What Can't We Do?

“My grace is sufficient for you” was God's message to Paul when they were in a bitch fit conversation about a “thorn” in Paul's side. Paul had told his story a hundred times at this point, allowed himself to be beaten, thrown out of synagogues, defended not only his 'personal salvation' but his apostleship. So who left is there to fight? (Enter God.)

Paul was a man of status, even when he wrote Pharisitic life off for discipleship he is given “apostle” as title and we speak in church more about Pauline thought rather than the red letters of Jesus. The “gospel” of Paul is more attractive then the “love the other” nature of
Jesus Christ. Paul was sent to gentiles, and did so with an almost flawless point to his tongue that pierced the heart. He spoke of grace because of the cross, the blood of the sacrificial Paschal Lamb, and freedom that comes because of it.

Now fast forward 2000 years or so and we have debates and religious schools that teach doctrine and discipline, we even have 'great minds teaching about spiritual disciplines' rather than the whole community of faith deciding to function in spiritual disciplines! The joy of Paul's message, and the part that got so many people wanting to kill him, was that the Cross cannot be trumped. (This, of course, implied the Resurrection, and Ascension, and future hope see Rom. 8 and 1 Corinthians 15) So, in a society that pushed the law, what is permissible, can we learn to ask ourselves “what isn't allowed?” Can we climb into the new creation that we are and just soak in the freedom for a bit?

What would that look like? It would include some personal “no” statements for sure, but it would free us to paint, bleed, sing, shout, scream, cuss, and drink in Grace in a way would free others to ask again, “what is this kingdom about?”

Our lives are evangelism, not law.