I agree with Jud Wilhite when he says, As a pastor committed to a conservative Christian faith, I have no reason to water down the message of Christ and what He came to accomplish.
Far be it from me to water it down. Jesus came to free people who were - and still are - enslaved to sin. It's my job (and yours, if you're a Christ-follower) to call people to break free from the power of sin.
But after I call 'sin' what it is, I want to be soft on people. I've learned my assessment of others is almost always incomplete. In fact, sometimes those who seem to have it all externally together are actually a mess internally. They hide dark secrets and addictions. No matter how informed my assessment of someone may be, it is still lacking. So if I'm going to be wrong anyway, I choose to err on the side of grace. I want to be rid of the categorizations - rich, poor, together, not together, addicted, druggie, yuppie, loser, winner, cool, uncool. I don't know their struggle or their pain. I choose to err on the side of grace because SOMEDAY I'll stand before God and I pray HE will err on the side of grace with me.
The flat truth is: we're all messes. One hundred percent of us. But God loves messiness. The religious leaders of Jesus' day noticed that "He welcomes sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:2) GASP!
Eating together, particularly in the New Testament, is always a picture of acceptance, loyalty and trust. At the table with Jesus, outcasts found a refuge - the hopeless found a hope - the oppressed found an advocate. Jesus didn't just EAT with them or HANG OUT with them, He found intense PLEASURE in being with them. INTENSE PLEASURE. Blatant sinners. People just like the ones you see on Jerry Springer. "OUT THERE SINNERS." Think of it!
WHY did He eat with them? Maybe because they were loved by God? Maybe because they didn't PRETEND to be blameless? Maybe because it refreshed Him to see how readily they acknowledged their imperfections? Maybe because they didn't play self-righteous games? Maybe because they were self-stripped of pride? Maybe because they were aware of their own brokenness? Maybe because they were open to the message of a Savior?
Too often we see strength only in pointing out sin and stomping on it until it is dead. But Jesus showed us a different kind of strength - the kind found in grace, compassion and forgiveness.
So we can never stop wrestling with the seriousness of sin. And we can never stop thanking God for the forgiveness and new life through grace that He makes possible to EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE.
And be blessed.
2 comments:
For me, judgmentalism is a sin I still wrestle with sometimes. I am better than I used to be, but God continues to smooth out my rough places. Most of the time, I make decisions based on the content of someone's character, but if it seems that their character is lacking, then I keep a distance. The vast majority of the people I know are not saved, so this is something I am faced with every day. I have a certain amount of grace for my circle of family and friends, but like I said, God is still continuing to work on me. I hope that I come to the point where I can see the good in every person and help to nurture and encourage that. Jesus has forgiven me all of my many sins in my life, so I want to find that compassion and mercy inside of myself for others. I am still on the journey to becoming more Christlike. I know I will be until I find myself before Jesus in heaven.
Once again I am the prodigal daugther and praying for GOD's grace. The difference this time is that even when I sin I still go to church on Sunday. I think it is hard for new or returning Christians to not feel that everyone else seems so put together. I take comfort in knowing the GOD's love will never fail me.
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