Ok, here is that essay. It is written kind of assuming a Christian audience, just due to my original purpose for writing it, but anyone could understand and benefit from it, I think. Anyway, here it is.
For the past year or so I have been bothered by something a lot. Because it bothers me, I have also thought about it a great deal. I have tried to reason out what the problem is and how to fix it. I am writing this brief essay in hopes to let others see my perspective on the matter. The thing that has bugged me is that the church is not as it should be. It is not loving and accepting, it is not a reflection of Christ. I realize that my thoughts may come off as controversial to that which is typically believed in the church today. All of my generalizations are based off of my observations of people. I feel that they are fairly accurate of the church in general, though. Just remember, you don?t have to agree with me about anything I say. Simply hear me out, and come to a conclusion of your own.
Firstly, I think that the church today, in general, has developed sort of an elitist attitude. We seem to think that we are better then the ?common sinners.? That we?re better then the kid who cuts class to smoke, the kid who goes to parties and gets wasted, or the homosexual kid who everybody picks on.
This does two things. First, it sets us at a level above the non-Christian, as If we are better then they are. The fact of the matter is, no one wants to listen to someone who thinks they?re better then they are. This elitist attitude will severely cripple the ministry of any Christian who has it. Follow the example of Jesus. Phillipians 2:5-8 says, ?Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.? Jesus came down to the lowest of the low to reach people. He reached out to all the ?wrong? kinds of people. He went to the prostitutes, drunkards, tax collectors, and all other kinds of sinners, while he did nothing but condemn the established religion for it?s legalism. Sadly, the church has returned to that same legalism today. The church as a whole needs to do the same as Jesus: Come down off their personal platforms to the level of those around them, and show them the love of God.
The second thing it does is take away God?s grace. The church of today has also developed the strange idea that God?s grace is somehow dependent on something that the individual receiving that grace does. A belief that seems to have become prevalent is that maybe if we don?t do everything just right we may lose that grace. The idea that has been developed is that God wants us to be perfect. Christians have lost sight of the fact that we are already perfect in God?s eyes. This misconception that we need to be perfect is often even supported with scripture. That scripture is 1st Peter 1:16. It says ?Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.? This is pointing back to Leviticus. The problem with using this to say that God requires Christians to be perfect is that that is not what it says. It says holy, not perfect. Those are entirely different things. Holy means ?set apart.? It is more of a mindset then a state of being. Being holy means doing the best one possibly can to please God, no matter how many times one may fall. No one can earn God?s forgiveness. From what I can see in the Bible, it?s all about trying, and not being. In fact, Paul spends most of Galatians tearing down the law and the legalistic mindset, declaring it worthless. Galatians 3:19 tells us that the law can not be followed. It wasn?t given with that expectation. It was given to show us how guilty we are.
Another problem is the unwillingness that Christians have to admit fault. They cannot recognize that they are every bit as bad as everyone else in the world. In 1st Timothy 1:15-16 Paul says, ?This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.? Paul was willing to admit that he was the chief of sinners. Don?t think that you are worthy or deserving of God?s love or forgiveness. Don?t be proud of how ?good? you are. The righteousness of man is like filthy rags. The simple fact is that I am a complete screw-up, just like Paul was, and just like everyone else is. We lose sight of an amazing thing when we lose sight of that, and that is that God is so amazing that he still loves us despite it all.
I?m not saying that God doesn?t want us not to sin, and I?m not saying that he doesn?t want us to try to be good. I?m saying that he doesn?t expect us to succeed at being good, because there is no such thing as a good person. Be holy, not perfect. Strive with all that you are to be like Christ, but don?t be discouraged when you screw up and fall. It will happen. God expects the fall. He delights in the fact that it is then that He gets to show you the fullness of his grace.
God doesn?t need someone to be perfect in order to use him or her to accomplish great things. He needs that person to be willing to be used by Him. I think that when a Christian becomes willing to let God use them that gives the Holy Spirit a certain level of control over that person?s life. All people mess up, but they don?t need to worry about it. God will take care of it. He?ll clean things up.
Because of the church?s failure to display the love and acceptance of Christ, Christians are inclined to get discouraged when they mess up. They would rather go it alone then risk telling another Christian their shortcomings, and be rejected because of them. I myself seriously used to get very discouraged whenever I messed up, and would get very angry and frustrated with myself. But with some of the things, I was terrified to tell anyone else, because of what I think is the biggest misunderstanding of God in the church. People in the church are terrified of rejection if someone finds our they messed up, and they shouldn?t be. Realize the truth of God and His acceptance. Once you do that, things won?t be able to hurt you as much anymore.
I have one thought that I want to leave you with. A good person is someone who?s never been caught. It is better to be a forgiven screw-up then to have the misconception that all is well.