Parson to Person - The city of God

Do you read more than one book at a time?

Lately, I have been reading a book called, ?The Jesus Creed? by Scot McKnight. Also, I have dipped into a daily devotional on the Psalms entitled, ?The Songs of Jesus,? by Tim Keller.

First, from McKnight.

At the end of chapter 19 on the relational nature of faith, McKnight quotes Mark Allan Powell, a Lutheran professor and pastor,

?We cannot have a relationship with our christology ? we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our soteriology cannot save us from our sins ? our Savior can.

Our ecclesiology does not make us one ? the Lord of the church does.

Our eschatology will not transform this flawed universe ? Jesus the King of Kings and Prince of Peace will do that.

And no matter how much we love theology ? it will never love us back.?

McKnight concludes the chapter, ?Only God in Christ loves us, and that is why believing is a relationship.?

Now, from Psalm 87:3-4, which was the reading for August 1.

Glorious things are said of you, city of God: ?I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me ? Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush ? and will say, ?This one was born in Zion.??

It doesn?t matter where you were born. It matters if you have faith in Christ. Those who have faith in Jesus are counted as birthright citizens of God?s city.

Keller comments on the Psalm, ??Even former enemies are reconciled. Through faith in Christ, we, his former enemies, are recorded in the book of life. We are already citizens of that future city??

The City of God is populated by people from every tribe, and tongue, and hue that share a friendship with Jesus Christ.