In light of recent events, I have seen blog after blog of apologies on behalf of the church. The intention is pure but the varying subjects of apology seem distant from the real problem. Has the church been perfect? Of course not. Anyone can look at her history and see that there have been more than a handful of flubs, failures and embarrassments. There have been times of twisting the Word of God for hidden agendas and manipulation, motivation through fear rather than love, cessationism sensationalism, and justification for certain actions that are not Christ-like in nature. Yes, an apology for such actions is appropriate. But these types of apologies that seem unwarranted. I can think of ten others that seem more fitting. Perhaps if these ten items were addressed, we could be celebrating more and apologizing less.
Where does grace fit in?
In a time where up is down, down is up, the sky is green and the grass is blue, the vast majority of the church has been extremely gracious to others proudly, openly and willingly practicing sin. Yet, I see apology letter after apology letter to these communities and people on behalf of the church – a church (who I believe) has been welcoming, accommodating and loving towards such groups – as they should be. The Gospel of God’s grace is all-inclusive, meaning nobody is left out based on naughty behavior. In retrospect, nobody is included because of good behavior. God’s grace is for all but it is not licentiousness – meaning a “license to sin”. Grace empowers us to live free of sin – namely unbelief, accompanied by bad habits, naughty behavior, and even that desire to perform on our self-righteous high horse for God that makes us look good.
Love never fails. Even when confronted by the popular stigmas.
I would like to commend the portion of the church that has welcomed all people to experience the love of God. All of us were, in fact, excluded so we could be included. What do I mean by that? You are not the chosen one. I am not the chosen one. They are not the chosen ones. Jesus is the only chosen one. Nobody else could accomplish what He did. No one had the power to single-handedly defeat hell, death, and the grave on behalf of the entire world, for every man, woman and child. Whether president, vagabond, dictator, peasant, villain, hero, problem child, or honor student, we were all excluded from what Christ endured, so that in Him alone we could be included. We were predestined in Him (Ephesians 1:11). For God so loved the world (John 3:16). He reconciled the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). However many billions of people have come and gone and will come into this world, the cross of Christ was for them. This finished work was not by them. The cross confronted sin. We were co-crucified with Jesus, buried with Him, raised with Him as brand new creations, are dead to sin and now live in unbroken fellowship with God (Romans 6:1-11).
And how do we attain this life in Christ? The sinner’s prayer on every Gospel tract you’ve seen says you need to confess your sins. Jesus, however, says you must only believe. Don’t confess your sins! Confess Jesus and what He did for you! We shouldn’t have a consciousness of sin because we have been made right with God – once and once for all (Hebrews 10:1-10). Every time you make a mistake, screw up, say a bad word when you stub your toe, or lie to your boss about being out sick when you’re really at the lake fishing, Jesus does not have to climb back on the cross and redo the process. It is finished.
Perhaps an apology should be made.
- For not preaching the Gospel of God’s grace and His kingdom.
- For the many times you were called a sinner when, in fact, you are a saint in Christ.
- For the performance-based belief system that has been demonstrated and the formulaic versions that teach you how to climb into Father God’s lap rather than believing you are already seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).
- For the methodologies that have been practiced to lead you to believe you have to attain something that has already been freely given to you.
- For the abuse of spiritual status that may have led you to feeling condemned. We know there is no condemnation in Christ.
- For the times the church has kept the Holy Spirit a secret and when leaders who have experienced His power do not disclose what is also available to you.
- For the compartmentalizing of roles in the church while neglecting to disciple believers to make more disciples.
- For polarizing generations with contemporary and traditional services to appease preference rather than bringing a sweet aroma of inter-generational worship to Jesus.
- For preparing youth for a life of youth group and for focusing more on entertaining young people with games rather than equipping them to preach the Gospel with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.
- For apologizing on behalf of sects who mix law and grace or use the Bible to fuel and justify their hatred.
Are you a culprit of hatred towards others? My assumption is that you are not because the God of love is abiding in you! So please, stop apologizing and start being Jesus to others. What good is recognizing the problems if we are still not preaching the Gospel of grace? Disarm the accusations by loving wildly, boldly, and radically. Like the Apostle Paul, fully preach the Gospel by the power of the Spirit with signs and wonders confirming the word you preach (Romans 15:18-19). Nobody is too far gone, too distant to reach, or too terrible to be transformed by the good news – that Jesus came as our substitute, full of grace and truth, to accomplish what we never could.
