Year 5, Day 323: 1 Timothy 1 & 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Challenge

• Challenge: God does not merely wish us to be in relationship with Him as we are.  He challenges us to grow, stretch, and transform as we take on the mantle of being His representatives to this world.

As I read through this chapter, I couldn’t help be challenged by one of the most fundamental basics of Christianity: Law and Gospel.  This is the crux of Christianity.  Without the Law we cannot know our need for Christ.  Without Christ and the grace of God, we cannot know genuine forgiveness.

This is really where the challenge comes into play.  When I am challenged by God to turn from my sin, it is easy for me to turn to grace and solely desire to be reminded of God’s forgiveness.  Rather than repent and become a different man, I want to be wrapped in the idea of grace so that I can stay the same.  This is why Paul talks about the Law being laid down because of the disobedient.  We need to Law to understand our obedience and turn from it.

On the other hand, I also find that I cling to the Law at the wrong times.  When God is calling me out of my comfort zone in order to try something new or go to someone new, it is easy to cling to the Law in a desperate attempt to stay the same.  I want to keep my comfortable traditions rather than risk temptation and going someplace new.

We are truly challenged by Law and Gospel.  But it isn’t just the concepts of Law and Gospel that challenge us, it is the appropriate application of the Law and Gospel that often challenges us.  Knowing when to lean on the Law and when to lean upon God’s grace.

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