Church Pharisees

In the comments of Monday's "Am I here to judge or condemn your behavior?" post, Richard joked, "Christ did not come into the world to condemn it. He sent the church out to condemn the world for Him!"

That's funny. :) And isn't it also sad at the same time, since it points to the reality that so many people in the church today seem to think that it's their job to go around pointing out sin, and condemning people for their behavior and lifestyles? "Yeah, yeah, yeah, Jesus came to save the world, so who's now going to carry the condemnation torch??? Might as well be us!!!"

Feh!

Seems like they'll wear their WWJD bracelets (figuratively speaking)... but forget about Jesus' grace-full encounters with the woman caught in adultery, the tax-collectors and sinners, the woman at the well, and so many other encounters with people in which their behavior was not His focus but rather the love, grace and mercy of God, and His kindness toward them and acceptance of them!

Forgetting that condemnation was done away with and that "the handwriting of requirements that was against us, that was contrary to us" (the law) was "taken out of the way" and "nailed to the cross" (Col 2:14-15), they bring the law back in to point out and protest how others are living such terrible lives - and they even make up their own rules, laws, traditions, principles, etc, heaping heavy burdens and condemnation upon people.

I don't like to be so negative, and really I am far more about simply sharing the love and grace of God with people than getting down and negative about what legalism does, but sometimes it helps to point out the contrasts and differences to show the absurdity of what the church is up to these days.

"God is kind to the unthankful and evil."

"...If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:32-36)

I'm not sure if some people notice, but the above passage doesn't say, "Be kind to others only if they're Christians or display good morals. Protest the evil behavior of society. Shut out everyone who doesn't agree with you."

But oh my, don't we have too much of that in the church today, and too little of the words that Jesus spoke here?

What I like is the "why" here. Why love our enemies? Why lend expecting nothing in return? Why be merciful to others? Is it because God expects or demands us to be that way? Is it a command to follow? Will it make us better Christians?

I think it's none of that! Rather it's because God is kind. Period. He is kind to the unthankful and evil. He is kind to the people we consider our enemies. He gives, expecting nothing in return. He loves, not with the motive of getting something back, but because He is love. God is love, and love is kind.

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself --- not protesting their sins!!! While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Can we at least understand, then, that when we're out there protesting the bad morals of others, that's not Christ in us?

Can we talk about the issues and discuss the doctrines with believers and non-believers alike? Sure! But when there's a choice between getting bent out of shape over the ideas and lifestyles of others, and loving them and being kind and merciful to them, I think the latter is much more of a display of the life of Christ in us!

Whatcha think?

Tears Are Falling - Or Not

This post has come about in a very odd way today. Thinking back to a couple of minor events in my life, I was simply reminded that how we treat others can truly affect their lives. My examples here may sound cheesy, or lacking in substance, but I think the point will come across.

It started this evening when I was listening to the Forgotten 45 at 5 on my favorite radio station, Cool 105.7 here in Waterloo. DJ Don Betts played a tune from 1985 by Kiss called Tears Are Falling. I hadn't heard that song in years! (Hence the 'forgotten' 45). By the way, if you have to ask what a 45 is, you're way too young. I'll just tell you that it won't fit into your mp3 player. Anyway I decided to check out the video on youtube, and that's when the memories started coming back.

If I can remember right, I've been to four Kiss concerts. When I was about 16 or 17, I was at one particular Kiss concert in which Bruce Kulick was the guitar player. He's also the guitar player in this particular video. I don't know what was up with me that night, but I must've appeared pretty sad. I mean, my countenance must've shown that I was not happy. Being at that awkward teenage age, it could've been due to any of a number of things.

I was pretty close to the stage, and I remember looking around, and then as I looked up to the stage I saw Bruce staring right at me. It was as if he was intentionally waiting for me to look at him. As soon as we made eye contact, he smiled at me. For a teenager, that's pretty cool for a rock star to take notice of you! But for whatever reason, I didn't smile at him. So he kept looking at me... and he put his forefinger and his thumb on the sides of his mouth and made a sad face, as if to ask, "Why are you so sad?" Then, with his finger and thumb still in place, he turned it into a smile, and then took his hand away and opened up into a huge smile. That did the trick for me, and whatever had been making me sad was now history, and I was happy for the rest of the evening! I'm sure Bruce remembers that night just as much as I do! LOL

The other minor event in my life that I remembered tonight was not such a nice memory. But it really was minor. :) This happened before a Slaughter concert (the rock band is named "Slaughter"). To the right of the stage, an area was fenced off and the fans were able to get autographs from the band over the fence. I took off my neon green baseball cap (this was the 80's!) and I handed it to lead singer Mark Slaughter for him to sign it. He signed it, and then, looking straight at me, he intentionally handed it off to my left to someone else (another fan), around the corner of the fence, and I never saw the hat again! My happy mood, when I got to interact with a rock star, was changed in an instant as I suddenly turned sad, mad, confused and disillusioned all at once! I'm sure Mark remembers that night just as much as I do! (But don't worry, I've since forgiven him...) Hehe...

Anyway... all that to say that even the "little" things - the ways in which we treat others - can make a difference in their lives, in a good way or in a bad way. Don't underestimate the power of a smile, a kind word, a kind deed, an unexpected act of grace... or the power of a word of condemnation, an act of unkindness, a scornful look.

Thank God that He has given us Himself as an example of love and grace, and also Himself as our life from which our acts of love and grace come!

The videos here aren't related in any way to the post. Just indulge me. :) The songs are a reminder of my youth, and you can see Bruce Kulick in the first one (guitar player in the red shirt) and Mark Slaughter in the second one (singer).

Kiss - Tears Are Falling
By the way, Don Betts picked this one to play on this day (January 20) because it's Paul Stanley's (lead singer) 57th birthday. Paul has had 3 hip replacement surgeries, and I wonder if it's partially a result of jumps like the one at 3:23 in the video. ;)


Slaughter - Fly To the Angels

The gift of God

Eph 2:4-10
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.