Being a Redskins fan it has been hard this week. I truly recognize that football is a game and must always be kept in perspective. It is a game that is played on a field with a ball and men. Sadly enough this past week has transcended into our personal lives and communities. The game has forced me to look at my life and the way I live and value life.
Another young man lost his life in an act of senseless violence. Like I stated before being a lifelong Skins fan it has affected my family this time. Not that I have not cared about the other hundreds of young people that have been murdered across America, but I guess I have not directly been touched by this national tragedy so closely. As a society have we developed a numbness or acceptance for this type of behavior? Even closer to me is the problem in the Black community. Being Black I wonder how much lower we have to go before we start looking up! The decline of the family and values that have transcended down from generation to generation has disappeared! I am really nervous about our future.
Life in its purest form has a price and it is worth something. I guess in our community we have not settled on the price. Let's be real if we don't deal with this sooner than later it will take care of itself. Our sons will be in the same place the cemetery. Where can we do and what can we do? Many people are offering different solutions and many and been tried and failed already. Being a father and mentor to many young men the only thing I have been able to offer is the Lord. He has not failed yet! God can change people and communities if we let Him. God has been reduced to the role of man. God wants to be the center of our beings and lives, not the problems solver after we created a mess and can't clean up. (Although He is able) People let's Love that's the key. There is no hope in the World only in Christ!
37 Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
Preparing to doubt!!!
The writer of Hebrews said to “lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (12:1).
Think about it, you first learn to run, you quickly find out that you have to run light. You may train in a sweat suit with weights strapped on, but you need to take them off before you get to the starting blocks. The effective runner gets rid of the bulk and runs with the bare minimum.
Similarly, in the race of faith we need to strip off anything that will hold us back. Many things can weigh us down and encumber us in the Christian life: Materialism, sexual immorality, and excessive ambition are just a few that are common in our society. One of the things the writer of Hebrews probably had in mind was legalism. He was writing to a predominantly Jewish audience who struggled with that issue. They were trying to run the race with all their Jewish ceremonies, rituals, and rites. In essence, this writer said, “Get rid of all of that and run the race of faith. Live by faith, not works.”
WORKS
Many Christians still live by works. They believe if they do certain things, God is obliged to keep score and say, “That’s wonderful: You went to a Bible study, had a quiet time in the Word today, did something nice for your neighbor, and went to church.” If those things are done in the overflow of one’s love for Jesus Christ as acts of devotion, that’s great. But there are many Christians who think they are meriting God’s favor that way. Instead of Jewish legalism it’s Christian legalism.
DOUBT
Another weight or sin that “so easily entangles us” is doubt. A believer may affirm with feeling the truth of Philippians 4:19: “God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” but become filled with anxiety when financial trouble comes. Then others will inevitably say, “Aren’t you the one who goes around saying, ‘God shall supply all your needs’ ?” We either believe He will or He won’t, regardless of what we say. Our actions reveal what we really believe. When we worry, we are doubting that God can keep His promises, and that dishonors Him.
Think about it, you first learn to run, you quickly find out that you have to run light. You may train in a sweat suit with weights strapped on, but you need to take them off before you get to the starting blocks. The effective runner gets rid of the bulk and runs with the bare minimum.
Similarly, in the race of faith we need to strip off anything that will hold us back. Many things can weigh us down and encumber us in the Christian life: Materialism, sexual immorality, and excessive ambition are just a few that are common in our society. One of the things the writer of Hebrews probably had in mind was legalism. He was writing to a predominantly Jewish audience who struggled with that issue. They were trying to run the race with all their Jewish ceremonies, rituals, and rites. In essence, this writer said, “Get rid of all of that and run the race of faith. Live by faith, not works.”
WORKS
Many Christians still live by works. They believe if they do certain things, God is obliged to keep score and say, “That’s wonderful: You went to a Bible study, had a quiet time in the Word today, did something nice for your neighbor, and went to church.” If those things are done in the overflow of one’s love for Jesus Christ as acts of devotion, that’s great. But there are many Christians who think they are meriting God’s favor that way. Instead of Jewish legalism it’s Christian legalism.
DOUBT
Another weight or sin that “so easily entangles us” is doubt. A believer may affirm with feeling the truth of Philippians 4:19: “God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” but become filled with anxiety when financial trouble comes. Then others will inevitably say, “Aren’t you the one who goes around saying, ‘God shall supply all your needs’ ?” We either believe He will or He won’t, regardless of what we say. Our actions reveal what we really believe. When we worry, we are doubting that God can keep His promises, and that dishonors Him.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
LEARN TO TRUST
Humility requires strong confidence in a caring God. I can’t humble myself under God’s pressure if I don’t think He cares, but I can if I know He does. The basis of that trust is the loving care God has repeatedly shown us. You cast your anxiety on Him when you’re able to say, however haltingly, “Lord, it’s difficult...I’m having trouble handling this trial, but I’m giving You the whole deal because I know You care for me.”
