6/22/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.
What kind of a God is this Christian God? Our Old Testament reading from Micah 7 reflects on the fact that God tramples sins under foot, that he casts them into the sea. This looks on the surface as if it could be very bad news for us. Normally our actions of trampling something and throwing it away is not completely precise. For instance, when we find a part of the insect kingdom invading our home, one of the venomous insects or one that can tend to carry illnesses, we don’t simply remove the venom or clean up the infectious properties. We smash the critter and get rid of it. The whole thing.
What does God do with our sin? Is he going to trample us along with our sin? Is that our destiny? As I said, it looks like it could be bad news.
The good news is that God is able to distinguish between the sin which corrupts and kills us and the fact that we remain bearers of God’s image. He removes that sin from us, replacing it with his own righteousness. In this way he shows faithfulness and love. He pardons our iniquity. He passes over our transgression. He delights in love and compassion toward us.
Do we fear the outcome of a sinful life? We should. But when we are struck by that fear, we look to God the savior, the one who forgives our sins and purifies us in his love.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.
What kind of a God is this Christian God? Our Old Testament reading from Micah 7 reflects on the fact that God tramples sins under foot, that he casts them into the sea. This looks on the surface as if it could be very bad news for us. Normally our actions of trampling something and throwing it away is not completely precise. For instance, when we find a part of the insect kingdom invading our home, one of the venomous insects or one that can tend to carry illnesses, we don’t simply remove the venom or clean up the infectious properties. We smash the critter and get rid of it. The whole thing.
What does God do with our sin? Is he going to trample us along with our sin? Is that our destiny? As I said, it looks like it could be bad news.
The good news is that God is able to distinguish between the sin which corrupts and kills us and the fact that we remain bearers of God’s image. He removes that sin from us, replacing it with his own righteousness. In this way he shows faithfulness and love. He pardons our iniquity. He passes over our transgression. He delights in love and compassion toward us.
Do we fear the outcome of a sinful life? We should. But when we are struck by that fear, we look to God the savior, the one who forgives our sins and purifies us in his love.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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