For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20
We all want to belong. We all thrive on being with people just like us, so we have clubs. Lots of clubs. Football Clubs, Slimming Clubs, ‘Secret’ Society Clubs, Shopping Clubs, Camera Clubs, and the list could go on. Although different, they all have one thing in common and it’s the ultimatum. If you don’t want to be like us enough to fit in, and follow and obey the rules, you can’t join and be one of them!
Have you ever been turned down for membership of a club? It can be discouraging, or even devastating to say the least. I thought I was good enough to be accepted as ‘one of them’ but I am not. Have you ever felt rejected? I am sad to say that some churches operate on the ultimatum rule too, but that isn’t Jesus’ way. Since our Saviour operates on the principle of love, He will accept us if we love Him enough to be like Him, and drop those bad habits, or sins as they truly are. Jesus does not work on the ultimatum principle. Ever. There is a big difference between doing something because you have little choice, or because you love a person enough you want to please them. Remember when you decided that boy or girl was ‘the one’? Did you love them because you felt you had no other choice? Of course not. Simply put you were in love, and only wanted to please them. So it is with Jesus, and since the Church is His body of believers, it and we, should be no different. How do you and your church shape up to ‘the ultimatum’? Or do we operate on the principle of the love of God as shown in Christ Jesus? When we are accepted by Jesus, then you and I are good enough for His Church (Capital ‘C’). Maybe we need to let those other ‘club-churches’ (small ‘c’) carry on regardless.
A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34,35
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