The Overtly and Covertly Sinful
- davidwperk
- Jun 24, 2024
- 7 min read
Daily Office Devotional, Monday, June 24, 2024
Proper 7, the week of the fifth Sunday after Pentecost
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:
21But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. . .
You will find the full text of today’s epistle reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 973)
AM Psalm 89:1-18; PM Psalm 89:19-52
Num. 16:1-19; Rom. 3:21-31; Matt. 19:13-22
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist. (See below.)
David’s Reflections
Today’s epistle reading brings to mind the dynamics that go on between the overtly and covertly sinful. The overtly sinful, those whose style of life and whose actions violate social and cultural values find themselves in a one-down position to the covertly sinful, those whose lives do not exhibit those same defects. People who are guilty of behaviors like abuse, violence, drug addiction, felonious crimes or gross immorality would fall into the category of the overtly sinful. Of course, the covertly sinful might add other behaviors unacceptable to them to this list, like a gay or bisexual orientation.
Our churches are full of covert sinners—people whose lives remain visibly free from overt evils like those listed above. They work, pay their bills, raise their children, attend church, and maintain some involvements in the community. Yet, they struggle with the same base impulse to live independently of God, to live self directed lives. And, they elevate themselves above the overtly sinful. They are people like me and like many of you.
Paul in today’s reading addresses this issue in its dominant form in his time, the Jewish and Gentile cultures of that day. To the scrupulous and faithful Jew, nonJews fell into the category of the overtly sinful, while they regarded themselves as God’s people who lacked such obvious sinfulness. The first three chapters of Romans attack that us/them way of thinking. Verse 23 goes directly to the issue by saying that there is no distinction, that all (and here that means Jews and Gentiles) have sinned. For Paul it is not us/them; rather, it is us (all of us)/God.
God’s sending of Jesus as our savior expresses how far from God we had drifted. Jesus’ death bridges the gap of separation from God created by our overt and covert sinfulness. His innocent suffering and death effects cleansing from guilt and mends our broken relationship with God. (These ideas of the power of the suffering of the innocent to benefit the guilty can be traced back to passages like Isaiah 53 in the religious thought of Judaism.)
All of us, the covert and the overt sinners, stand equally in need of God’s loving acceptance and forgiveness. We experience that saving love when we place our trust in Christ and turn to God to have our lives delivered and transformed. If we believe that our church attendance and our obedience place God in our debt and put us in a privileged position over the overtly sinful, we understand nothing about our shared plight with all other people.
Daniel T. Niles expressed this basic belief of Christianity with vivid imagery.
. . whereas in all other religions and systems of belief, the present is determined by the past, in Christianity the present is determined by the future . . . . the good news of the gospel is in this fact that the future is over, and that the history of (humankind) man is not something that is being pushed from behind but is something that is being pulled from in front. . . . To believe that today is determined by yesterday is to believe in salvation by works; whereas, to believe that today is determined by tomorrow is to believe in salvation by grace. Yesterday is over, yes; but tomorrow is over too. He who will be crowned Lord is Lord already. He who will come to judge is already engaged in judgment. The final consummation is already the end toward which all things are set. The fruits of (our) men's labor are already the gifts of (God’s) his love. *
*Who Is This Jesus? (Nashville: Abingdon, 1968), p. 107.
Collect of the Day, Proper 7, the fifth Sunday after Pentecost
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 230)
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist.
Collet of the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist
Almighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)
Prayer in a Time of War
O Almighty God, the Father of all humanity, turn, we pray, the hearts of all peoples and their rulers, that by the power of your Holy Spirit peace may be established among the nations on the foundation of justice, righteousness and truth; through him who was lifted up on the cross to draw all people to himself, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
William Temple (1881-1944), Archbishop of Canterbury
In the Evening
O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen. (BCP, 833)
Collect from the Carmelite Sisters of Indianapolis
Holy Spirit, Living Love of God, you are in the world healing the wounds of sin and death. Warm the hearts of those embittered by sorrow and pain, encourage those crushed by failure, enlighten the minds of those dulled by pleasure or fatigue. Awaken in us all the remembrance of the overwhelming love of God made known to us in the life and death of Jesus. Help us to continue with renewed trust. This we ask of you, Life-giving Spirit, in the name of our Christ, God among us. Amen.
People's Companion to the Breviary, Vol 1. Revised and Expanded Edition of the New Companion to the Breviary with Seasonal Supplement. The Liturgy of the Hours with Inclusive Language. (Indianapolis: Carmelites of Indianapolis, 1997), p. 90.
A Collect for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100, 257)
Daily Office Epistle, Romans 3:21-31
21But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. 27Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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