OK, so this blog is going to be more about a personal issue than anything else. However, I hope we can all be educated a little by it. My first mistake...this past week I had a little free time at the office and I decided to go roaming in myspace land. I have an account for the youth group and am registered as attending all the local high schools. Whenever I see that there are "new students" in those schools I go add the newbies to the myspace friends list so that they can know what's going on and maybe get involved. Like I said, first mistake.
My second mistake...I saw someones name that looked like it had a derogatory word in it...but I could only see half the name because it was a sentence instead of an actual name. I clicked on it and low and behold...yep... the mother of all cuss words right there. So if you know me, you know that I am kind of a guy of principle. I don't let a lot of things go when I think something wrong is going on. So I did what I always do when I see someones myspace that is pretty trashy. My third mistake...I scrolled down to look at the personal stats and look beside "Religion." Can you guess what I saw? Yep, Christian - other. Why I should have just chuckled and thought to myself... "Yeah, I'd say other! More like not at all!" I didn't. I emailed the kid. I say kid because he is younger than me. But he is old enough to drive, old enough to smoke and I am pretty sure he is old enough to fight...so I was treading pretty heavy right then.
In the midst of the email I made up a little funny quip. "The Poser Award." I told him that I was giving it to him because he was the king of all posers. Not only did he have fake "grillz" and kept lifting up his shirt to show his lack of defined abs in all his pictures, but he claimed to be a follower of Christ when the fruit didn't bear witness...pun intended. It wasn't like I didn't see a Jesus fish, wwjd pictures or video clips from the Passion of the Christ crucifixion scene so I just decided that he was a faker...it wasn't that there wasn't any fruit. It was that the fruit was bad! Now I could break into scripture here...but you all know it. A good tree doesn't bear bad fruit like that. Yeah, every once in a while an apple tree will bear a rotten apple due to weather conditions or a sudden onslaught of worms...but not like this. The entire myspace was full of crude jokes about women, filthy language, sexual references and the like.
So I emailed him telling him he was a poser and that it wasn't appreciated that he was doing all this unpaid false advertisement for the Kingdom of God. I then took it a step further...mistake number...oh I lost count. I made an html tag for his picture and link to his myspace and set up a section on ours that had it all and proclaimed him as poser king. I then sent a bulletin to everyone to announce the new award. Later that day I got a response. A high school...I think he is in high school...student emailed me and told me how it was the worst form of evangelism he had ever seen, that I should get in trouble for it, and that it was ridiculous. All of these were probably the absolute truth. But what I didn't agree with was this...
He told me that we are supposed to "welcome everyone into the family of God"...not embarrass them. OK...maybe the embarrassment part was mostly true...I do have a strong argument from scripture against it but I will leave it alone unless someone wants to hear it. Where in the Bible are we instructed to "welcome everyone into the family of God?" Even though some scripture talks about how we treat outsiders and such, the overall theme of scripture about this subject doesn't look anything like this statement. I went on to ask this replier if he had read the entire Bible. He said no.
Here's my point: the church of America...namely the young church of my area is highly uneducated when it comes to subjects of scripture. This replier is a member of the coolest trend that is emerging...the punk rock church. Though it isn't called that by its members, I am beginning to refer to it as such. This breed of Christians are characterized by their love for punk, emo, screamo, and loud music and their belief that church sucks. Most of them go to church, and either hate it or love to make a huge point when they are there.
I heard tonight that several kids from the area this replier is from were all mad at me because of some comment. I knew what the tattle tale was talking about. They are all mad because they think it is mean to tell someone they aren't the "type" of christian I think they should be. And that is one of the biggest problems I have with the punk rock church. I love loud music. But this trend of hating leadership and authority is really beginning to eat away at my patience. The PRC is led by people my age...mid twenties and most of its congregants are 13-19. They love to smoke, get tattoos, and fool around with drugs, alcohol, and their boyfriends and girlfriends and justify it all by the fact that they are imperfect people who love Jesus...and love is all that matters right? Sound familiar... its the same post modern bull honky that is growing in the emergent movement. Its the same crap that the liberal mainline churches have been trying to promote for several years now. Forget all that...its the crap Jesus talked about would happen, and Paul warned was happening back in the first century church.
