“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
It’s a common refrain that we have all heard.
Someone says: “I don’t go to church because it’s filled with a bunch of hypocrites.”
The next time you hear that, try this response on for size; instead of disagreement and defensive posturing simply agree. Disarm their judging by recognizing the truth of their statement. The fact is the church is full of those who have received the grace of God but nevertheless have been guilty of hypocrisy, hate, gossip,
and every other nasty sin under the sun. But now we are in the Son!
It’s not about us, it’s all about Him!
Sure, there is a process of sanctification being done in believers but we misrepresent Christ when we pretend perfection. Be quick to admit you are a work in progress and all glory and praise for any good in you belongs to Christ, but be sure to point out that He is still working on you. Paul, as great a man of God as he was, had no problem recognizing and declaring his shortcomings. Listen to what he says in I Timothy 1:15 –
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
Note that Paul does not say – I was the worst but rather I am the worst!
I am what I am and you are what you are because of the grace of God and in spite of ourselves. God’s love is not judgmental, He is not hoping for failure on your part so that He has one more soul to doom to Hell.
His plans for you are good and His love for you is evidence of that.
There is justice in God and we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ but understand that God is not willing that any perish but that all come to eternal life.
Let me ask you something, if you are a believer did God require you to
‘straighten up and fly right’ before He would love you?
Of course not.
Perhaps we can understand it better with a simple illustration.
A fish cannot be cleaned until it has been caught.
The love of God cast a wide net and is not judgmental.
It is after His love has captured your heart that He, by His Holy Spirit
begins the cleaning process.
It is certainly a lesson to us that as His love is not judgmental then neither should we be in sharing it with others!
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
It’s a common refrain that we have all heard.
Someone says: “I don’t go to church because it’s filled with a bunch of hypocrites.”
The next time you hear that, try this response on for size; instead of disagreement and defensive posturing simply agree. Disarm their judging by recognizing the truth of their statement. The fact is the church is full of those who have received the grace of God but nevertheless have been guilty of hypocrisy, hate, gossip,
and every other nasty sin under the sun. But now we are in the Son!
It’s not about us, it’s all about Him!
Sure, there is a process of sanctification being done in believers but we misrepresent Christ when we pretend perfection. Be quick to admit you are a work in progress and all glory and praise for any good in you belongs to Christ, but be sure to point out that He is still working on you. Paul, as great a man of God as he was, had no problem recognizing and declaring his shortcomings. Listen to what he says in I Timothy 1:15 –
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
Note that Paul does not say – I was the worst but rather I am the worst!
I am what I am and you are what you are because of the grace of God and in spite of ourselves. God’s love is not judgmental, He is not hoping for failure on your part so that He has one more soul to doom to Hell.
His plans for you are good and His love for you is evidence of that.
There is justice in God and we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ but understand that God is not willing that any perish but that all come to eternal life.
Let me ask you something, if you are a believer did God require you to
‘straighten up and fly right’ before He would love you?
Of course not.
Perhaps we can understand it better with a simple illustration.
A fish cannot be cleaned until it has been caught.
The love of God cast a wide net and is not judgmental.
It is after His love has captured your heart that He, by His Holy Spirit
begins the cleaning process.
It is certainly a lesson to us that as His love is not judgmental then neither should we be in sharing it with others!
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