Gal 6:12

"As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh,these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ" Gal 6:12

I'll say it right up front. Some of you won't like what I am about to say. That's ok, I understand. But I must say it and I will say it - as simply and clearly and lovingly as possible. After we have been believers for some good amount of time, something happens to us. The fire begins to smolder. There is more heat than light, and a little smoke begins to flood our hearts. This is rather natural. The Jewish believers had gotten that way. They had an exclusive in Judaism. They were the chosen ones who had the One True God. All others had multiple, false gods. They were proud of this fact. So proud that they wanted to keep Him to themselves. When Gentiles began to be saved, there was only one solution - make them Jews!

So they began the task. They would follow the most successful evangelists -- in particular Paul -- and teach all of his converts that they had to be circumcised to be Christians. Circumcision was the physical act of becoming a Jew for men. In those days circumcision was rare amongst non-Jewish people. The new believers struggled with this a bit, but would often succumb to the teaching. Of course after they became "Jews", then there followed all the Jewish regulations and traditions. Eventually the new believer was so "Jewish" that he found himself in as much bondage to legalism as he once was to his own gods.

Paul set the record straight. Those gentiles who became believers did not have to become Jews. Jesus made the final sacrifice. He paid the blood price for their souls. No further sacrifice was necessary. When a person found freedom in Jesus, there was no need to resort to the bondage of the Law. Jesus fulfilled it - all of it. When you are free - seek to stay free.

Ok. So are you with me? Now comes the part you won't like. We"mature believers" can become so legalistic that we become like the early Jewish believers. We begin to preach to the new believer that he/she has to stop smoking to continue being redeemed. Then comes the swearing, followed by the clothes they wear. What we want them to be is carbon copies of ourselves. We want them to look like us, talk like us, walk like us, dress like us, eat like us. We don't want them to be different. Gone are the all night get togethers where the new believers get together and talk about what Jesus is doing for them. Gone are the street corner preachers - they're just too radical. Missing are the things that made them want Jesus in the first place. Yes, they look like us, talk like us, walk like us, dress like us, eat like us. They also are cold like us, weary like us, complacent like us. They, too, have become "wet blankets" on the fires of new believers.

It's time that we take upon ourselves a little of their fire, their excitement, their hunger for the Word, their love for Jesus,their prayer lives, their faith. After all, Jesus said we should have the faith of a little child - not the faith of the sainted Pharisee. Yes, all those other things have their values. But, let's let Jesus do the work. Let Him remove the nose rings. Let Him lower the hem line. Let Him bring the language into line. Let Him stop the smoking and drinking. He can do it without putting out the fire. Indeed, He will fan it and make it burn hotter. So what if they are different. You were once, weren't you? Jesus says we should be different - cast in a different mold - march to the beat of a different drummer.

Whoa! I think I hear an unusual drum beat now! Hey, there it is -let's march! After all we ARE the ARMY OF GOD! Amen and Amen.