So here's the deal... should we welcome or convert? Don't get me wrong, I am not some fundamentalist Bible thumper who wants to make everyone fall in line and get changed to look like someone from the 1870's when they get saved. I am totally for progressive culture and the like. But I will NEVER...write it down...NEVER compromise the Word of God when it comes to doing so. If we do that, we no longer have the church, but a stupid, pointless, social club that likes to sing and listen to people talk about mystical stuff...not my cup of tea. People have got to know they are sinners. Sometimes in our area...or any area near the Bible belt you have to "get em lost before you can get em saved." Everyone thinks they are a "christian" because their parents are, or they have gone to church before or because they want to have a box to check when filling out stuff and wouldn't want to have the negative connotation of being called an atheist. But seriously, that's what a person is...if they really believe in God yet live against everything He has set up, you either really don't believe in Him and are an atheist or you are a Satan worshipper because you set yourself up to be god by always doing what you have decided to do.
Many people think you are going to "love" in so many people. And tonight I was thinking about this. And I truly do believe you "love" someone in. I believe you love, accept, and minister to the lost...those who know it and want to change. But when someone becomes a Christian and claimed the name of Jesus as their own, that's where true love begins. Read the Bible people! I guess all the reading the students today are doing is pretty bible study books that teach all the same stuff over and over again. The NT is full of church discipline. Yeah, discipline. The act of a church punishing a person for not living according to the calling they claim to have...as a member of a group of people who believes in Jesus (a Christian). Read it...its pretty harsh. It goes as far as kicking people out and "turning them over to Satan" and stuff like that. And it is all done out of love. True loves wants someone to be right with God. Sometimes that means not being "nice." It means telling the truth.
When I was 17 I thought I had it all together. I was good at putting on a show and getting the right kind of attention. One day true love hit me like a ton of bricks right between the eyes. I was called a poser...in more words. I was told what a fake, phony and fraud I was. I was told the truth. I would probably be going to hell because I didn't look like Jesus, act like Jesus, or even look or act like someone should when they claim to look or act like Jesus. At first I was mad. At first I wanted to punch this guy in the mouth and tell him where he could shove it all. But I didn't. I listened. I took it all in. And almost 7 years later I am living my entire existence for the cause of Jesus' gospel. Some friends of mine at the time told me that this person had no right to tell me what he did. It wasn't his business and I should be mad. These friends aren't following the Lord today. They are confused about who He is and what they should actually do with Him.
So I made some mistakes this week. I really am pretty sorry for them. Just another reason to prove that I am not perfect and need Jesus to save me. And I love Him for that. But at the same time, I hope that somehow God can take my mistake and turn it into a lesson for others. I hope you have learned a little somethin' somethin'.
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Monday, January 8, 2007
Wasting Time Being Well Rounded
Later this month I am going to speak at my Alma mater, McKendree College. Well, I'm not actually speaking at the school, but at an off campus ministry located a block from campus. This is the same ministry that I helped found and run for almost a year of my college career. I am terribly excited to go speak. The drive is long and the crowd pretty small, as some may measure smallness, and the drive back is even longer but still something in me gets excited to speak each time I am asked. Maybe its the sense of "neededness" that I feel when the director emails me, or maybe the dream of revival on campus sparked by one voice is still alive in my heart. Who knows?
As I was brainstorming, which I do regularly before I speak, on what I would speak on, an idea popped in my head. Currently, my ministry involvement is based solely with people 20 years old and under. And as it goes, with most people this age, they are completely entrenched in school life. If they aren't playing 3 sports, cheerleading, captain of the speech team, student body Representative, and assistant to the principal or dean, they at least attend all the events that allow someone to watch those who are. And so life goes...day after day, week after week, month after month...and yes...year after year.
