We Never Got It

I'm Church of Christ, a denomination that began with a few people trying to get back to Christianity like it was in the first century. It was a noble goal, I suppose, trying to return to paradise and correct every misstep we've made as a community in 2000 years. It was doomed, though, because they didn't know what they were doing back then either.

When you look back at the entire history of Judeochristianity, we never have really "gotten it". Let's not get into that whole Eden thing. Abraham didn't know what was going on. Moses was in denial half the time. The prophets spent all of their time trying to correct Israel's mistakes. Paul's letters are by and large admonishments. Heck, Jesus doesn't have a lot of praise for his apostles most of the time (even the golden boys, Peter and John).

We've never gotten it. We keep on erring, over and over, as individuals and as groups. All we were ever asked to do was to "love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with God" (Micah 6:8), and it is an interesting question which of those we've failed most at. We don't act right. We don't believe right. And that doesn't matter.

It's not about law, that was only the Cliff Notes. (Galations. I might as well just cite the entire book.)Sins of action, sins of omission, and sins of doubt are forgiven. We are free of our pasts. It is the Easter season. For God has shown mercy. Because he has dealt with us with an honest voice. He came and walked humbly with us.