Forever
Author: newlifenarrabri
Quote for the Day
Pastors need to be ethnographers of the everyday, helping parishioners see their own environment as one that is formative, and all too often deformative. James Smith
Kindness
Read The Bible
Which way?
Today’s Bike Ride
Perfect weather for riding this morning. I rode along Culgoora Road. #cycling #Narrabri #Biketooter
Quote for the Day
The point of apocalyptic literature is not prediction but unmasking—unveiling the realities around us for what they really are. While the Roman Empire pretends to be a gift to civilisation and the zenith of human accomplishment, John’s apocalyptic perspective from a heavenly angle shows us the reality: Rome is a monster. James Smith
Create a pure heart in me…
Only One Way
Pope Francis has lately made the statement that there are many ways to relate to God. He told a group of youth that their religious diversity is a “gift from God.”
There are many religious leaders who try to sell this idea. It is nice to be tolerant and welcoming of all people, but the Pope’s first duty is to promulgate christian doctrine as understood within the Catholic communion. Christian doctrine says there is only one way to God the Father and that is through the person of Jesus Christ.
In John 14:6, we have the words of Jesus: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
It is possible that you could believe other religions or philosophies to be true and hold them together, but you cannot do that with christianity. Either Jesus is the only way to the Father or He is mistaken at this point. If He is mistaken on this, then He can be mistaken on other things as well.
You cannot be a christian and believe that there are many ways to the Father. Jesus holds an exclusive claim at this point.
If you have never asked Jesus to take control of your life, than you should do that now. Tell Him you awe sorry for your sins and ask Him to forgive you and to show you how to live for Him.
Reflection on Matthew 5:13-20
Scripture
“But I warn you – unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and of the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Observation
We, the followers of Jesus are the salt of the Earth. The salt must keep its flavour, otherwise it becomes useless. We are the light of the world. A city on a hilltop cannot be hidden. In the same way, we are to let our good deeds shine out to the praise of God.
Jesus did not come to abolish the religious law but to fulfil it. Not even the least commandment will pass away until God’s purposes have been completed.
Our righteousness must be better than the righteousness of the Pharisees if we want to enter the kingdom of God.
Application
This righteousness of the teachers of religious law and of the Pharisees was a works based righteousness. They strove to be good, according to their interpretation of God’s law.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus describes a better righteousness. His followers will not achieve self-righteousness by being good. No, God will change their hearts so that good deeds flow from a transformed life.
When God heals our souls and fills us with His love, we find that we want to be kind to others. God’s righteousness does not just cover over a corrupt heart, it gives us a new and clean heart.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for the righteousness that comes from you as a gift. Amen.
