Be Careful Making Everything a Rule
Thursday, May 19th, 2022
Today, I’m going back to the first reading, which is from Acts 15:7-21.
I want to explore the verse where Peter responds to the request that circumcision is required for salvation. He says,
“On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.” ~Acts 15:11
To me, he’s making the point that just because they are from a different country, it doesn’t mean they’re different…that both are still saved through the grace of God.
Interestingly, later in his response, Peter set some “rules” for the gentiles to follow, which seem based on Jewish tradition. Seems like a way of saying they don’t have to do X but they do have to change Z.
I’m not assigning right or wrong here. I find it interesting.
And, that’s where I spend time thinking, reflecting, and praying about the contrast because it’s a fine line between following the message, hearing the description, and turning it into a prescription…in something that we have to check the box.
Like, if salvation was really about checking the boxes, then, technically, shouldn’t every Christian be eating kosher meat because that’s where it started? Shouldn’t we be eating exactly the same way as the original 12 were eating back in those days?
There’s an evolution in how we express our faith, how we follow the commandments, and how we apply them. This is where I go back to the words not being sufficient to express the full message of salvation.
It seems to me, living in full alignment with God and remaining in Him is more of a feeling, a sensation, and a spiritual conversation rather than an intellectual, emotional, or physical one where we have to come up with rules and regulations.
That’s why I pay attention and make sure I’m not trying to make all these things prescriptions, things that we are supposed to do, so that faith becomes an exercise of passing the exam.
I find that is trying to fit something huge into a tiny flask created with, possibly, arbitrary rules.
That’s how I heard it. Not saying I’m right or wrong. It’s just the way I think about it.
What came up for you?
In peace,
~Juan
