross and the fact that this event in history means you can know peace with God.
[* Justified. In terms of our relationship with God, being justified means that when God looks at me he doesn't see my sin, instead, because of Jesus it is just as if I'd never sinned.]
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