14th September 2026

My daughter frequently accuses me of not reading the instructions, and often she is quite right. I learn by sight and what I think I see and understand is often not the case. It may be something as trivial as the farming game I am playing on my phone, but if we are not careful it can also be something as important as what the scripture speaks of here in Romans.

In the past I trusted my elders who insisted we keep certain laws and regulations in order to be accepted by God. I had great zeal when it came to keeping days, food restrictions, and cleaning my home during specific times of the year of unwanted leavening. I could not understand why others did not do what was so obvious? It became clearer when I read the instructions, God’s word to his children.

We can read the instructions, and still not understand what it is saying. Have you tried to assemble furniture by the instructions sent along with it? The instructions usually come now in many languages, and you first have to find yours. I love it when it starts with big numbers and advice like # 1 – make sure you have all the parts listed here. The Jewish leaders had many rules to follow that were meant to keep you far enough away from breaking the actual commandments God gave to Israel. And we all have moral regulations, but the important point is that these do not make you right with God – God does.

You cannot submit to something you have no idea is required. You cannot benefit from it either. If I do not follow the instructions for the furniture I am assembling, and I choose to do it my way, thinking I know best, it may come out looking something like what it should, but I am bound to have leftover parts. Adding rules to God’s word is like saying you must help God along because, well, he means well but does not have it right. If anyone has it right, it is God.

I know I do not get things right all the time, that is just human, but I know who does, and that is God. Because everything in God’s word points to Christ, this is where I must start. I cannot create my own righteousness, but Jesus imparts this to us who trust in him. I cannot make myself clean, but Jesus can. I cannot build up my weak faith, but Jesus can. Jesus is the source of what I need to become who I was meant to be. When our zeal for God is misdirected, God points us back in the right direction. Oh, the wonder of our marvellous God.

Paul had great love for his people even though they had misplaced zeal. God has great love for us as well, and not one of us is perfect. We need patience and prayer for those who get things wrong, and we need to remember that we also do not always get it right, but God does. Read the instructions in God’s word. May he bring us all into the right relationship we need with him and with one another.

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