Joby Martin

“call these rule makers “church people.” You ever met some really religious people who can’t see the miracle because of the mat? I have met folks on a Sunday who watch videos of life-changing miracles, and they want to critique the manner of the miracle. Man, would you get serious? These religious folks couldn’t see past the law in order to see the lavish love of God. Let me say that again. They couldn’t see past the law in order to see the lavish love of God. They only see the mat. This is not new. Jesus faced the same limiting religiosity in Mark 7. The Pharisees are busting His chops as to why His disciples don’t wash their hands the way Hebrew tradition would mandate. It was a manmade tradition that occurs nowhere in the Word of God. Jesus shakes His head. In my mind, He’s thinking, Guys, would you get a grip. He then quotes Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6–7; based on Isa. 29:13). He’s telling them, “You have left the commandments of God and are now adhering to your own manmade commandments, as if it’s to my Word. And so, you’ve rejected God to establish your tradition.” This by definition is self-righteous.”
― Joby Martin, Anything Is Possible: How Nine Miracles of Jesus Reveal God's Love for You

“You can’t simultaneously look up at Christ and look down on anyone else.”
― Joby Martin, Run Over By the Grace Train: How the Unstoppable Love of God Transforms Everything