Of Halos and Humility

Watching my brother get into trouble with our mother was always great spectator sport for me. Two years his junior, I would smugly look on as Eric squirmed a bit under the microscope of scrutiny in Mom’s court of correction. If I could “help” her make her point, I was more than willing to step up and serve the family in this crucial way. (After all, doesn’t the world need more moralizers?) Occasionally, however, I’d say too much and expose my own culpability, at which point Mom would look at me with her little “you-just-stepped-in-it-buddy” grin and say in a slightly lilting tone, “Paul, your halo slipped.”

It was deserved. What is it about us that loves to load the law onto the backs of others? We did it as children; we do it as adults. We did it as non-believers, and, sadly, we do it as believers, even though we’ve been set free from the power of the law and its shackles of shame. This is nothing new: the apostle Peter addressed the issue before the church council in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, “Why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?”¹ Why, indeed? So, we receive pardon from our penalties, then referee others from the rule book? There’s something wrong with this; it’s not what forgiveness and freedom are all about.

Is it still important that people under grace live in the ways that are good and right? Absolutely, and the power to do so lies in liberty, not law. “Freedom is not the permission to do what we like but the power to do what we should,”² observed British historian, Lord Acton (paraphrased here by Os Guinness). We who deserved judgment have received mercy; we who were guilty have received pardon. We who had no right standing before God have been credited with the righteousness of Christ, and we who had no hope live fully and forever in Him. When we renew our minds and think on these eternal realities, what can possibly flow from us but endless gratitude to God and boundless grace toward others?

What happens then inside of us? Judgement fades, and encouragement flows. Blame and accusation of others give way to prayer and petition for them. And the confession of our own sins supplants our condemnation of the sins of others. We tend to our own little “halo” of grace, and celebrate the beauty of theirs.

Thanks, Mom, for the gentle correction. Nice halo, Eric.

God, help me always to remember how the reach of your grace extended to the depth of my sin. May my freedom in you yield understanding, mercy, and care toward others. In the name of Christ, I pray. Amen.

Christ in me is freedom.

[Click here to read today's Scripture in Acts 15:6-11.]

¹ Acts 15:10
² Guinness, Os. A Free People’s Suicide: Sustainable Freedom and the American Future. InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove, Illinois. 2012.

The Council at Jerusalem Then and Now

Acts 15: 1-21

 We have heard many times how the Lord accepts everyone into his kingdom, provided they love Him and have faith in him. The truth is, just as back in the days of Paul; people judge others, set limits, and create man made guidelines to be followed rather than simply allowing God to be the ultimate judge. It is as though we have established our own Council at Jerusalem right here, right now. Christ speaks of His burden being light and His yoke easy, yet we attempt to make this journey of faith a difficult and challenging one by enlisting our own criteria for entering into eternal life.

The council in Jerusalem attempted to weight down the Gentiles who were becoming sincere believers by insisting they adhere to Jewish laws. Paul, Barnabas, and the apostles and elders met to consider their claims. What they concluded was eloquently proclaimed by Peter in Acts 15: 6-11, “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us. He made no distinction 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 the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers 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.”

God knows the heart.

God sent the Holy Spirit to be with us all.

God’s commands are straight forward, there are ten of them.

God welcomes us all into His heavenly kingdom.........Alleluia! 

Read/Listen to Acts 15: 1-21

Too Much Information!! - Acts 15:22-35

There were times when I was in school and a new subject was introduced, I would get confused in the beginning.  Often it seemed like I would never catch on, there seemed to be so much to it.  But the teachers would break it down for us, making it easier to understand the topic; especially when fed in small bites.  It became easier to swallow also, (sorry, I could not resist) allowing for minds to absorb the new subject and understand it better and more quickly. 


"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things." (Acts 15:28-29)


Members of the early Christian church had much to learn and they too at times were confused. Some who were neither authorized nor qualified to teach the people, did so anyway.  Because they were not will equipped to teach, their instructions were not accurate and only made the new followers puzzled.  


Upon learning of this confusion, the apostles and elders chose some special men to instruct the Gentile believers.  They made it as simple as possible so as to encourage the people.  Christianity doesn't have to be difficult nor confusing when learned from the right teachers. Like students everywhere, anything new to the mind will take time and patience to learn.  If you have questions, seek out someone you know to be an ardent follower and ask questions.


Read Acts 15:22-35