What is the value of being a disciple of Christ?

Romans 3:1-8

What a quagmire, this question brings up, “Then what advantage has the Jew?”  As a follower of Christ one could ask the same question about Matthew 5:45, “so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”  And in both you would come away with the same answer; great value!  Paul is answering a question that I’m not sure was yet ask aloud but every Jewish disciple of Christ wanted the answer, so what is the big deal in being Jewish, all we get is the condemnation of our neighbors for being the chosen people of God.

And what about the Church are we not hated by a world that has stated it does not believe in absolutes, and one who makes such a statement shows how ignorant they are, for they believe that 0 degrees and gravity are absolutes.  And it is true it is an absolute that the sun and the rain both come to the just and the unjust, the good and the evil. 

But that is not the message in either Scripture, for the advantage of being Jewish is God entrusted them with the oracles of God, the prophecies, and the revelations.  They were given the responsibility of sharing that with a pagan world.  Now we know they dropped the ball, but Paul asked does that mean God dropped the ball, and this is the answer: “By no means!  Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”  The apostle goes on to establish that our unfaithfulness or unrighteousness goes to show the righteousness of God, but does not give us any wiggle room, it reveals that we are sinners and God is holy, pure, merciful, kind and has extended grace to all people.

So what is the value of being a disciple of Christ?  There is great value now and for eternity.  For the message of the “Cross” is God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.  That is also the message to the Church, to followers or disciples of Jesus Christ.  Sometimes it’s helpful to begin at the start and that is almost always true with the Scriptures, this is the real message to each of us from Jesus found in Matthew 5:43-46.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice