A Fresh Perspective - 11/23/07
Many religious people have a tendency to project onto their relationship with God sentiments of condemnation and rejection - they feel as if God doesn't like them very much. I think this happens because in most human relationships acceptance is conditional and love has to be earned. We carry this into a relationship with God - God will accept me if I confess all my sins, if I believe the right things, if I behave a certain way, etc.
But the core message of the gospel is that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"; that while we were enemies of God - in the very state of enmity and hostility against God - God acted through Jesus Christ to reconcile us to himself (Rom. 5:6-8). This revelation of divine love was not a one time, single historical disclosure, but the expression of God's constant attitude towards us. God loves us, warts and all.
God accepts us not as we should be, but as we are. That is not to say that God approves of everything in our lives; spiritual growth and moral development in the love and goodness of Christ is a journey of twists and turns, ups and downs. But we do not have to earn our acceptance; it is a gift of grace.
When the reality of this truth descends from our minds into our hearts, taking root there, we flourish as the weeds of fear, guilt and condemnation dwindle and dry up. I like the way the writer of 1 John puts it: "If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts." Or as Paul says, "Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound." If we can trust this word of grace we will be liberated from our fears and empowered to be real, authentic persons, honest about the human condition - especially our own. We will be less likely to put on a mask or play a role, being secure in God's unconditional acceptance.
We can then offer the gift of acceptance to others. St. Augustine wrote, "My true brothers and sisters are those who rejoice for me in their hearts when they find good in me, and grieve for me when they find sin. They are my true brothers and sisters, because whether they see good in me or evil, they love me still. To such as these I shall reveal what I am."
Paul instructed the church in Rome: "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God" (15:7). We can preach sermons and sing praise songs until Jesus comes, but if we do not accept our brothers and sisters as they are, all our holy, pious pontifications are just empty, hollow words devoid of love.
Chuck Queen is Senior Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Frankfort. You can access his sermons and past articles at www.ibcfrankfort.com. He welcomes your comments at cqueen@fewpb.net.