This is in response to "Fred's" comment in the previous post. My response comment was getting to long...
:-)
"Fred",
It is absolutely true that we should be sensitive to other members of the body of Christ. We (and I'm one of the worst) do a great job of shooting our own wounded and fighting amongst ourselves rather than fighting for a thing truly worthwhile like social justice and the reduction of poverty. If we could work together, how much more could the world change!?
However, there's another side of the coin here, and although we should always be respectful and loving, there is time for confronting. Peter says that the church will be judged first. Therefore we must 'judge' ourselves. There are two reasons for this:
One, is that we are 'in the light'. We have the greatest revelation given to us in the person of Jesus. And to whom much is given, much is required. I don't expect the self driven agnostic to give income to help the poor, but I expect the middle class surbanite with the Jesus fish on the family mini-van to not only give to the poor but to spend time with them (or whoever God lays on their hearts). The practical end result of this is that I may show mercy and love to the agnostic, while giving correction in love to the surbanite who claims to follow Christ.
We have a great example of this in the person of Jesus. He was accused of being a drunk and glutton and he was condemned for being friends and partying with sinners and rebels (tax collectors). Yet Jesus spent time with them, associated with them, laughed with them, loved them, and in that context, taught them and showed them God. At the same time, he rebuked the religious leaders, called them a brood of vipers, and proclaimed them white-washed tombs (insults of the worst kind in the day).
And yet, he still loved them, and for those who responded to Him, we dwelt with them and ate at their houses as well.
Revelation is very clear that Jesus not only encouraged the church, but at times had harsh words. We too, in love, can have harsh words. One can argue that God's judgement of Israel doesn't apply to the church because that was the Old Testament. I would argue that although we are under a new covenant, the same principle applies and you can read it in the Gospels, and throughout the New Testament (Annanias and Saphira for example).
The second reason flows from the first. We have within us the Holy Spirit, a supernatural phenomenon that should draw those in darkness into the light. We are Jesus on the earth, and people are looking for him. And yet in many cases, they see no difference. What they see, is a church spending millions on a new buildings and special effects for the stage. They see a Jesus fish on a Mercedes driving by a homeless person without stopping to give. They see a political giant fighting for rights in schools and denying others the rights that they desire. They see shallow, two faced hypocrites, who proclaim that rated R movies and cussing is bad, while millions die from AIDS on the other side of the world.
Now one can argue that I'm using a Strawman here, but I'm not saying that this is how all Christians act, I'm saying that this is how Christians are perceived because a significant number do indeed act that way. As a result we must heeds Paul's words as an entire body; that we should hold ourselves above reproach and act in a manner worthy of Christ.
And when we don't, we need to say so. We need to say that something is wrong. I believe that as we live honestly with ourselves, and we love those in darkness, while at the same time calling our own lives and the lives of other Christians into accountability we can see Jesus touch the dark places of our world.
People have seen us put on the perfect face long enough. But the whore still shows. Let us expose the whore, wipe our tears on Jesus feet, and allow Him to raise us up and call us His bride. The pharisees may wonder why Jesus is allowing a whore in the house, but world will then see Jesus as the lover of our souls, and us, as people who simply need a relationship with our creator, without all the whorish make-up.
We all desire something real. The world has had enough of "Jesus is my boyfriend, bobble-head doll, fake it till you make it Christianity." Let's get back to the raw, messy, Jesus. The one who drank with tax collectors, and pulled out the whip in the temple.
