My Favorite Verses - Vol IV (Nov 16 to Feb 17)

Romans 14:23 … To proceed from Faith
(02/07/2017)
“Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”
~ Paul (Romans 14:23)
Here, as is so often the case, Paul’s words are as Right as his personal
interpretation of them is not. For Paul did not see faith like Jesus saw Faith – he
did not see it as a deed, but rather as a mere belief in the divinity of Jesus; he did
not see it as an act of selfless courage, but rather as a mere verbal profession of
allegiance to Jesus Christ himself … In truth, Paul saw every deed not backed in
subservient allegiance to Jesus Christ as a sinful deed, and this, even though Jesus
himself wanted no part of either such judgment (see Matthew 7:1-2, John 8:7,
Matthew 23:12 et al) or such worship (see Mark 10:18, John 5:41, John 7:16, John
8:50-54, John 12:44 et al) …
In addition, Paul saw sin as a damning offense for the Hereafter, whereas
Jesus saw sin as something to be transcended (and thereby fully Forgiven) in every
Here&Now (see Luke 6:36 & Matthew 8:21-22 & Matthew 9:6 et al) …
For Paul, whatever
did not proceed from a
belief in Jesus Christ as
the only Son of God was
sinful and to be punished
for eternity -- whereas for
Jesus, whatever did not
proceed from an active
Faith in selfless Love was
a sinful deed that was
constantly & repeatedly
forgiven by the heavenly
Father within; a deed that
would indeed reap
consequences
proportionate to its
intensity of selfishness,
and yet a deed that could
be fully transcended by
any subsequent moment
of selfless Caring.
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