Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), “Let us do evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is deserved!”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, May 9, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
It seems that people were trash talking Paul and the early Christians. If you’ve ever engaged in any kind of religious or theological debate with people, you know how ugly it can get. Theology is murky—there are no replicable double-blind studies with hard data that can be graphed and presented as fact. (And let’s face it, these days there is a frightening movement to completely disregard even that kind of proof.) There have been many times I’ve sat around with friends and talked about just this concept of Paul’s—that we are justified by grace—and how easily it can be interpreted to mean that we are completely relieved of all responsibility for our negative behavior and can just do whatever we want. The idea of sanctification—becoming holy—is a hot-button issue with a lot of us who want to avoid the idea of “works righteousness.” Yet the possibly paradoxical fact is that this is a “both/and” situation: We are both justified by grace alone and we are called—exhorted, even—into a life of good works in the service of God and neighbor. For those who were arguing with Paul, and for many people today, it’s much more comfortable to stay in “either/or” thinking. Either we’re justified by grace or we have to do good things to earn it. Paul had no time for such thinking, hotly proclaiming that “their condemnation is deserved!” I won’t go that far. All I’ll say is that when you’re talking about theology, an open mind and an openness to paradox are essential.
Am I comfortable with both/and thinking, or do I find myself preferring either/or thinking?
