May the mumbling commence!
Superior attitudes will not be tolerated. It is a message given loud and clear in Romans. God’s chosen people, the Israelites, were adopted through the grace of God. Israel was to be a holy people set apart to both be blessed and to bless. When Israel began to believe the deception that they were privileged and superior to all other peoples, God set them straight. As Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 32:21 (Romans 10:19b), “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
Superior attitudes will not be tolerated. There is also no space for anti-Semitism. There is to be no superior attitude amongst the Gentiles toward the Jews. Read about the ingrafted branches from Romans chapter eleven:
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! (Verses 11-24)
Arrogance is denied. Superior attitudes will not be tolerated. God adopts all those He chooses. God chose us. We did not choose God. Will we accept God’s choice of us humbly and in reverence? Or will we become ensnared by comparing ourselves with others? There will always be someone less faithful than I am. There will always be someone more faithful than I am.
Let us not begrudge the invitation that God extends to all. Let us welcome all peoples – Jew or Gentile – into the family of God. Each new person will bring a renewed and enhanced life for everyone. Life will be renewed and enhanced through the strength of the root. The people of God are only the branches – whether from a cultivated or a wild olive branch.
God alone is the root that supports and nourishes us. And there is plenty of support and nourishment to share!
So I say to all: “Welcome to the family of God. But, please, leave all your arrogant and superior attitudes at the door.” As it once has been said, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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