Nehemiah 13:3 When the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.
A concern for Nehemiah in re-establishing Israel after the Babylonian captivity was to purify the nation, to make distinctions between Israelites and non-Israelites. This was about being clear about who was subject to God's teaching and who was not subject to God's teaching (or law).
We are the new Israel, born not of a specific ethnicity but of faith and baptismal waters. We should not be drawing distinctions on ethnic lines. But perhaps we should be drawing more distinctions in terms of being subject to God's teaching. Perhaps we should more often say "We're Christians and that's not how we act." When the world around us ridicules others and starts or fuels petty arguments, perhaps we should say "We're Christians and that's not how we act." When the world around us seeks to win at any cost, perhaps we should say "We're Christians and that's not how we act." Maybe distinctions aren't such a bad thing all the time!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. If you wish to be unsubscribed, please send us a message. Visit our website for full calendar and information about our ministries. This Sunday we worship at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45.
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