The word translated “casting” was used to describe throwing something on something else, such as a blanket over a pack animal (e.g., Luke 19:35). Take all your anxiety—all the discontent, discouragement, despair, questioning, pain, and suffering that you’re going through—and toss it all onto God. Trade it in for trust in God, who really cares about you.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Peter had Psalm 55:22 in mind when he wrote his first epistle: “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Now that doesn’t mean we won’t feel shaky at times.
The word translated “casting” was used to describe throwing something on something else, such as a blanket over a pack animal (e.g., Luke 19:35). Take all your anxiety—all the discontent, discouragement, despair, questioning, pain, and suffering that you’re going through—and toss it all onto God. Trade it in for trust in God, who really cares about you.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Peter had Psalm 55:22 in mind when he wrote his first epistle: “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Now that doesn’t mean we won’t feel shaky at times.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
WHY SOME FAIL TO GROW Post 5
STUNTED GROWTH
Should we assume, however, that spiritual growth just "happens" in the Christian life? Is our part merely to wait long enough for growth to occur? Or do we have a greater responsibility? Those who received the letter to the Hebrews had been Christians long enough for the writer to expect them to have grown to a level of spiritual maturity. Instead, they had remained spiritual infants. The reason for this was because they had been "slow to learn" (Hebrews 5: 11). The Greek adjective translated "slow" in this verse is a term that was commonly used in the New Testament era to speak of sluggishness or neglect. They had grown sluggish in their understanding of God's truth and had become slothful in applying it to their lives.
As a result, they had stalled in their spiritual development. That had not always been the case. Hebrews 10:32-34 indicates that these same believers had begun their Christian experiences with considerable enthusiasm, even to the point where they had been willing to joyfully accept the confiscation of their property because of their personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul expressed a complaint similar to that of the author of Hebrews in 1 Corinthians 3. "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready" (v. 1-2). The tone of this statement is one of surprise. Paul had expected the Corinthians to be "spiritual." Instead, he found that they were "worldly," or as the Greek text literally says, "fleshly."
To understand the implications of this statement, it is helpful to compare it with similar language used by Paul earlier in the letter. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul contrasted the "natural" man with the "spiritual" man (vv. 14-15 NASB) and said: "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (v. 14 NIV). Although Paul spoke of an inability to accept spiritual truth in both cases, there is an important but subtle difference between them. The person described in 1 Corinthians 2: 14 is one who is devoid of the Holy Spirit. In the Greek text he is characterized as a "soulish" man. The "soulish" man cannot accept the things that come from God's Spirit (i.e., the truths Paul was teaching) because they are "spiritually discerned." He lacks the spiritual capacity to see their value and is unresponsive to God's truth. Because he is spiritually dead, he is incapable of opening his heart to it.
The same cannot be said of the "spiritual infant" described in 1 Corinthians 3: 1. This person is "spiritual" in the sense that he possesses the Holy Spirit. But he is not spiritually mature. He is "worldly." In 1 Corinthians 2: 14-15 Paul explained that the natural or "soulish" man cannot do what the "spiritual" man can do. But in 1 Corinthians 3: 1 he wrote that he could not address the Corinthians as "spiritual." This was a stinging rebuke. In effect, Paul was telling this church, one which prided itself in its great teaching and its wisdom, that its spiritual capacity was on a par with an unbeliever. This condition forced Paul to adjust his teaching to suit the Corinthians' spiritual state. He treated them like spiritual babies and gave them "milk" instead of "solid food" (1 Corinthians 3:2).
It is sobering to consider that the Corinthians probably did not see themselves as Paul did. They saw themselves as spiritual and mature; when in reality they were fleshly and immature. The proof of their immaturity was seen in the presence of jealousy and quarreling within the church. "You are still worldly," Paul wrote. "For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:3).
We tend to think of spiritual maturity in terms of what a person knows. If someone discusses difficult doctrines, reads complex theological works, or listens to the most capable Bible teachers, then we say that he or she is mature. Paul's rebuke indicates that God uses a different standard to measure spiritual maturity. The mark of spiritual maturity is not merely the possession of knowledge. True maturity is characterized by applied knowledge. Jesus Himself emphasized this when He said: "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples" John 8:31).
