Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 57; Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; John 16:12-24; Acts 1:9-14; Psalm 84
It’s easy to miss a shift in theology in the scriptures if you aren’t paying attention. A good example of this is embedded in today’s reading from Ezekiel. Let me set that theological shift up for you. In the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament), a pattern is established that indicates the sins of the parents will in fact be visited up their children. Passages like Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 5:9, and Exodus 34:6-7 makes this clear. By the time we get to the Ezekiel, however, the message has changed. Ezekiel 18:20 says point blank: “a child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent” (NRSV). Theological shifts in Scripture raised a tantalizing question: “Does God change God’s mind or do human beings change in their understanding of God?” I’m sure it would be nice if I could lay that question to rest once and for all, but I’m not arrogant enough to believe I can do so. Regardless of how one answers that question, it’s important not to miss an even more basic point: if we are truly faithful, we will have open hearts and open minds that will continue to lead us into ever fuller understandings of God. The good news about this is that if you accept such a premise, your entire life will be a period of growth full of excitement and change as you grow in your understanding of God. The bad news about this, I suppose, is that it means you have to be willing to do your spiritual work. You can’t just rest on your laurels (or the things you learned in Sunday school at the age of 8). Today I give thanks for two things: a God who is larger than the confines of our minds at each and every stage of our development; and those courageous pilgrims of the faith who acknolwedge this and remain responsive to the continued leadings of the Spirit. Til next time…
It’s easy to miss a shift in theology in the scriptures if you aren’t paying attention. A good example of this is embedded in today’s reading from Ezekiel. Let me set that theological shift up for you. In the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament), a pattern is established that indicates the sins of the parents will in fact be visited up their children. Passages like Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 5:9, and Exodus 34:6-7 makes this clear. By the time we get to the Ezekiel, however, the message has changed. Ezekiel 18:20 says point blank: “a child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent” (NRSV). Theological shifts in Scripture raised a tantalizing question: “Does God change God’s mind or do human beings change in their understanding of God?” I’m sure it would be nice if I could lay that question to rest once and for all, but I’m not arrogant enough to believe I can do so. Regardless of how one answers that question, it’s important not to miss an even more basic point: if we are truly faithful, we will have open hearts and open minds that will continue to lead us into ever fuller understandings of God. The good news about this is that if you accept such a premise, your entire life will be a period of growth full of excitement and change as you grow in your understanding of God. The bad news about this, I suppose, is that it means you have to be willing to do your spiritual work. You can’t just rest on your laurels (or the things you learned in Sunday school at the age of 8). Today I give thanks for two things: a God who is larger than the confines of our minds at each and every stage of our development; and those courageous pilgrims of the faith who acknolwedge this and remain responsive to the continued leadings of the Spirit. Til next time…
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