The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
Pastor Joe emphasized the statement of Jesus, “if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,” when he preached to us about reformation on Reformation Sunday. That was spot on. We must anchor our lives and obedience in what is the truth as it comes from the mouth of the second person of the Trinity. “By what standard” is always a valid question when we start thinking or talking about faithfulness and ethical standards.
But the answer of the Jews to the statement of Jesus is also worth noting (John 8:33). They note that “We are the offspring of Abraham…” Not only does this tell us that they weren’t listening to Jesus, it also tells us that generation of Jews, at least historically speaking, did not learn anything from the exile into Babylon. They are still resting and trusting in their Jewish bloodline, rather than trusting in Yahweh by faith. They are still looking to their covenantal status rather than looking to Yahweh and trusting him. In fact, and in spite of their covenantal status, Yahweh threw them out of the land because of their unfaithfulness, their idolatry, their sins, and their rebellion to his Word.
Yes, it’s good to have a covenantal legacy; it’s good to come from a long line of Christian believers. But as the body is composed of individuals, so we as those individuals must wholeheartedly believe and act in accordance with faith in Christ in our own lives and generation. “We” must run the race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1) and not rest on the status or legacy from which we originate. John the Baptizer said that God could make “children of Abraham” out of the stones if he wanted to (Matt. 3:9). Undoubtedly, he can make Christians as well. But what matters is the good fruit that comes from abiding in Christ himself, and his word.