Yesterday I read Trey’s blog about a church in Illinois that routinely pickets funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers". I felt so frustrated about the article that I felt there was not enough room in his comments section for me and my soap box.
I find myself hearing things like this too often from Christians. You don’t have to be carrying a picket sign because words can be just as painful. It is too often expected (and sometimes even provoked) that we as christians will throw around judgements long before we try to love and understand others. These are acutally things that I have heard in my lifetme……
“Well we don’t need people like that in our church”
“I’m sorry that you won’t be with me in Heaven”
“You know that they are not members of the church”
“God hates fill in the blank with a sin”
I just have yet to find anywhere in the bible where Jesus carried signs in protest with hate messages, treated a race or gender as inferior, or hated a sinner because of his sin. His message was of love.
We will never bring people to Jesus by attacking them with our bibles. I am certainly not suggesting that I approve of the sin in our world. We live in a world that has lost its way. I am also not suggesting that I live a life free of sin. The only thing that separates my sin from the sin of the lost is that I am covered by the blood of Jesus. That is the message that we need to share. We have to start loving the lost in spite of their sin or we will never see them change. Besides, why would anyone want to be a part of a group that judges and feuds? We are not exactly being hospitable and inviting.
I find myself hearing things like this too often from Christians. You don’t have to be carrying a picket sign because words can be just as painful. It is too often expected (and sometimes even provoked) that we as christians will throw around judgements long before we try to love and understand others. These are acutally things that I have heard in my lifetme……
“Well we don’t need people like that in our church”
“I’m sorry that you won’t be with me in Heaven”
“You know that they are not members of the church”
“God hates fill in the blank with a sin”
I just have yet to find anywhere in the bible where Jesus carried signs in protest with hate messages, treated a race or gender as inferior, or hated a sinner because of his sin. His message was of love.
We will never bring people to Jesus by attacking them with our bibles. I am certainly not suggesting that I approve of the sin in our world. We live in a world that has lost its way. I am also not suggesting that I live a life free of sin. The only thing that separates my sin from the sin of the lost is that I am covered by the blood of Jesus. That is the message that we need to share. We have to start loving the lost in spite of their sin or we will never see them change. Besides, why would anyone want to be a part of a group that judges and feuds? We are not exactly being hospitable and inviting.
The soap box is empty feel free to jump on now!!!
3 comments:
My very favorite passage for times like this, "Do not let any unwholesome word come out of your mouth but ONLY WHAT IS PROFITABLE FOR BUILDING ONE ANOTHER UP ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS" hmmm...
who needs to hear any of that stuff? I am with you, we need to remember that words matter.
peace
neva
Monica & Neva ... Keep on preaching sisters...
my boss thinks that all church of Christ people still believe the whole were the only ones going to Heaven and everyone else is going to Hell. I get serious flack about it sometimes.
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