Now I don't want anyone to think that I don't appreciate schooling because I do. I love school. I love it so much that I could only stay away for 2 years. This year I will begin my graduate work at the seminary of my choice...I am totally elated and overjoyed. But one thing I hate and hated and I went through school. There is this mindset with parents and educators that eventually becomes a cancer in the mind of each student that they are to be "well-rounded" individuals.
In high school this means playing sports, attending sporting events, being involved in 34 clubs, going to all the school dances, bonfires, pep rallies and glee club performances... all of that AND have an active social life that is chucked full of text and instant messaging until your fingers (which you just learned the right keys they belong on) grow calloused.
As college comes around the same is true. Every parent and educator will harp on "grades" and "classes" and maybe even call it "studies." And because this student has gone through a high school career where everyone told him or her to do everything and be "well rounded" they have been mind-bathed to be "well rounded." And what does THAT mean? Let me tell you what it means as I saw it and am seeing it.
College student A goes to said college and begins to study for his/her prospective degree in which they have devoted hours and days to dreaming out. About 2 weeks into the first semester student A is invited by students X, Y, and Z (the older students) to be well rounded. They begin to stay up late every night "hanging out." No, this isn't going to turn into the talk that some may give you about warning against the late nights of booze, sex, and experimental drug use. I am talking about just straight chillin'.
So student A is diligent in his/her studies, joins a frat/sorority and enjoys the well rounded college life. He/she is learning the ropes of life. Many responsibilities and juggling them all. And when they come home from school for break they "hang out" and "catch up" will all the old high school friends who also gained 20 lbs their first semester and really don't care about the old stuff they used to.
So what the heck am I saying? (I'm beginning to lose myself) What the heck is our educational life for? I call it that because its almost as if the rest of our world goes into pause mode when its going on. We are expected to focus on who? US! We are indoctrinated to worry about, plan for, care for, dream about, me...self...I. Its talked about and approached like the world will end and someone will turn into a never shaving, forever stinking, social recluse, wackjob if they care about Jesus during this time.
And I don't mean the "well rounded" caring about Jesus that I saw the other day when I saw a group of 4 girls who are currently drunkards and fornicators praying for their meal. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that one. "Dear Jesus, thank you for this food. We pray that we would not get the clap tonight as we embark on a new journey to see how much hard liquor our stomachs can hold and our livers can process. Let this food give us the energy to bump and grind dance for hours and even have enough energy to get the guy's number before we fall asleep after yet another one night stand. Amen." Someone else thought it was funny...funny enough to write a comment about it on their facebook. They girl's response..."At least I said the prayer!." Seriously...she said that.
What I am saying is this...because I hope that anyone who reads this will probably fall close to the age where they can be affected by it... have some stinkin' sense of mission in your life. If you love Jesus, live like it. Live according to His word, and live for Him. Quit the cussing...it really isn't as cool as you think it sounds. Quit the social drinking... still not as cool as you think it looks. Idolizing people like Bob Marley and Snoop Dogg was cool in 7th grade, but really won't and don't point you to Jesus in any sort of way. Quit caring so much about being well rounded and being involved in everything. Jesus didn't put a "high school or college clause" in the gospel. He didn't tell us to serve Him only after we graduate and have lived life to the fullest and experimented enough to know what we like and don't like.
Mark it down, students will look back on time well wasted. Years and opportunities to share Jesus and live like Jesus, and become more like Jesus wasted...for what?... popularity? fun? entertainment?
My head still isn't completely straight on what I'm going to share later this month... but I know what it WON'T be on: "How to share Jesus while pumping the keg" or "Greet each other with a holy kiss, back massage, sexual favor" or "Accountability: knowing when to say enough is enough" and definitely not "Jesus' first miracles: deductive reasoning as to why its OK to throw an orgy."
