Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

LOOPHOLES

May 26, 2011

We hear about tax loopholes, or legal loopholes--when the codes were originally written they were intended to be clear-cut, and not avoidable, but sometimes there's a loophole. How does this compute in God's system?

"But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)--then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother."
                                                  - Mark 7:11,12 TNIV

Loopholes. A couple of zingers, and Jesus knew all about them. "Sabbath's Day journey"--one could only travel so far from home on the Sabbath, but you could avoid this rule by purchasing little squares of land every here and there, and travel anywhere you wanted. Also the people of God were required to help their elderly family, but if you dedicated those resources to God, declared them "Corban," then you loopholed around it all. But Jesus asks, "Who do you think you're fooling?"

In God's world of grace and justice, there are no loopholes. Jesus knew those whose hearts were dedicated to God, and those always on the lookout for the next hedge or loophole. Instead Jesus tells the story of a wretch who comes before God not with the latest loophole, but merely pleads with God, "Have mercy on me a sinner." (Luke 18:13) Blessings, all of us sinners this day.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson