Covenant

Does God hold us to a covenant, or something else?

Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. - 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Several of us who have graduated the four year Education for Ministry course continue to meet monthly to read and study and discuss The Bible.

Currently we are watching a video series by John Dominic Crossan, entitled "Violence Divine: Overcoming the Bible’s Betrayal of Its Non-Violent God".

Crossan makes an interesting observation about the relationship we have with God.  He points out that in the Creation story, the relationship we have with God is much more personal than in the Book of Deuteronomy, which introduces the concept of a covenant, a form of bondage based on fear and sacrifice.

Crossan claims we were never intended to be in that type of relationship with God, that it is a carry-over from the Assyrians and Babylonians who wished to control the population.

Paul would probably agree with that.  He claims we have gained freedom and not bondage in our relationship with God, through Christ who opened our eyes to the true relationship.

Yet we continue to believe God is punishing us for bad behavior and rewarding us for good, just as Job's friends told him when he suffered needlessly.

So, how to we graduate to a new sensibility of our relationship with God?

I think we need to abandon the idea that God makes bad things happen to us because of our actions, thoughts and beliefs.

Of course that means all those who rant that the world is coming to an end because God is angry with us will have to rethink their protests, and it also means we need to take responsibility for our own actions or lack of them.

If we seek to be like God, we will have to adopt a new way of being, one that is inherently non-violent and loving.

It is far easier, I know, to do the opposite.  No wonder Jesus had such a hard time getting people to change.

But if bad things can happen to good people, then perhaps we should be quick to help and slow to judge.

After all, we could be the good people bad things happen to next.

More to come...