Indeed, repentance and invitation lie at the heart of Revelation, which unveils hope for the world. John witnesses a large-scale response that is uncountable—a flourishing, lively city that is so large that it seems to encompass the world.
Daniel’s predictions about each kingdom represented by a metal in the statue came true with unfailing accuracy, but Daniel chapter 2 tells us that more important than having futuristic predictions is knowing what God’s character is like.
The Ten Commandments deserve recognition. God wants us to heed His words and take them seriously since they reveal who He is, but publicly posting the commandments will not save us any more than the commandments in the gold box saved the Israelite’s from the Philistines
During the time of Jesus, the Sabbath commandment had been multiplied into hundreds of subcategories. It had become mechanical, with the Sabbath focused on rules and regulations rather than on fellowship and communion with God.
Have we learned from Jesus? Learning from Jesus means changing not only our perspective to understand God as gentle and humble but also our behaviors. It means aligning our character with Him. He is our example
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” If you receive God’s undeniable love, the light is in you. You don’t need to struggle or strive to shine. You are already the light of the world, so just let your light shine.
Preachers preach the message that we must return to God because we have forsaken His law. Somehow, we have forgotten that many have been let down by religious people and groups, feeling left out, shunned, and excluded. Some have been pushed out by the coldness of religious people, and the light of people’s faith has grown cold and dim.
To follow the ethics of Jesus is to live in the spirit of mercy and compassion with a view toward God’s future benevolent kingdom, when God’s ideal will be achieved on the earth.
We can be religious yet unkind, generous in almsgiving yet guilty of harming others, and devout yet unrighteous. Such cases are what God calls vain sacrifices. They are empty worship.
So, are we glorifying God in the ways we live and the things we eat and drink, thus obeying His mercies and decreasing suffering in our world?
Theological InTents 