Sunday, February 19, 2006
Freedom from what?
Postulate 5: Gentiles commonly speak of freedom from a bondage they never knew.
“No foreigner is to enter within the balustrade and embankment around the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his death which follows.” (Inscription between the Court of the Gentiles and the temple courts found in an archeological dig)
The sin of man had clung to the Law of God like a tick to a dog. “But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire.” (Romans 7:8) Many of today’s Christian theologians are Gentiles; therefore, I wonder if we truly understand what it means to be under the law. Paul was preaching to those under the law that Christ was their freedom. We as Gentiles commonly interpret this freedom to mean the regulations of the Old Testament are now pointless, void, or just good ideas. However, we speak as if we know what it feels like to be bound by the law. We do not!
Imagine if you can the sacrifice of an animal for your sins. You have grown up with your family going habitually to the temple. You have been told stories of how your father, grandfather, etc, had very little but still managed to bring a lamb or small bird to the temple. Now you have grown and have given birth to a baby boy. Eight days after his birth you become excited because now you get to travel to the temple (probably as a large family) and have your boy circumcised just as your father did with his son. You have picked out the best pair of doves or young pigeons for his ceremony. But wait; there is a man going around telling you that these rituals are no longer needed. The worst thing is he is a Jew like you. How dare he try to destroy the Law of Moses. Is he greater than Moses? You doubt not.
“When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, ‘Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled the holy place.’” (Acts 21:27-28 NIV)
“No foreigner is to enter within the balustrade and embankment around the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his death which follows.” (Inscription between the Court of the Gentiles and the temple courts found in an archeological dig)
The sin of man had clung to the Law of God like a tick to a dog. “But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire.” (Romans 7:8) Many of today’s Christian theologians are Gentiles; therefore, I wonder if we truly understand what it means to be under the law. Paul was preaching to those under the law that Christ was their freedom. We as Gentiles commonly interpret this freedom to mean the regulations of the Old Testament are now pointless, void, or just good ideas. However, we speak as if we know what it feels like to be bound by the law. We do not!
Imagine if you can the sacrifice of an animal for your sins. You have grown up with your family going habitually to the temple. You have been told stories of how your father, grandfather, etc, had very little but still managed to bring a lamb or small bird to the temple. Now you have grown and have given birth to a baby boy. Eight days after his birth you become excited because now you get to travel to the temple (probably as a large family) and have your boy circumcised just as your father did with his son. You have picked out the best pair of doves or young pigeons for his ceremony. But wait; there is a man going around telling you that these rituals are no longer needed. The worst thing is he is a Jew like you. How dare he try to destroy the Law of Moses. Is he greater than Moses? You doubt not.
“When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, ‘Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled the holy place.’” (Acts 21:27-28 NIV)
# posted by Wesley Son of Cornelius @ 11:43 PM 
