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Perception
is very interesting because of its subjectivity. One of the things that I
learned while in scuba class is that objects appear to be closer and
larger than they actually are. The shark that I saw last November looked
like it was eight feet long, but the reality is that it was between five
and six feet (at least that’s what I think). Fear and the desire to tell
interesting fish stories may be what make the shark larger than life.
In Acts 17, Paul said, "I perceive that
you are a religious people." Paul said this when he witnessed the
statues in Athens of the various cultural deities. Paul pointed to the
platform without an idol and proclaimed Jesus to be the only God, the One
that they did not know. Paul pointed out that the people were religious.
He explained that their perception was skewed and pointed them to the
truth of God’s love through Jesus.
Jesus spoke of the perception of people being
off on a number of occasions. Whether it was the Pharisees, the rich young
ruler, or even the common folk, Jesus corrected their vision. The common
people thought they had no means by which they could ever be perceived as
great servants of God. However, Jesus spoke of the woman that gave her
last pennies that she did a greater service to God than those that gave
out of their wealth. The affluent (religious leaders and the rich)
perceived that they were the cream of the crop. Jesus said they were
either whitewashed sepulchers or that they did not understand the cost of
being a true disciple.
Because America was founded on principles
perceived to be Christian, we assume (in large part) that America is a
Christian nation. We have some of the greatest educational facilities in
the world. We have among the biggest and wealthiest churches in the world.
We send more missionaries (historically) than anyone in the world.
Unfortunately, the thought that we are a Christian nation is a
misperception.
We are, in many ways, a religious nation. Many
"gods" are served – from the vantage of the variety of
religions that prosper to the civil religion that has become the norm. We
serve the "higher power" and the "god of our
understanding". Little do we consider that our perception may be
skewed because we need to be right and we need to allow others their
perception of reality. This way everyone can be right and no one wrong.
Let’s look at the text and the issues that
Paul was dealing with in the Roman church. The perception of the Jewish
Christians in Rome was that they were better off than the Gentiles were
– this was a problem in most of the churches at that time. Their
perception (which was correct) was that they were the first adopted as
sons. The Israelites received the divine glory, the covenants, and the
law. They worshipped in God’s temple and received the promises (and the
Promise). They had the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and from
them is traced the human ancestry of Jesus (who is the God over all).
If their perception was right about these
things, what went wrong? Did God’s word fail? The problem wasn’t God’s
word, or God. The problem was in the people. There was a perception that
lineage was everything. Paul, however, was clear that it isn’t ancestry;
rather, the issue is faith in the promise. Those that are the children of
God are those born according to the promise of God to Abraham and Sarah.
It was not Ishmael (Abraham’s first son) that was the heir to the
promise. Isaac (the son of Abraham and Sarah) was the promise. More than
that, we understand that God had a plan when He made the promise. Isaac
was the father of Esau and Jacob. However, God’s purpose in election was
that Esau (the elder) would serve Jacob (the younger).
This is interesting because Paul further wrote
that it was not on the basis of works that God chose the means of His
plans to be fulfilled. If it was on the basis of works Esau had the right
as the first born. If it was on the basis of works we know that Jacob was
a deceiver (at least) and a liar and cheat (at the most). This is not to
say that Esau was a wonderful man (he had his issues as well); rather, it
is just to say that God had a plan and it was to work out His salvation
for humanity through the line of Jacob.
We read the words, "Jacob I loved, but
Esau I hated." This is not to indicate hate in the terms that we
would understand hatred. This is a way of expressing the choice that we
are all called to make as expressed by Jesus in the gospels. Jesus said,
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his
wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life –
he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26). What we note here is not
hatred for those God has brought into our lives; rather, that we are
called to prioritize, to perceive properly the true order of things.
This doesn’t always seem fair and Paul
recognizes this concern in the next statement. "What shall we say
then? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have
mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have
compassion.’" This doesn’t make us feel any better. We
remember the context from which Paul quotes and it is regarding God’s
working to deliver Israel from their slavery in Egypt under the heavy hand
of Pharaoh. We read in the Exodus account that Pharaoh hardened his heart
numerous times and then God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. The purpose of God
in all of this was to show the world that there is only one true God and
that He is not limited by national boundaries.
Further, we remember the births of Hosea’s
children (cf. Romans 9:25-26). They were initially given names that
reflected God’s judgment on His people. Later, God displayed His grace
and mercy when he renamed them. "I will call them ‘my people’
who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not
my loved one’… It will happen that in the very place where it was said
to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the
living God’" (Hosea 2:23; 1:10; Romans 9:25-26).
God’s purpose in human history is to bring
the knowledge of His love, grace, and mercy into our lives. This is done
through the revelation of Jesus, God’s one and only Son – more, the
one true God. The question we must ask ourselves is this: Can I trust God
to do what is right? For many, this is a very difficult question,
especially in light of all that we see happening around us. However, God
allows evil to exist so that we can see our need for His love. God allows
us the freedom to choose to follow His will or the evil that will keep us
from knowing His love.
What is our perception regarding the
revelation of God through Jesus Christ? What is our perception regarding
ourselves in relation to the God of all creation? Like many, we are a
religious people. Like many, we wish to see ourselves as people of faith.
However, God wants us to move a little further along. The perception of
being a person of faith can be misleading. It’s like being underwater
everything seems to be a bit closer and a bit larger.
For faith to be true, it must be coupled by
activity. This activity is called faithfulness. Faithfulness is evidenced
in the manner in which we choose to keep God first in our lives.
Faithfulness is witnessed in the manner in which we treat one another.
Faithfulness is clearly seen when we willingly give of ourselves for the
work and ministry of God through His church. This will be seen even more
when we move into the next chapter of Romans.
Having a heart for God’s own is about
perceiving clearly the love of God for us individually and corporately. It
is also clearly perceiving our part in the unfolding purpose of God’s
election, His plan for the salvation of humanity.
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