Am I spiritually mature? That depends. It does not depend only on what I know, but also upon how I respond to what I know. The believer whose life is dominated by the things that the Bible characterizes as the works of the flesh is spiritually immature, no matter how much content he or she may have mastered.
Should we assume, however, that spiritual growth just "happens" in the Christian life? Is our part merely to wait long enough for growth to occur? Or do we have a greater responsibility? Those who received the letter to the Hebrews had been Christians long enough for the writer to expect them to have grown to a level of spiritual maturity. Instead, they had remained spiritual infants. The reason for this was because they had been "slow to learn" (Hebrews 5: 11). The Greek adjective translated "slow" in this verse is a term that was commonly used in the New Testament era to speak of sluggishness or neglect. They had grown sluggish in their understanding of God's truth and had become slothful in applying it to their lives.
As a result, they had stalled in their spiritual development. That had not always been the case. Hebrews 10:32-34 indicates that these same believers had begun their Christian experiences with considerable enthusiasm, even to the point where they had been willing to joyfully accept the confiscation of their property because of their personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul expressed a complaint similar to that of the author of Hebrews in 1 Corinthians 3. "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready" (v. 1-2). The tone of this statement is one of surprise. Paul had expected the Corinthians to be "spiritual." Instead, he found that they were "worldly," or as the Greek text literally says, "fleshly."
To understand the implications of this statement, it is helpful to compare it with similar language used by Paul earlier in the letter. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul contrasted the "natural" man with the "spiritual" man (vv. 14-15 NASB) and said: "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (v. 14 NIV). Although Paul spoke of an inability to accept spiritual truth in both cases, there is an important but subtle difference between them. The person described in 1 Corinthians 2: 14 is one who is devoid of the Holy Spirit. In the Greek text he is characterized as a "soulish" man. The "soulish" man cannot accept the things that come from God's Spirit (i.e., the truths Paul was teaching) because they are "spiritually discerned." He lacks the spiritual capacity to see their value and is unresponsive to God's truth. Because he is spiritually dead, he is incapable of opening his heart to it.
The same cannot be said of the "spiritual infant" described in 1 Corinthians 3: 1. This person is "spiritual" in the sense that he possesses the Holy Spirit. But he is not spiritually mature. He is "worldly." In 1 Corinthians 2: 14-15 Paul explained that the natural or "soulish" man cannot do what the "spiritual" man can do. But in 1 Corinthians 3: 1 he wrote that he could not address the Corinthians as "spiritual." This was a stinging rebuke. In effect, Paul was telling this church, one which prided itself in its great teaching and its wisdom, that its spiritual capacity was on a par with an unbeliever. This condition forced Paul to adjust his teaching to suit the Corinthians' spiritual state. He treated them like spiritual babies and gave them "milk" instead of "solid food" (1 Corinthians 3:2).
It is sobering to consider that the Corinthians probably did not see themselves as Paul did. They saw themselves as spiritual and mature; when in reality they were fleshly and immature. The proof of their immaturity was seen in the presence of jealousy and quarreling within the church. "You are still worldly," Paul wrote. "For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:3).
We tend to think of spiritual maturity in terms of what a person knows. If someone discusses difficult doctrines, reads complex theological works, or listens to the most capable Bible teachers, then we say that he or she is mature. Paul's rebuke indicates that God uses a different standard to measure spiritual maturity. The mark of spiritual maturity is not merely the possession of knowledge. True maturity is characterized by applied knowledge. Jesus Himself emphasized this when He said: "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples" John 8:31).
Am I spiritually mature? That depends. It does not depend only on what I know, but also upon how I respond to what I know. The believer whose life is dominated by the things that the Bible characterizes as the works of the flesh is spiritually immature, no matter how much content he or she may have mastered.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
WHY SOME FAIL TO GROW Post 4
The Ongoing Struggle
The distinguishing mark of spiritual adolescence according to 1 John 2:13-14 is victory over the Evil One. We can conclude from this that normal spiritual development is characterized by growth in obedience as well as growth in knowledge. The believer's skill in saying no to sin and yes to God increases as he or she progresses in the Christian life. This does not necessarily mean that our struggle with the flesh diminishes as we mature. In some cases it may even grow more intense. This is because understanding of sin deepens as we mature, to the point where it not only includes our actions but also the motives that prompt them.
