Shooting the Wounded

The reason I started this blog was to work out some of my thoughts about Jesus and the church. And what I want to ask myself is what would Jesus think about most of the churches that are started in His name? Now please don’t think that I am bashing the Bride of Christ, not at all! And I think that there are many churches that are doing a great job, but I also think Jesus is progressively changing His church. With that being said i want to think about something.

Why do you think the church wants to shoot the wounded? What I mean by that is why, when someone sins or gets in an unfortunate situation such as divorce, do we sometimes make those people feel second rate and therefore drive them away? And even if they are self imposing feeling that way on themselves, why would the Church even come to mind when they feel judged? The church should be the most un-judgmental place in the world! But I have a theory.

God's grace and forgiveness are one hundred percent free. And we, as humans, have no idea what it means to receive something free. We feel like there should always be a price. We are taught from a very young age that things that are free should be looked at with suspicion. So with this in mind I read the prodigal son. If you are not familiar with that story go and read it real quick, Luke 15:11-31.

Now, let me set some things in place for us. In this story, 1) God is the Father, 2) Both sons are sons. What I mean is one is not a son and the other is, in other words they represent two saved believers. 3) The younger son represents a Christian person who wonders away from God. 4) The older son represents someone who has been in church all their life and never strayed. They are equally sons, and equally entitled to be with their dad.

Okay, younger son squanders his wealth on liquor and wild women, while older son stays home and works. Younger son comes to an end of himself, goes back and dad does not even blink an eye! He never asks the younger son to pay the money back, he does not “demote” him to a lesser son; no he brings the younger son right back in, and throws a party! And this infuriates the older son.

The reason why the older son is so mad is twofold, first he has been dedicated, working and right there for his dad all the time and by God he has earned everything he has. Second, he feels like the younger son must pay for what he has done. Anything else is letting him off scot free.

Now lets apply this, the Dad is God, like I said, the younger son is a wayward Christian that has made a mess of themselves, and the older son is the hardworking church folk that are in the church. We have to understand some things to apply this so work with me. First, no one, and I mean no one, deserves to be in God’s family. So when we try to rate sin we cannot, sin is sin. Next, there is more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner that repents than ninety nine righteous that do not need to repent (see Luke 15:7). And finally if we feel like people should be punished for their sins over and beyond what God requires, we belittle the Cross and say it was not enough, and we miss out on the party that is being thrown in Heaven.

The church is supposed to be a safe place. A place where it is okay to be not okay. People need to feel like they can come to us and not be okay and still feel the love and forgiveness that Jesus offers them. It is my prayer that we can embody this truth and be Jesus to the world.

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