The church is full of . . . (do you know what comes next?)
hypocrites.
Have you heard this complaint? Maybe you’ve uttered it after being discouraged by a church members sin.
It’s true, in one sense. People sin. Unsaved people, and saved people. We can’t get away from sin, even in the Church. None of us can be that perfect example of ourselves we like to think we can be. We’ve all acted hypocritically.
That’s why being part of a church body requires grace–grace poured on others for their sinfulness, and grace received for our own mistakes. The spiritual life is a journey, and a journey, by nature, is movement from one point to another. We are all moving from imperfect to perfect, and we’ll not arrive until Perfection comes again.
The local congregation should be the playground of grace. Having been saved (passive tense), we offer grace (active tense). We recognize that who we have become in Christ has not been of our own doing, but his.
Let’s get ourselves to the playground of grace and swing on God’s mercy, slide on his love. Let’s move beyond the excuse that the church is full of hypocrites.
Love this theme! I’ve gotten to the point where its no longer about what other people are doing in the church (good or bad) but what I’m doing. If we all take responsibilities for ourselves first the church would be much healthier.