God does not show favoritism.
God's righteousness is above & beyond the law of the prophets.
Everyone has the same common experience of sin & redemption in Jesus.
What does this imply about salvation in general?
All of humanity is invited to be part of the glory of God. Paul argues that they were not required to become Jews in order to take part. How then can we require that they become Christians? Is it possible to follow God & take part in God's kingdom without having to officially affiliate with a particular religion or group of people?
The law was intended to show the need for faith & for people to be connected to God. Not to make us feel better about ourselves (because we follow it). How far does God's glory extend? Beyond the church? Beyond the Bible? Beyond Christianity?
God's promise is for all people. All who have faith like Abraham are included, regardless of their background or status.
Sin is not the point. New life is. We not created to be vessels of sin. We were created for righteousness, to be part of God's agenda in the world. The good news of Jesus is that the invitation is extended to all, not just a subset of humanity.
The goal is to integrate the normalcy of our life with the hopes & dreams of God.
Posted by rachel at October 30, 2005 06:30 PM