John 9:13-23

 John 9:13-23

“…and there was a division among them” vs 16. When it comes to Jesus He is the most controversial person in all of history. Everyone comes down on one side or the other. There is no middle ground, there is no spiritual Switzerland, there is no neutrality. Is Jesus of God or not? That is a dividing question. If He is of God then His claims about Himself are true, claims of divinity and authority. But if He is not speaking the truth in these claims then He is not of God.

The Pharisees claim Jesus broke the Sabbath. He did violate their expectations of Sabbath keeping but not the commandments of God. Jesus kneaded clay on the Sabbath, Jesus put salve on a someone's eyes on the Sabbath, and He healed a non-life-threatening illnesses on the Sabbath. All of which were man-made rules about Sabbath keeping but were not God's law.

A long list of behavioral rules may make us seem religious, pious and righteous but they neither change our inner condition nor put us in right standing with God. As disciples we must live to the highest moral and ethical standards. Not because we think that keeping rule upon rule will make us right before God.  But because holiness is part of our new life in Christ.  It is love for Christ and nor egotistical rule keeping that makes us want to do right.

“Lord, help me to love what is holy and righteous. AMEN”