Observation: God says that because God is in a special relationship with the people of Israel, only with Israel will God send prophets to hold the people accountable. Only Israel is in a covenant relationship with God. Therefore, as only a parent has responsibility to discipline a child, only God can discipline God's people.
Application: One of my biggest pet peeves is when religious people or organizations request preferential treatment in our society. Without getting into any specific case, it's sufficient to say that some in our American culture today long for the days when there was tremendous social pressure, not only to have religious faith, but specifically Christian faith. Increasingly, however, Christianity is not a cultural norm in America as it was in the past. Although this does mean church attendance and membership is on the decline, it also means those who attend church and call themselves Christians do so not just because it's the socially acceptable thing to do, but because they truly love Jesus and want to be there.
We may be entering a time when Christian disciples can grow as never before, because they can expect no special encouragement or rewards from the larger society, but instead are devoted to Jesus and his message. In this era, as in the early church, Christians can hold one another to a higher ethical standard--just as Jesus held his disciples to a higher standard--rather than to a lower one because we're "in the club". Being part of the family means accountability, and the promise of loving guidance.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, hold us accountable to a higher standard. Rejoicing in your grace, help us to live in a new obedience to you. Amen.
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