Bad Reputation

⁸ Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,^[a] liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound^[b] doctrine, ¹¹ in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. 1 Timothy 1:8-11

Too often rules and laws have a negative connotation – they get a bad rep. So when we think of the Law of Moses we want to think bad things about the Law as well. We need to better understand the purpose for the Law. God’s intention for the law is not so we can find loopholes to God’s will. If we look through Scripture and say, “The Bible doesn’t say anything about porn, or abortion; and everyone in Scripture drinks wine, ” and then we use those observations to watch porn, engage in risky sex, and get drunk then we are using the Law unlawfully. This is not the Law’s purpose. The purpose of the Law is to say if you will avoid these things, as best you can and spend time serving others, and stop focusing so much on yourselves then we create space in our lives for growing closer to God. the argument for the Law no longer being necessary through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives inside each of the Children of God. The spirit convicts and conforms our souls the way the Law convicted our minds of our actions. The goal has always been to grow closer to God. However, those who don’t just slip up, but actually practice profanity, sexual immorality, and homosexuality – who participate in the sex slave trade, liars and all other things contrary to the love of God are in fact running away the one who can grant true joy, real and lasting pleasure, and an inner peace worth having.

In His Peace,
Richard

What do you hear?

     “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus  by command of our savior, and of Christ Jesus our hope. To Timothy, my true child in the faith: grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless geneaologies which promote speculations rather than stewardship from God that is by faith.” 1Timothy 1:1-4

Hello. I’m Richard. For the purpose of this blog I am DoodleDaddy. I figure it’s been a while since my first post so a little reintroduction isn’t a bad thing. I am a husband and father of one who likes to draw to blow off steam. I am also a licensed local pastor in the United Methodist Church trying to work my way through the ordination process.

To you the reader, thank you for taking the time to read this blog. My sincere hope is you will find encouragement, be challenged or convicted, and maybe find some humor in my doodles. I have been working through 1John for these devotions, but now I’ve completed 1John so I’m moving on to 1Timothy.

One of the reasons I think so many people dislike lawyers is the very nature of a lawyer’s job is to find loopholes in humanity’s laws to protect their clients, and most lawyers are good at it. For the rest of us whose eyes glaze over at all of the complicated language it can feel like lawyers are taking advantage of us. It’s not that we do not like the idea of loopholes. We just don’t like being on the wrong end of the business. People do the same thing with the Bible. People love to study the Bible when they have a need. Either want to prove someone wrong, or they want to feel better about themselves because they know more than the folks in their Bible study. Or maybe people want to get out of something themselves – perhaps the prohibitions against becoming drunk? Evidently the people Timothy was serving in Ephesus were trying to get out of something, otherwise they would not have been hedging their bets. The people of Ephesus studied Scripture, but did so with an eye toward ancient myths and genealogies. Paul wanted Timothy to remind people they cannot be saved by myths. God doesn’t so much care who your great grand daddy was. Salvation does not come from how well our parents lived their lives with Christ. God wants our hearts. God wants us to have a strong relationship with God.

From time to time we are all tempted to shift our focus away from God. From time to time the stress of bills, the want for nice things, struggles in a marriage or at work, all tempt us to shift our gaze away from God. The devil is tricky that way. However, the Bible, and the love of God are the keys to the Kingdom. God loves us. God wants to be close to us, and for us to be close to God. To help us figure out what that relationship is supposed to look like God gave us a love story – the Bible. So perhaps the next time you open up your Bible stop to consider this. What is God trying to say to you? Not what can I find in Scripture to get me out of trouble, but what does God want me to read at this time?

In His Peace,
Richard

Make the Right Choice

¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God^[a] will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. ¹⁷ All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

¹⁸ We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. 1 John 5:16-18

I confess. This passage has me a little confused. Is it okay to admit I’m a little confused about this passage. I’ve always heard all sin is equal in the eyes of God, because sin by definition, puts distance between us and God. So what does John mean there is sin which does not lead to death, and sin which does lead to death…?

Here’s my guess. All wrong doing is sin and does put distance between us and God. This includes everything from drinking to get drunk, to gossiping about neighbors, to swiping grapes at the grocery store. However, through God’s grace we can even be forgiven for killing someone. The sin which leads to death is the sin which removes us from the eternal life mentioned in 1 John 5:13. This sin is to renounce God as our Father, jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit as our means of becoming more like Christ. Imagine being a half grown grape jumping off of the vine. The reason renouncing God leads to death is because we are cutting ourselves off from the life giving grace of God. Then we become little more than a withered raisin pruning up in the dirt. Pruning is not the result of God’s punishment. Withering and dying are the direct result of removing ourselves from the love of God. I saw a church sign once that read, “Feeling Far From God? Who Moved?” Are you feeling far from God today? Guess what. God hasn’t moved.

Those who choose to feast on the vine of God’s love and grace find the nutrition, love, grace and providence necessary to more fully rely on God. Those who rely more fully on God stop sinning because they learn more and more to rely on God. God supports those who choose life more and more.

(Sorry for the long post)

In His Peace,
Richard