I think one of the things that makes it hard to be a professing Christian is that we hear so often of people who claimed to be Christians who do things that really bring dishonor to Christ. We hear about it in the news, and we see it in the people around us. There is a misunderstanding among Christians and non-Christians alike that being a follower of Jesus is about saying I'm a Christian and going through religious motions (like going to Church, and being *good*). In the gospels when Jesus confronts the religious leaders of his time it is always to expose this fallacy. Justification before God comes from the heart, not from religious observances, and is reflected in our relations with others.
The Apostle Paul found this same attitude among Jewish Christians in the Church at Rome he wrote to in his letter to the Romans. Jewish Christians were convinced that because of their strict religious observances they had an automatic "in" with God. But in this weeks reading Paul has different ideas. Join us this Sunday as we explore the place of religious observances in our walk with Jesus.
We will be meeting at Mission Bay Park this Sunday at 11:00 AM. We will have a devotional liturgy and a group discussion about this week's reading in Romans 2:16-29. After that there will be a delicious barbecue and games and fellowship. Bring a chair and outdoor attire and bring your Bible if you remember. Please email me for directions.
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