REFLECTIONS: It's the Relationship!

Ro 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

It’s so easy to love my six year old son, Will. He’s fun, creative, intelligent, inquisitive, and he loves his parents. If Congress were to pass a law that made it mandatory for me to love Will, I’m not sure I could love him any more than I do now!

In fact, if Congress were to pass a law, it wouldn’t make any difference, would it? I’d still love my son. I’d want the very best for him. I’d want for him to grow up to be spiritually and morally strong. I’d want for him to be healthy. I’d want for him to be a good student in school. And, as so many parents, because I love him so much, I would care for Will, not because I HAD to, but because I WANTED to. A law? That would be superfluous.

Imagine if someone told you that you HAD to love God. Would it change how you feel about God? In Paul’s passage here in Romans, Paul’s understanding of “the spirit” is similar to the way we relate to our children. We love them not out of duty. We love them because… well, because they’re our kids!

Our response to God’s love is a response of love to a relationship offered in love. We take joy in that relationship. Not only does that relationship make us feel all warm inside (is if that was all there is to love!), we just simply have this sense that it’s a good relationship, that it’s a “right” relationship. If we were told that we HAD to have that relationship, well, that would take the joy out of it.

Perhaps what Jesus was all about was to demonstrate to us that we weren’t created by a God who then passed divine legal code so He’d have people obey him. Rather, the spirit was, and always has been one of LOVE. God created us because he loved us. God has provided for us families and communities because he loved us. God has given us instructions on the best ways for us to live because, and this is the key… He loves us!

It’s the relationship that God wants!! And, He wants it to be a relationship of love because he wants us to have joy in our hearts as we live and worship together as His people. Sure, God could have thrown down a bunch of rules and regulations and told us – “Obey, or else!” But instead, God offered his son, whom He loved, to show us through Jesus's example of life and death and life again the depths of that love!

It’s a relationship that fills me personally with joy. It shines light in the otherwise dark places of my life. It gives me peace knowing that nothing whatsoever will come between God and His love for us. (Romans 8:36).

Now, imagine a community of believers who live out together the same vision of love…