Saturday 08 December 2007

Background

Paul is reminding the young Church in Rome that being aChristian and following Christ is not about having the freedom todo what you want. It is not about saying we are one of Christ's andthen living a life that bears no resemblance to the message thatChrist brought and demonstrated throughout his life.

Other translations (such as the New Living Bible) begin thispassage with the words "Wake Up!" To 'wake' in this case is to takeaction. Paul has listed a series of evils - he is not so muchconcerned about actions as attitudes. Many Christians, then as now,recognise the wrong of acts of murder and stealing. After all, theearly Church had the Judaic Law and the Ten Commandments.

Paul makes a distinction between believing and the day ofsalvation. For Paul, in many of his writings, we have becomebelievers, but our day of salvation will be when Christ returns. Wemust be personally ready and the Church must be 'kingdom' ready.Paul writes in Corinthians at great length as to how the Church canbe ready and the need for the Church to be one body: for everyoneto be brought into the Church and no distinctions made.

This week we have been considering the second coming of Christ andfrom this passage we can take our message that we are to work forthe day of salvation both in our approach and attitude, but also weare to be a beacon to people. If the Church truly becomes ablueprint for the kingdom then we will have prepared the world forChrist to come back and take his place as the head of thatkingdom.

To Ponder

In our preparations for Christmas, how are wedoing at preparing ourselves for the second coming?

What preparation does our Church need?