Now...Be Nice

As if the pull of sin isn't strong enough, you wouldn't think that Christians are the ones escorting people to Hell would you?  Yet daily I read something that reeks of condemnation and no fragrant trace of love.  From demanding that true Christians only can go to church on Saturday to claiming only 144,000 people can get to Heaven; their literal translations have Believers confused and non-Believers uninterested.  In contradiction of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20), they abolish spreading the true Gospel...as they leave out the key element of its' existence...Grace.  And what's seldom understood is that their approach is as sinful in nature as the very people they claim to be ministering to.

It's a lack of understanding all the way around that pushes this thing.  And possibly a little frustration of how the world appears to embrace evil so passionately.  Any person who has learned to love what God loves and hate what God hates is constantly pressured by societal norms; and that pot boils over every now and then for even the most spiritual of us.  So we discreetly project our anger at the sinner because of the way they appear to be so nonchalant about sin.  But we really bash those who we refer to as "so-called" Christians with Matthew 5:17, in which Jesus states that He didn't come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.  Maybe if we were more passionate about showing love then proving people wrong, we would physically see those things we say we see in the Spirit.  But we can't let go of those people that keep on sinning.

*Sigh*...it would be nice if one of these guys admits that they still sin.  Like still as in right now.  No, I mean right this second.  But nope, they'll consider that 1 second thought about how "blessed" Erica Campbell is as just a passing thought instead of adultery; which is what Jesus calls it (Matthew 5:28).  They'll won't think that they run the risk of being judged for murder when they're angry with their #BFF (Matthew 5:22).  And although this is the theme for New Testament Christians for much of that chapter; they can not be convinced they are not holy.

Well truthfully, they are...as well as you too...if you've been born again through Jesus Christ.  For because of His willingness to obey God's Will by sacrificing Himself for our continuing sins, we can be looked on favorably by a Holy God.  We have been made holy through Christ by way of the Grace of God.  Words cannot describe the pure joy of knowing that regardless of past, present, and future mishaps that could banish me from God's presence; through Christ, God's presence will never leave us.  And I guess because there are no words for that feeling, we resort to what there are words for...which is probably where our flimsy judgment of others comes from.  But it just makes more sense to me to speak and act Grace to non-Believers as well as Believers who appear to be struggling with the coinciding actions of godly living.  After all, that is treating them with Grace.  And being that we're to be like Jesus, this is how He treated us our entire lives...up to this very second.

I'm not saying it's alright to sin.  Just know that causing people to stumble when they're trying to find God or are walking with God...is sinning.

Peace