Church was interesting this week. I go to a big church in Nashville and our pastor sent a message this week letting us know that members of a certain hate “church” (the ones that picket at the funeral of military people and tell everyone that God is punishing America because we have gay people) were going to picket at our church (and two others) this Sunday morning. They didn’t agree with our pastor’s stance that everyone is welcome & come as you are. Apparently, they must think only perfect people (no such thing!) should come to church and hear the message.
Well, let me get this straight. First, unless everyone is welcome how can people who don’t know about Jesus hear the good news? How can we change hearts if we don’t invite everyone to come, no strings attached? You claim to be Christians yet you only seem to focus on the homosexuality in the Bible and ignore the rest of Jesus’ commands.
Matthew 5: 43-48: 43- “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. [even though you obviously only agree with your stances we, as Christians, still love you. Why? Because you are our enemies and we are called, by Jesus, to show you how our heavenly Father treats us. And I don't know who your Father is but mine loves all of us.]
Matthew 28: 18-19: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. [Hmm, this says all nations, all people, not just the ones who think like you do. Once you get people in the door Jesus can change the hearts of many, but we have to welcome them for the changes to happen. By not allowing them because they "aren't like us" we are never giving them a chance to see the love of Jesus working in our hearts and lives.]
Do you wonder why Jesus hung out with the least of society? He came for them. Luke 5:32- “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
In your rants against everyone you act like you are better than everyone else. Have you not heard? In Romans 3 it is made clear that we are all sinners, all of us. There is not one righteous one among us. It is through Jesus we are given hope. So why do you think you are better than the homosexual or the divorcee? Do you not know that God loves all his children? He loves all of us and wants us to put his scriptures into use in our life, to live them out. How do you think that people are going to be able to live out His truth if we don’t allow them in? It does not matter who they were before they came to Christ, because He makes all things new (2 Corinthians 5:17- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!). That is me, that is my neighbor, that is the murderer, the adulterer, that is everyone.
He says come as you are and truly means it. He doesn’t mean that we should go and continue to sin and be mean and whatever else. But I really see no way that we can truly change a person without welcoming them as they are. Not one of us was born not a sinner, we are all sinners and until we accepted Jesus we were like everyone else. I don’t think God decided to just have the members of your church born different than the rest of the world. So you are the same as we are. We just choose to follow His commandments and love our neighbors as ourselves. Matthew 25:40- ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Now, I also want to make a point that I do believe that once someone claims to be a professing Christian, it is then that they are to be judged with the rules of the church, but definitely not before. I think this may be where you definitely take things and twist them. There is no way we should hold non-Christians accountable for what we deem to be a standard of living, they should not be held to that standard. (Check out 1 Corinthians 5:9 & 12) We welcome them as they are no matter what. Not only that but Romans 2 mentions that when you pass judgement on others you are trying conceal your own wrongdoings. We are to show kindness, tolerance and patience, and then those on the wrong path will see that God’s kindess leads to repentance.
It saddens me that this group calls themselves Christians and pickets in a way that God would definitely not be for. I am in no means an expert on the Lord, I am just like everyone else learning each and every day. But it saddens me that some people may see these people and think this is what all Christians are like and because of that they resolve to never be a follower of Christ. I pray that is not the only experience that people have with followers of Christ, they deserve to see the love of Jesus in people’s lives and I feel that if you truly have the love of Jesus in your heart you would not feel the need to go picketing everywhere and would love people and welcome them to the arms of Jesus just as they are.
Kristen, I’m proud of you for being brave enough to say this. This is so true. And I second that we are all sinners and need to hear the gospel to be transformed by it and begin to lead the life Jesus created for us. Come as you are, leave washed by the blood of Jesus.
Thank you for sharing..
Barbara @ Chase the Star