Grace, not Work

While reading Acts in New Testament Bible today, I came across the part where controversy broke out over the issue of whether the believers need to be circumcised. Those who were Pharisees before becoming believers argued that Gentiles are required to circumcised and follow "the law of Moses."

Council took place, and apostles and other church leaders agreed that they do not need to put burden on Gentiles other than abstaining "from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality." (Act 15:29)

Peter said "He [God] did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? NO! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." (Act 15:9-11) James argued "It is my judgement, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." (Acts 15:19)

I see something here that some modern church also struggles with. Quite often church appear to be caught in legalism and tell people not to do this and that. Church also uses politics to push some of the legalism. For example, in the debate of gay marriage, church appears as a strong opposition. I personally do not like church to push its doctrine in the political arena. Yes, scripture doesn't support homosexuality. But, again, God doesn't discriminate. Rather than bringing it to political arena, why don't we show how Christ-centered marriage is a blessing for us by living it.

I feel like it is exactly what is happening today that James described. All the "rules" and "what Church is against" become burden for people who are searching for salvation. Church forgets what the grace has done for us and trapped in what to do (or not to do).

No! We do because the grace saved us. We serve in and love the community because Jesus came down to serve and loves us. We provide shelter and food to those in need because of the grace. We must not forget the Grace that saves us.

It's interesting that modern church faces issues that early church faced, even 2000 years later.

Remembering the war...

As I think of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 68 years ago and pray for peace, I still can hardly imagine what and how it really happened. So many lives were lost instantly and in excruciating ways.

I browsed through articles and comments over the anniversaries of the attacks, and just like every year, I came through comments that justified the attack. Many said there would have been more casualties if the bombs had not been used. Others said Japan deserved it for whatever it did in the course of the war. A few are sympathetic.

I'm not writing this post to agree or oppose to the argument. If you are looking for that kind of posts, you can just google it and easily find.

What I want to say is... Can we just acknowledge that so many lives were lost by the attacks on the two cities? Instead of arguing right or wrong, or that many lives were saved because of the attacks, why don't we just think about lost lives each of which was unique and only one. It's so easy to count lives as number, but there are no two lives that are same. Each life is so precious and valuable, and has not existed and will not exist.

During Christmas break last year, I visited Nagasaki Peace Memorial Museum. It was very eye-opening experience, and I suggest everybody to go. You will have glimpse of what really happened in the city under the terrible explosion and what victims faced.

It's easy to make the argument simply right or wrong, or quantify lives. That way, you "feel" like you have legitimate interpretation. But, it only makes up one side of story. I don't think that is enough for humanity to grow in the future.