Romans 3:5-8 (The Message and TNIV)
"But if your wrongdoing only underlines and confirms God's rightdoing, shouldn't we be commended for helping out?" (v5 The Message)
As I read this morning, I am sitting in a McDonald's listening and watching an interaction between a father and son. The son may be about 6, and he is throwing a fit - crying and wailing "Mmmmooommmaaa!!!" The dad seems to ignore it for a while, but then takes action. The boy has been quiet every since they went outside and had a talk.
I thought it so God-like to have me reading today's passage with this boy's crying as my soundtrack. As I observed him this morning, I never made a judgement about him. I made a judgement about that dad. That little boy's wrongdoing was a reflection on the dad's action - or lack of action as I perceived it. Unfortunately, my judgement toward the dad was not accurate at first. After watching him do his thing, now my thoughts about him are different. The severity of the boys early response magnified the father's response. I don't know what he did outside, but I know what I saw and what I now see. Would the same apply to God? Does our wrongdoing magnify God's rightdoing? The more we sin, the more grace He gives, right? If we want to showcase His grace, wouldn't we let it all go and sin all the more?
Paul says, no. That is wrong-thinking. God's grace is greater seen in our obedience than in our disobedience. In chapter one (v17), we saw that the person in right standing with God (living in obedience to His word), is the person who truly lives. There were some Jews who had tried to use this argument, hoping they would receive leniency for their sins because they were the chosen of God. Can't you just hear the weasel in the argument? Reminds me of Eddie Haskell.
In what ways to you see that God's renown is shown greater in our obedience than through our disobedience? Could you ever see yourself using the argument that Paul addresses?
I think by being obedient we can and will serve as Godly examples drawing non-believers closer to Him. This will spread God's renown around to more peope and multiply many times over. However, if we try to glorify God through our disobience the opposite will happen. We will serve as poor examples undermining the whole thing. In reference to the argument Paul mentions I too agree that it's invalid. While God's grace is great one shouldn't take advantage of His love as a means to glorify Him.
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Agreed Wes. While our obedience doesn't always look "right" to those watching, I believe a life lived in this obedience eventually yields more positive fruit than a life lived in disobedience. For me the question often becomes, "How can I ensure that I am being obedient to God and not just conforming to a culture?" By this, I often see the christian culture not being obedient to the ways of Jesus in our world. We can justify gossip by calling it "prayer requests", we can justify slander by calling it "truth telling," and we can justify "sloth" by calling it "waiting on God." These are just a few. I want to follow a person and that person is more than a doctrine, a system of beliefs or a book.
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