One obvious implication of this is that not every Christian is in the same place spiritually. Spiritual growth is progressive. It moves from infancy to adulthood. We shouldn't be too surprised, then, to find a range of spiritual levels in the church. The church's strategy for discipleship must take this into account by providing a range of opportunities for believers at every level of development. This is also good to know if I am at an early stage in my spiritual development.
Perhaps you are someone who has just recently trusted in Christ and is feeling a little frustrated. It may seem to you as if everyone else is confident and self-assured in their Christian experience. You have thousands of questions about your faith, and others do not appear to have any. You struggle with the changes you need to make in your life, and they do not appear to share your struggle. Some of the things that you read in Scripture seem so lofty that you fear you will never understand them. If this sounds like your situation, don't become discouraged. In time you will grow. It is very likely that you have already grown more than you realize.
The distinguishing mark of spiritual adolescence according to 1 John 2:13-14 is victory over the Evil One. We can conclude from this that normal spiritual development is characterized by growth in obedience as well as growth in knowledge. The believer's skill in saying no to sin and yes to God increases as he or she progresses in the Christian life. This does not necessarily mean that our struggle with the flesh diminishes as we mature. In some cases it may even grow more intense. This is because understanding of sin deepens as we mature, to the point where it not only includes our actions but also the motives that prompt them.
One obvious implication of this is that not every Christian is in the same place spiritually. Spiritual growth is progressive. It moves from infancy to adulthood. We shouldn't be too surprised, then, to find a range of spiritual levels in the church. The church's strategy for discipleship must take this into account by providing a range of opportunities for believers at every level of development. This is also good to know if I am at an early stage in my spiritual development.
Perhaps you are someone who has just recently trusted in Christ and is feeling a little frustrated. It may seem to you as if everyone else is confident and self-assured in their Christian experience. You have thousands of questions about your faith, and others do not appear to have any. You struggle with the changes you need to make in your life, and they do not appear to share your struggle. Some of the things that you read in Scripture seem so lofty that you fear you will never understand them. If this sounds like your situation, don't become discouraged. In time you will grow. It is very likely that you have already grown more than you realize.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
WHY SOME FAIL TO GROW Post 3
From Infancy . . . to Adolescence . . . to Maturity
Spiritual growth, like human growth, develops in stages. John mentions three stages (in inverted chronological order) in 1 John 2: 13 (and repeats in part in v. 14): "I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father." Perhaps we could label these stages spiritual infancy, adolescence, and maturity.
John does not explain in detail how each stage differs from the others. He does, however, provide us with some basic clues. According to John, spiritual infancy and spiritual maturity are both characterized by the knowledge of God. This is not surprising. Jesus taught His disciples that the knowledge of God is the essence of eternal life: "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" John 17:3). Knowing God is both the beginning and end of the Christian life. Knowledge, as it is used in these verses, does not refer primarily to a cognitive awareness of biblical doctrine but to a growing relationship.
Such a relationship begins with the knowledge of what God the Father has done for us through the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3). This means that the more we know about Jesus Christ, the more we know about God the Father. Jesus reveals the Father and gives us access to a relationship with Him when we place our trust in Jesus John 14:6-7). This relationship is deepened as our knowledge and experience of God grow. The spiritual infant knows God by faith. The spiritually mature believer knows Him by faith and experience.
Spiritual growth, like human growth, develops in stages. John mentions three stages (in inverted chronological order) in 1 John 2: 13 (and repeats in part in v. 14): "I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father." Perhaps we could label these stages spiritual infancy, adolescence, and maturity.
John does not explain in detail how each stage differs from the others. He does, however, provide us with some basic clues. According to John, spiritual infancy and spiritual maturity are both characterized by the knowledge of God. This is not surprising. Jesus taught His disciples that the knowledge of God is the essence of eternal life: "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" John 17:3). Knowing God is both the beginning and end of the Christian life. Knowledge, as it is used in these verses, does not refer primarily to a cognitive awareness of biblical doctrine but to a growing relationship.
Such a relationship begins with the knowledge of what God the Father has done for us through the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3). This means that the more we know about Jesus Christ, the more we know about God the Father. Jesus reveals the Father and gives us access to a relationship with Him when we place our trust in Jesus John 14:6-7). This relationship is deepened as our knowledge and experience of God grow. The spiritual infant knows God by faith. The spiritually mature believer knows Him by faith and experience.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
WHY SOME FAIL TO GROW Post 2
One of the assumptions behind the complaint of Hebrews 5: 12 is the expectation that normal Christian growth should occur over time: "By this time you ought to be teachers." This statement indicates that it is reasonable to expect a certain measure of growth to take place once we have trusted in Christ. At the same time, it implies that this growth experience is progressive in nature. Spiritual maturity is not attained instantaneously when we experience the new birth. The earliest stage of the believer's spiritual development might be described as a state of normal immaturity.
