May 30, 2011 – Romans 11

We saw yesterday in Hosea about this relationship with God and Israel. Here we see Paul's understanding of that relationship and how in the mystery of God the Jews still had a place that is unique and special in God's eyes. Even though the focus shifted to the Gentiles because of the Jews rejection of Christ, that did not to diminish the relationship God had with the Jews and Israel. Paul understands it, he as a Jew and his mission to preach the Gentiles as a way of converting the Jews in some fashion that he understands is a mystery, or has a way of working the he doesn't understand.

There is a teaching out there that is it known as once saved always saved. I don't understand really how this can be believed or understood when you look at what Paul says here in this reading. He says point-blank that even though you believe in Christ and have branched out from him, that if you stopped doing so you can be cut off just like the Jews were cut off when they rejected Christ. The Jews were and the First branches that came from the root of God and yet because of their rejection they have been cut off from the promises and the Graces given to us by Christ. Growing in their place are the new branches that have come from the Gentiles. But that does not mean and that they cannot be taken off as well. How can any understanding of once saved always saved match with an understanding that Paul writes here where even though you are from God and a branch from his roots that if you cease to do that or act in that way you can be cut off. I just don't see any rational interpretation of that reading that can be understood to mean one saved always saved.

Another thing I was thinking about is this understanding of a remnant or small group of Jews that did believe in Christ and therefore were not part of the overall Jewish heritage that did not become Christian. When you look at Christ and his teachings and talking about the narrow gate and the way you're suppose to live, those that will be saved as opposed to those that won't it would be better described as remnant rather than a majority. I think there are some out there that want to believe most people will be saved, and yet Christ teaching about the narrow gate or of the camel through the eye of the needle, in these teachings about living as Christ lived and suffering and that is the way to salvation, all these things seem to lead one to believe that there are few that are saved. With that in mind it leads me to reflect on this whole understanding of the mega Churches and the self interpretation of the Bible and the relative way in which people want to interpret the Bible and Christ teachings. This whole understanding that everyone can interpret Christ teachings their own way, and in such a way that whatever they feel is right is right. The whole idea of watered-down Christianity, of nondenominational groups and preachers, seems to fly in the face of the narrow gate. If everyone can be right them you need not only a wider gate but no gate at all to get into Heaven, and that is just not conducive to what Christ taught.

I not only reflect on that as far as Christianity in general, but as we see in the Catholic Church specifically. There are a majority of Catholics who do not believe what the Church obligates them to believe. Many are Catholic in word alone and not in the way they live their lives. Worldwide where there are close to a billion Catholics, but even within the Catholic Church I think you still have to understand Christ teaching about the narrow gate as something that applies to them as well. Not all Catholics are going to Heaven, not all Catholic priest are going to happen, not all Catholic bishops, and maybe not even all the popes that we've had. There has to be a strict understanding and a strict way of living life in order for Christ teaching about the narrow gate to make any sense. If it were easy or if we could live life the way we wanted to or interpret Christianity to be inclusive then why does Christ teach about the narrow gate.