I never read the Bible before, so I started doing so a few weeks ago. A lot of people I know will say the "stuff" you read in the Old Testament "doesn't matter anymore." Even before I started reading the Bible, I never really understood that statement. Now, that I've been reading the Bible, I REALLY don't understand how anyone could say the Old Testament doesn't matter. The Old Testament is the original work of God; His original plan for us. His chosen people are the Israelites; have and always will be. The Old Testament is all about what the Israelis experienced first hand with God, and it was TERRIFYING. I couldn't even imagine having to live in today's society with the same God as the Old Testament. I firmly believe we wouldn't be here anymore if we still had "the original" God. But, even though He was terrifying, He wasn't impossible to obey. That's what kills me... He set up a very simple list of rules (The 10 Commandments) yet we humans couldn't follow them. So, eventually, He sent Jesus to patch things up and take away these stupid hardships humans apparently have with following ten simple rules. Its just sad how God saw how pathetic we were/are and had to revamp His entire plan so we wouldn't blow everything. Even though He's terrifying, He still loves us way way way too much. That makes me ashamed.
What also makes me ashamed is that His chosen people are and always will be the Israelites. These people have been through hell and back and know every bit of God inside and out. God loves them the most and they know that God would do and does do anything to save them. Yet, even THEY can't follow the rules. I'm not an Israelite. I'm a Gentile. I've been through NOTHING compared to the Israelites, yet I can still "get away" with sinning and asking for God's forgiveness? NO. I don't buy it! I don't know if its because I'm reading the Old Testament so Gentiles didn't exist then, or if this feeling is real, but I feel worthless... I feel like when judgement day comes, since I'm merely a Gentile and obviously a sinner, God is going to wash right over me. He won't even notice me. Why would He notice me? I give Him no reason to notice me...
But, I want Him to notice me. I want Him to stop for me. I want Him to know I would take a bullet to head for Him. I want Him to know I would do anything to stand next to Him.
I'm and should be ashamed. But, my shame makes me want Him even more.
I met with Michele and read this to her. She responded with Romans:
ReplyDeleteROMANS 9:30
...The Gentiles have been made right with God by faith, even though they were not seeking him. But the Jews, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law and being good instead of by spending on faith."
ROMANS 10:12
Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They all have the same Lord...
ROMANS 11:6
And if they are saved by God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's wonderful kindness would not be what it really is--free and undeserved.
ROMANS 11:20
...those branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn't believe God, and you are there because you do believe.
ROMANS 11:25
...Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved.
ROMANS 11:32
For God has imprisoned all people int heir won disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
ROMANS 11:36
For everything comes from him; everything exists by his power and is intended for his gory. To him to glory evermore. Amen.
I STAND CORRECTED. GOD IS GOOD.