Smoke Screens, pt 1.

Listening to: Kye Kye


On his blog a past professor of mine is going through Romans, little by little. I have been daily following along for my bible reading as well. It's been awesome, with some weird sense of accountability not that he knows if I am reading it or even his blog or not, but Just that he posts every day, And so when I read it I like to have already read the passage and meditated on it myself to know what is going on and meditate more.

I digress.

Growing up a christian I have read the book of Romans, alot. It's A. In the new testament, so easier to read and B. picked apart like a thanksgiving turkey for "gem verses" and the roman's road. I read through the whole book first, and the beginning of chapter two really stuck out to me. Now, we are on the beginning of chapter two, and I realize sometimes, whoever decided to divide the bible into chapters was well meaning, but not always helpful. I read the "list" at the end of chapter one (that people, interestingly enough, like to pick out their anti-homosexuality verses from) and dwell on that list and use those verses as a "hey, these things are wrong" but never connect it with what Paul says next in our chapter two.

 

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. ² We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. ³ Do you suppose, O man — you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself — that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

I want to focus on the first two verses, for this post. We pull out verses from the end of chapter one and throw them in peoples faces, and yet we, in pointing fingers, are "pointing four back at ourselves" (thanks Castor) And as a christian, it is so easy to lean back and say "well I'ma just a sinner, saved by grace" and stand on our chapter one soapbox while ignoring chapter two! this chapter brought a swift kick to the soapbox for me!  I Love how the message puts it: "Judgmental criticism of others is a well- known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors" It is a smokescreen. we are hiding, oh from the beginning in the garden we are hiding. by constantly look outwards at others, we never look inwards at ourselves and worse off, we think God is following our finger and looking away as well.  But more on that when we look at verse four.

Look at the part I made bold in verse two. We know. If we know what Paul says we know, yet point the finger anyways, in essence it is a lack of trust that God will do what He says He will do and that He can handle it without us. that's my thought.  I often say thank you captain obvious! and when I read this I felt like that is what Paul was saying to me.

Rachel translation:

Thank you captain obvious, God see's there sin just as much as he sees yours now,  do you trust him to take vengeance? the problem is do you see your sin little one?"

My translation should not be reprinted with any authority, mind you.

The Challenge is to put your finger down, let the smoke clear, and let yourself stand revealed before Almighty God. Then you won't have anytime for finger pointing.

I'll get into my thoughts on verse four later.

 Oh, and If you want, start following along in Romans in your daily reading too. It's not trashy summer romance novel, but it will sure leave you more refreshed in the long run.