Imperfect Christians

Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. Romans 3:9-11 NLT

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. Romans 10:12 ESV

It is clear from Scripture that we are all sinners before an almighty God. In Bible times it was the Pharisaic Jews who claimed the high ground of being special, but we learn very quickly that Jesus died for all, whether Jew, or Gentile including those learned and clever Greek philosophers. Today we would think that it’s the Evangelical church goers who are the special ones, and we would look down on all those others, because they don’t measure up to the right (that’s our) standards. Nothing much has changed in the past 2,000 years, has it?!

Now as then, we are tempted (and we fail at this) to see ourselves as ‘above’, and those others as ‘beneath’ because they don’t act like us. Or speak like us. Or dress like us. Or give like us. Get the picture?

Since we have God’s Word telling us that we are all sinners, and that includes those inside and outside the church, why oh why are we so quick to decide how people should behave? Those people call themselves Christians we say, and yet they might: read the wrong newspapers, or listen to the wrong music, or watch the wrong movies, or mix with the wrong people, or their conversation is too near the bone. They might not swear or curse or take the Lord’s Name in vain, but we reckon they need to clean up their vocabulary.

With all that going on, we wouldn’t want to be contaminated, or for our friends to think we were like them, but we have to be seen to do something. After all, they are not a good example of what a Christian should be like. So, they leave that church because they didn’t address all the wrongs that were going on under their noses, and look for another one with fewer faults and better Christians. My question is this: Who does that sound like? For my part it is too close to the Jewish Pharisees of Jesus day. Too close. Let me ask another question, and I will not give an answer. Faced with these less than perfect Christians, what do you think Jesus would do? I will leave that with you to think about, and ponder.

Over Qualified

“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14 NLT

Is it ever possible to be overqualified in the work of the Kingdom of God? This thought was in my mind recently, and wouldn’t go away easily. At first I focussed on the church leadership, not only of my own church but every denomination. But what about the good folks who turn up to praise and worship week after week? Are they qualified? At the end of the day, what makes any of us qualified at all?

In the Bible passage above, the pharisee is undoubtedly the qualified person in the story. The ‘sinner’ has no faith qualification recognised by their society, but Jesus said that it was he who was justified, and not the over-qualified and very educated, pharisee. Who’d have thought? But doesn’t this give you encouragement and pause for thought? It does me. Since Jesus is the true judge of all that’s right, and makes no mistakes, that means the Kingdom is not solely reserved for the university educated. Yes, most churches require their pastors to be educated to a minimum level before they are let loose on a congregation, but it is good to understand that the degree gained is not the entry pass into heaven. You and I can have that assurance too, as long as we behave like the sinner and ask God to be merciful to us!

Since we are all equally qualified, we are all part of the great commission because we are Jesus’ followers and it was Jesus who said: Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Mark 16:15 NLT. But, but… I hear you say, I am no good at talking to others, or reading and remembering things. I was no good in school and I’m no good now. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus thought of this too when He assures us: But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 NIV. So, there is no doubt about it, you and I are well qualified and not over-qualified. Let’s face it, who would want to be that pompous overqualified pharisee anyway?

Elite

“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers*. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 18:10-14 NLT

*Add your own sin of choice here. There are many to pick from.

Maybe we don’t mean it, but we can get a bit ‘uppity’ in church circles, especially with anyone who hasn’t been on the way so long and doesn’t know the ropes, or maybe someone who already knows it all and isn’t slow to say so, or even someone who has been a Christian many years, but has a God forgiven unsavoury past that we don’t approve of. Oh, how far back our memory can go when we see ourselves as elite, or like the Pharisee, just ‘better’. After all, we don’t want to be seen condoning that kind of sinful behaviour no matter when it happened, and even if it has been forgiven by the only One that matters.

Jesus told this story for a reason. He knew how frail and weak we humans are, jumping to conclusions for all the wrong reasons and in the process hurting good people. All in the ‘holy’ quest of not wanting to be like or near the despised sinner. I accept and agree that we must be a good example and witness to the unchurched as Jesus was, and that will mean being in their company at times. However it should not mean that we become just like them, or one of their company in the process.

The trouble is that while we take our perhaps well meaning steps to be better Christians, we are not the ones that Jesus said are justified before God. If we put ourselves in a lofty position above others, we then are forced to look down on them. Is that what we want? Is that what Jesus would want for us? There may be a price to pay. We will have to swallow our pride and accept that we must love that same person we had been trying to avoid, while forgiving both them and ourselves. But try to be honest, hard as it may be, because that’s a better outcome in Jesus’ eyes and isn’t that what matters most? Yes, I thought so too!