Jesus died...start Living
As I was brainstorming, which I do regularly before I speak, on what I would speak on, an idea popped in my head. Currently, my ministry involvement is based solely with people 20 years old and under. And as it goes, with most people this age, they are completely entrenched in school life. If they aren't playing 3 sports, cheerleading, captain of the speech team, student body Representative, and assistant to the principal or dean, they at least attend all the events that allow someone to watch those who are. And so life goes...day after day, week after week, month after month...and yes...year after year.
Now I don't want anyone to think that I don't appreciate schooling because I do. I love school. I love it so much that I could only stay away for 2 years. This year I will begin my graduate work at the seminary of my choice...I am totally elated and overjoyed. But one thing I hate and hated and I went through school. There is this mindset with parents and educators that eventually becomes a cancer in the mind of each student that they are to be "well-rounded" individuals.
In high school this means playing sports, attending sporting events, being involved in 34 clubs, going to all the school dances, bonfires, pep rallies and glee club performances... all of that AND have an active social life that is chucked full of text and instant messaging until your fingers (which you just learned the right keys they belong on) grow calloused.
As college comes around the same is true. Every parent and educator will harp on "grades" and "classes" and maybe even call it "studies." And because this student has gone through a high school career where everyone told him or her to do everything and be "well rounded" they have been mind-bathed to be "well rounded." And what does THAT mean? Let me tell you what it means as I saw it and am seeing it.
College student A goes to said college and begins to study for his/her prospective degree in which they have devoted hours and days to dreaming out. About 2 weeks into the first semester student A is invited by students X, Y, and Z (the older students) to be well rounded. They begin to stay up late every night "hanging out." No, this isn't going to turn into the talk that some may give you about warning against the late nights of booze, sex, and experimental drug use. I am talking about just straight chillin'.
So student A is diligent in his/her studies, joins a frat/sorority and enjoys the well rounded college life. He/she is learning the ropes of life. Many responsibilities and juggling them all. And when they come home from school for break they "hang out" and "catch up" will all the old high school friends who also gained 20 lbs their first semester and really don't care about the old stuff they used to.
So what the heck am I saying? (I'm beginning to lose myself) What the heck is our educational life for? I call it that because its almost as if the rest of our world goes into pause mode when its going on. We are expected to focus on who? US! We are indoctrinated to worry about, plan for, care for, dream about, me...self...I. Its talked about and approached like the world will end and someone will turn into a never shaving, forever stinking, social recluse, wackjob if they care about Jesus during this time.
And I don't mean the "well rounded" caring about Jesus that I saw the other day when I saw a group of 4 girls who are currently drunkards and fornicators praying for their meal. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that one. "Dear Jesus, thank you for this food. We pray that we would not get the clap tonight as we embark on a new journey to see how much hard liquor our stomachs can hold and our livers can process. Let this food give us the energy to bump and grind dance for hours and even have enough energy to get the guy's number before we fall asleep after yet another one night stand. Amen." Someone else thought it was funny...funny enough to write a comment about it on their facebook. They girl's response..."At least I said the prayer!." Seriously...she said that.
What I am saying is this...because I hope that anyone who reads this will probably fall close to the age where they can be affected by it... have some stinkin' sense of mission in your life. If you love Jesus, live like it. Live according to His word, and live for Him. Quit the cussing...it really isn't as cool as you think it sounds. Quit the social drinking... still not as cool as you think it looks. Idolizing people like Bob Marley and Snoop Dogg was cool in 7th grade, but really won't and don't point you to Jesus in any sort of way. Quit caring so much about being well rounded and being involved in everything. Jesus didn't put a "high school or college clause" in the gospel. He didn't tell us to serve Him only after we graduate and have lived life to the fullest and experimented enough to know what we like and don't like.
Mark it down, students will look back on time well wasted. Years and opportunities to share Jesus and live like Jesus, and become more like Jesus wasted...for what?... popularity? fun? entertainment?