When an infant comes home from the hospital and begins to cry for its dinner, its parents are not going to make it a peanut butter sandwich or broil it a steak. A hungry infant will be fed on milk or formula because its digestive system is not ready for solid food. When the same child is a little older it will be ready for solid food, but even then its meals will not be as substantial as those it will enjoy later on.
According to the author of Hebrews, those who are in a state of spiritual infancy need "spiritual milk," while those who are spiritually mature require the biblical equivalent to "solid food." ''Anyone who lives on milk," he explains, "being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5: 13-14). During the stage of spiritual infancy, the new Christian's capacity to understand biblical truth is limited in much the same way that an infant is limited in his or her capacity to digest certain foods. The proper focus during this stage of development is upon the first principles of the Christian faith.
We get an idea of what some of these first principles are from Hebrews 6: 1-2. They include teaching about the need to reject sin and turn to God in faith. The writer's list of fundamentals also includes an emphasis upon the inevitability of resurrection and impending judgment. In addition to these subjects, the writer of Hebrews addresses topics especially suited to the Jewish context of his readers when he mentions teaching about "baptisms and laying on of hands." The term "baptisms" in Hebrews 6:2 probably did not refer to the practice of Christian baptism. It is more likely that the author used it to speak of the kind of ritual washing that was common in New Testament Judaism.
The practice of laying hands on someone was common both in New Testament Judaism and in Christianity. In Judaism, it was symbolic of consecration or commissioning (Numbers 27:18-19; Deuteronomy 34:9). It was also a symbol of substitution. During the sacrificial ceremony, the Israelite worshiper placed his hand upon the offering to signify that its blood was being offered in his place. (For example, see Leviticus 1: 4; 3:2; 4:4.)
In the New Testament church, the laying on of hands symbolized the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and His gifts. The apostle Paul urged Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Timothy 1: 6; compare with 1 Timothy 4: 14; Acts 8: 1819). The early church also placed their hands on those who were being commissioned for special service (Acts 6:6; 13:3). In the case of these Hebrew Christians, instruction about the first principles of the faith included teaching that was meant to help them see the difference between the gospel of grace and the works-oriented legalism of their Jewish heritage.
When an infant comes home from the hospital and begins to cry for its dinner, its parents are not going to make it a peanut butter sandwich or broil it a steak. A hungry infant will be fed on milk or formula because its digestive system is not ready for solid food. When the same child is a little older it will be ready for solid food, but even then its meals will not be as substantial as those it will enjoy later on.
According to the author of Hebrews, those who are in a state of spiritual infancy need "spiritual milk," while those who are spiritually mature require the biblical equivalent to "solid food." ''Anyone who lives on milk," he explains, "being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5: 13-14). During the stage of spiritual infancy, the new Christian's capacity to understand biblical truth is limited in much the same way that an infant is limited in his or her capacity to digest certain foods. The proper focus during this stage of development is upon the first principles of the Christian faith.
We get an idea of what some of these first principles are from Hebrews 6: 1-2. They include teaching about the need to reject sin and turn to God in faith. The writer's list of fundamentals also includes an emphasis upon the inevitability of resurrection and impending judgment. In addition to these subjects, the writer of Hebrews addresses topics especially suited to the Jewish context of his readers when he mentions teaching about "baptisms and laying on of hands." The term "baptisms" in Hebrews 6:2 probably did not refer to the practice of Christian baptism. It is more likely that the author used it to speak of the kind of ritual washing that was common in New Testament Judaism.
The practice of laying hands on someone was common both in New Testament Judaism and in Christianity. In Judaism, it was symbolic of consecration or commissioning (Numbers 27:18-19; Deuteronomy 34:9). It was also a symbol of substitution. During the sacrificial ceremony, the Israelite worshiper placed his hand upon the offering to signify that its blood was being offered in his place. (For example, see Leviticus 1: 4; 3:2; 4:4.)
In the New Testament church, the laying on of hands symbolized the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and His gifts. The apostle Paul urged Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Timothy 1: 6; compare with 1 Timothy 4: 14; Acts 8: 1819). The early church also placed their hands on those who were being commissioned for special service (Acts 6:6; 13:3). In the case of these Hebrew Christians, instruction about the first principles of the faith included teaching that was meant to help them see the difference between the gospel of grace and the works-oriented legalism of their Jewish heritage.
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