16 Aug 2007

16 Aug - Nehemiah 11:1-12:26; 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:2; Psalm 34:11-22; Proverbs 21:14-16

1Cor10:"31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. "

Paul who minsistered to both Jews and Gentile, faced with this problem. He used to be a Jew who percecute the followers of Christ, but when he realized that Christ is truely the promised saviour, he repented and he himself became a follower of Christ. The Jew don't like that and a separation was created. But Paul, being Jew and still have a heart for them. When he met Peter (another Jew) who choose a separate life style when he mingled with the Jew and the Gentile, Paul realized that should not be the way. Paul believed Christ came for all, to the jews and to the Gentiles. He also believed that the work he did for the Gentile, so that at least some Jew may got jealous and turned back to Christ.

So what is all this that I am trying to say. I first thank God for His grace, for His Jesus who came and died for all. In the OT, the Jews was separated, a chosen race of God. As you read the recent chapters of Exra and Nehemiah, they don't encourage inter-marriage and practice strictly the Law of Mosses. But when Chirst came, He became the sacrifice for all - Jews and Gentile. Is there now no different between Jew and Gentile? Paul explained yes, but the intend for all is salvation in Jesus.

Give thanks, for without thie Jesus, there will be no reconcilation and in this age of racial hatred, there is no way we are going to accept the Jewess God as our Lord. Jesus now gave us and shared the birthright as children of God, He provides and He gave us a destiny.

How personal we want to be with this God and Jesus depends on us now. There are still people who do not know Christ. Being Chirstian, we are sinners save by grace - go therefore , but do not think too 'highly' because we have Christ. Do and whatever we do, do it for the glory of God - so that least some may know Christ. "Even a child is know by his actions, whether his heart is pure and right".