If you are thinking about that question of doing good works,
perhaps you should reflect on Sodom and Gomorrah. There are all sorts of strange
reinterpretations about “the sin of Sodom.”
Yet Scripture is pretty clear.
From Isaiah 1:
“Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord.
“Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord.
When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”
Ezek. 16:49
“This was the guilt of
your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and
prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.”
Jesus also talked about the fate of Sodom when he sent out
his disciples to preach the Gospel and share the good news of God’s kingdom,
the same kingdom described by Isaiah and Ezekiel and all the other prophets:
Luke 10.11,12
“As you enter the
house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but
if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not
welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you
leave that house or town. I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for
Sodom than for that town.”
Why are so many people caught up in the faith/works
argument? There is no acceptable excuse
for failing to live our lives as God wants us to live: praising God, loving one another and using
the gifts that we have received in ways that bring glory to God and proclaim
the coming of God’s kingdom. Faith in Jesus Christ means trusting his word that
God’s kingdom is at hand and living our lives in obedience to God’s will. We have been given God’s revelation in Jesus
SO THAT we will do God’s will, loving God and loving one another.
We need to honestly confront ourselves, one another and our
political leaders with these questions.
Pastor Jim
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