February 20, 2021 (Saturday)
A few days ago we discussed Ash Wednesday, and how it offers an opportunity for confession of sins and a new beginning as a Christian. As Baptists we do not follow a liturgical year, but perhaps we can learn something by examining Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Season emphasis upon a right relationship with God. We understand the part about confessing sins, and reminding ourselves of the grace of God in Christ that brings us salvation. We have reminded ourselves that Christ paid the price for our salvation with His own precious blood, dying on the cross for us. Now for the new beginning. Where do I start?
Well, let’s start by reading a passage of Scripture in which Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” We are living a repentant life now, what does Jesus expect of us? Let’s look at his answer to the question about the most important commandment: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40 NIV). Not long ago we wrote a blog about the Shema, the verses from Deuteronomy quoted here by Jesus. Every good Jew knew the Shema and tried to live by it.
Loving God and one’s neighbor is the greatest commandment, and it is a summary of the Ten Commandments. The first four commandments are about our relationship to God, and the rest of the commandments are about our relationships with other people. Hence: “Love God. Love your neighbor. That sums it all up.”
All we have to do, then, is keep the commandments. We soon learn, however, that our sinful nature is still with us and has its way sometimes. In other words, we sin. And then we are sorry for it, so we tell God we are sorry and we promise not to do it again. After repeating this process several times, we learn the lesson that we must keep on repenting and getting a fresh start with the Lord. This process is not limited to the Lenten season; it is just the way things are between us and God. We were saved by His love and grace when we met Him, and we continue to be saved by His love and grace.
It turns out, then, that the law of God reveals to us that we are sinners. The New Testament teaches us that we need to confess our sins to the Lord, and we need to accept his forgiveness, which He gives to us because He loves us. We love Him because He first loved us. That love we have for Him motivates us to walk closely with Him and get to know Him better day by day.
IN THE GARDEN
Words: Charles A. Miles
Music: Charles A. Miles
1913
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain:
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing. Refrain.
I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling. Refrain.