I was miraculously converted to Christianity through a two by four. While I was not exactly hit in the head with a piece of board I did receive a complete shaking of my life. The wonderful thing was that I discovered the amazing grace of God’s plan for humanity.
I was so overwhelmed by the gracious second chance that Christ’s sacrifice offered me that I often spontaneously broke into tears. I voraciously devoured God’s word, completing the New Testament in the first 30 days of my Christian walk.
My patient wife, who grew up in a Methodist church, was thrilled to see me jumping up and down loving every minute of discovery. Until my conversion she had lived with a vulgar man who hated Christianity so badly that he had threatened to shoot a TV set that had a Christian program on if she didn’t turn the channel!
I became severely confused the first time I saw the reaction of Christians to a Christian who had sinned. Judgmental attitudes and expectations abounded. Some were willing to forgive but only with conditions similar to probation. I turned to God’s word where I had found newness of life in search of the appropriate response.
(Gal 6:1-5 NIV) Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. {2} Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. {3} If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. {4} Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, {5} for each one should carry his own load.
God teaches us to take a gentle approach to Christians who sin. Not only are we to be gentle but we also need to think of ourselves. After all, it is very easy to fall into sin.
(Heb 12:1 NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
All of us have sinned. None of us can lay claim to the fame of not sinning.
(1 John 1:8 NIV) If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
It is easy for us to fall into the improper mindset of believing that all Christians should live perfect lives. The reality is that if we did not sin we would not need a Savior!
Working hard to live a perfect life is a command of God. Perfection does not come through following a list of rules. It does not come in a work accomplished by the hand of man. God’s domain is the heart. It is the attitude of our heart that identifies our actions as sin. Only God can clearly see the attitude of the heart.
As believers we need to embrace the balance of God’s word. Yes, we are to strive to be perfect. We are to do good works. We are to act and speak in a manner that gives glory to God. We must also realize that nobody is capable of achieving this goal without God’s Spirit.
(2 Cor 5:17-19 )
We all sin and thus we all need the reconciliation to God on a regular basis. Look for someone to reconcile to God this week. Realize that you are capable of falling into sin as easily as that person. Help that person to accept the perpetual forgiveness of our Savior. Often it only takes a word of encouragement. It is said that Christianity is the only religion that shoots its wounded. Let’s make that phrase lose its power by encouraging the walking wounded in the world of Christianity. Pick up their burden and bear it for them until they regain their strength. In this way you will show the love of God and be a shining example of what it means to be a Christian.
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