While
driving down the chaotic streets of Houston last week, I noticed a bumper
sticker taking an awkward pro-life stance. Though I have to sensor it, you
won’t have any difficulty ascertaining its point.
“All lives
matter except _______. _______ those guys.”
As much as
I hate to say it, that bumper sticker sounds very much like Christianity from
the middle of the 4th century onward. "Jesus loves all people, so we should love
all people, except the people that we don’t like, or that don’t like us, or
that don’t look like us, or that are at war with our earthly country, etc."
Can you
imagine what the world would be like if Ananias of Damascus had a bumper
sticker Christianity? You know, something like, “All lives matter except for
that lunatic Pharisee Saul. #$*@ that guy.”
To be fair,
if anyone in the history of humanity deserved the death penalty, it was
Saul/Paul. He himself said that we are supposed to fully trust that he was the
worst sinner who ever lived (see 1Timothy 1:12-16). However, aren’t you glad Ananias laid hands on Saul to
heal his blindness rather than to slit his throat (see Acts 9:1-31)?
Aren’t you
glad Ananias submitted to the leadership of his leader, Jesus, who came to save
sinners? Aren’t you glad Ananias chose to believe in the empowerment of grace?
Many people believe the Apostle Paul was one of the most influential men who
has ever lived.
Personally,
I believe Ananias had a strong impact on Paul’s writing of 2 Corinthians 5:13-16. Here, Paul says that if it seems like he is
acting like he is out of his mind, it’s because of and for Christ. The love of
Christ is compelling him to no longer live for himself, but for Jesus. The grace
of Christ has transformed him, and is empowering him to no longer no longer
regard anyone from human point of view. He wants every person alive to follow Jesus.
Similarly to how Ananias saw the way grace could change the worst sinner who had ever lived
into one of the most influential men who ever lived (for the kingdom of God),
Paul urged the Corinthians to adopt the same grace goggles. Not to see everyone as already in Christ. Heavens no! But to have the mindset toward all
people of, “What could they become if Jesus came into them?”
To the early Christians, this
concept of being compelled and empowered by Christ was analogous to taking up
His yoke.
For Christ is of those who are
humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves. … “He was wounded for our
transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed.” … You see, beloved, the
example which has been given us; for if the Lord thus humbled Himself, what
shall we do who have through Him come under the yoke of His grace? – Clement of Rome 95CE, Volume 1,
p. 16-17.
What is a yoke? It is a
wooden bar placed over the neck of a pair
of animals so they can pull together;
it unites them to move and work together as one. Clement of Rome said that yoke of grace unites
Christians with Jesus Christ, and the yoke of grace empowers Christians to
follow Jesus’ example as we come under it.
Consider the concept of the yoke of grace as you read this second passage by the Apostle Paul:
For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death,
certainly we shall also be in the
likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was
crucified with Him, in order
that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be
slaves to sin. …
Therefore do not let sin reign in
your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the
members of your body to sin as
instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive
from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for
you are not under law but under
grace. – Romans 6:5-6, 14-16
Most of the
time when I’ve heard this passage taught, it’s been with the idea that
Christianity is not about keeping rules, it’s about a relationship of grace.
Could it be that that kind of teaching is causing Christians to completely miss
Paul’s point?
Being under grace means we (those
united with Christ) have become divinely empowered TO follow the
teaching and way of Jesus Christ.
Have you
come under Jesus’ yoke of grace? If so, you have been united with Him in His
death, which He died for all people. And you have been raised with Him to live
by His power for His purpose of reclaiming the world for the glory of God. That
is good news!
So today,
may you believe in and act on the powerful words penned by Fanny Crosby on the
yoke of grace and its power to transform Sauls into Pauls.
Down in the human heart, crushed by
the tempter
Feelings lie buried that grace can
restore
Touched by a loving heart, wakened
by kindness
Chords that are broken will vibrate
once more
Rescue the perishing, duty demands
it
Strength for your labor the Lord
will provide
Back to the narrow way, patiently
win them
Tell
the poor wanderer that hope has arrived
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