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Showing posts from September, 2014

Why?

I am not going to relate this blog to a specific scripture, but instead will worry a bit with the idea of living in the gray areas of our faith. The study group in which I participate had a lively discussion about why Jesus seems so often to answer the questions he is asked with another question or with a parable. Doesn't this just cause problems, some asked. Doesn't it add a great potential for misdirection, asked another. And then the opposing view - that this approach just adds to the beautiful mystery and spirituality of our faith. I fall somewhere between the two extremes of responses. I truly believe that Jesus answered us in parables not to be confusing but to enable and encourage us to use our brains in our faith lives. Rather than just giving cut and dried answers, God expects us to grow through mature reflection, study and wrestling with faith questions. For me the givens are God's grace and love for all. Beyond that, I take comfort that my faith can change

Change Agent

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Romans 12:1-8 Why was Paul writing to the Romans? The Pauline letters make up a large portion of the New Testament. They are letters that Paul wrote to the various communities he had visited offering advice, correction and greetings to the churches he had formed in those locations. This letter to the Romans is thought to have been written from Corinth when he thought he was going to visit Rome and use it as a new base for expanding his ministry into Spain. Paul was offering advice regarding how a Christian should live. To Paul, a new time had come after Jesus’ resurrection. In this messianic time, The Kingdom of God was begun among us, being worked out by us and was to come. That this had started therefore called upon us to respond by leading changed lives. The old righteousness and wisdom should be completely thrown out – replaced with that of God, the wisdom and righteousness that are given to us not earned. The old ways are the ones where we trust what we have been tau