Sins of the Church

Since the start of the new year, the church Peter and I belong to has been in a series called "Repulsed", focusing on the sins of the Church. Now, this is not about a church, a building, a denomination, or what have you, but the Church--which is the collective body of people who consider themselves to be Christians. So yeah, its about my sins, and your sins, if you are a believer. And its not focusing on individual sins like murder, adultery, lying, stealing or the likes, but on "collective" sins like: hypocrisy, ignorance, prejudice, amongst others. Things that Jesus clearly preaches against time and again in the New Testament. I have to say that I am SO STOKED about this series!!! I think one would have to know me and hear my testimony to understand how completely I relate to the outsiders looking in at the Church and holding enough contempt to be repulsed at the very thought of it. I am not going to give my testimony now (but may at a later time, stay tuned), but I can completely relate to unbelievers who feel this way! And I think its high time the Church acknowledge this and RESPOND. I just got finished reading a fantastic book called "They Like Jesus But Not the Church" written by a former pastor of mine from Santa Cruz named Dan Kimball. He talks about the importance of not just acknowledging these sins, but responding to them, and changing our attitudes. I HIGHLY recommend this book for all to read, especially if you are a part of the CCCEV family. I'm sad to say that I've had conversations recently with a few people who have been hearing Cal's or Jeremy's messages, and I have not seen a change in their attitudes. I can still hear the prejudices and hypocrisies come spewing out of their mouths like daggers and it breaks me. Are they even listening? Have they really read the book of James? Are they dissecting it so completely that it will alter the way they see, talk to, and interact with unbelievers? Have they called on our Father and asked for his Spirit to convict them and motivate them to change? Because only by the Spirit can we (believers) become something different than we are.

Jesus did not come to help the well, but the sick. (Matt 9:12) What I love about Jesus is that He accepts us all for who we are. When He was on earth, He continually met with people the "righteous" felt were undeserving. He went to them and if they came to Him, He listened and befriended them and loved on them. He did not spew out hateful words or hold up signs with degrading phrases on them. He counseled them and corrected them with love, like the woman at the well in John 4. He shows us by example how to relate to unbelievers! Because when He graced the earth, we were all unbelievers! I don't think He would have gotten anywhere with any of us if all He did was pass judgment and criticize us for being sinners. So, as a Christian, I am called to follow Him. And I try. I try to reserve my judgment only for myself. And sometimes, I fail--resulting in me being guilty of one of those sins of the Church. From God's point of view, all sin is the same (James 2:10). And God's mercy is greater than His judgment! (James 2:13) That is shown clearly through Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day to redeem us from such sin!!!

So, lets heed the words of the apostle James and "be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19) and lets not "merely listen to the word, but do what it says" (James 1:22).