My head still isn't completely straight on what I'm going to share later this month... but I know what it WON'T be on: "How to share Jesus while pumping the keg" or "Greet each other with a holy kiss, back massage, sexual favor" or "Accountability: knowing when to say enough is enough" and definitely not "Jesus' first miracles: deductive reasoning as to why its OK to throw an orgy."
Jesus died...start Living
Monday, December 11, 2006
The Great Forgiver?
You may be like me and debate within your own mind on issues of the Bible. Sometimes my cognitive dissonance is so great that I spend long periods of time in thought over thinking. One of the areas that I debate myself over on a constant basis is the presentation of the "salvation" message. You know I mean...or...maybe you don't. I don't mean that I have a hard time presenting the gospel or preaching God's word, what I mean is that 5 minute plug that some preachers give at the end of a message or you may understand it better as the 2 hour rant that other preachers give.
And that is debate in my own mind. Because here is what I have found. How can we have true converts, true Christians if we don't call them to the right or true conversion? If we invite someone to "accept" Jesus, in someone's mind it might seem that Jesus is standing at the front of the church begging that you would let Him come live in your heart because he is cold and homeless. Nothing could be farther from the truth of the situation, and most of us know this, but our rhetoric to a world that doesn't understand our "christianese" can often make assumptions based on what we say and how we say it. I know I would.
For a while now I have been on a huge rant about "The Purpose Driven Life" craze that has swept the Christian nation. I have been quoted as saying, "If you need a book other than the Bible to tell you that your life has purpose than I have a hard time believing that you have the Spirit of God living in you and that you have really been freed from all your sin, become a new creation and are living for the Lord." It may sound harsh but that is really my heart about the issue. Yeah, I own the book...and the journal that comes with it. But I've opened neither of them. I received them as a Christmas present one year..."So what are you trying to tell me?" And I have seen non-Christians read it and stay that way and I have heard of people reading it and their perspective on life being radically changed.
But I guess that is one place where the Church as failed. If it takes a trendy new book to sweep the nation for congregants all over the world, let alone our own country, to see that God has a purpose for their life, then I don't know if we have called them to the right place of salvation.
Don't misunderstand me here. I am not saying that I want to nor would I ever condone the preaching of "God has a wonderful plan for your life." I have read Ray Comfort's books. I think if I did that I would want that 5'1" fireball of a man to come and kick my butt six ways to Sunday. But the truth of the matter is, God does call us to salvation for a purpose, His purpose. And that purpose is an extremely wonderful plan; a plan devised in the heart of God for the heart of God. God's plan for every single human being He calls is for them to worship Him. Jesus died so that we may live. Not so that we may live and live for our own desire, pleasures, and purposes. That is what got us lost and hell bound to begin with. Jesus died so that we may live to do nothing else but worship Him.
Whoa, at first this may seem like our God is a narcissist. But we can't look at it as such. God knows what is best for us. He knows what will satisfy our every longing. He knows what will give us the biggest and most intense rush. He knows what our bodies, souls, and spirits long for and that is Him. God meets our every real need by giving us Him. So its a win-win situation.
But that's not the end of it. If Jesus died so that we could just raise our hands, sing songs, and occasionally sway to some music for Him, what is life for? Well, I'm glad you asked. Paul explains to us in Romans 12 that giving our bodies to Him is our spiritual act of worship. Worshipping God is doing anything that says, "God, you are in control and I want to follow you and obey you and trust you and listen to you...because you are good." Yeah, digging a ditch can be worship. Jesus told a group of Jews, God's people chosen to be a light to the gentiles, that they were the light of the world and shouldn't hide that light. He told them that if they would live according to the purpose God set our for them (I will be your God and you will by My people) that people would see what they were doing and praise their Father in Heaven. God receives glory when we live out the life He has for us. (Matthew 5)
But back to the central idea here. What is God's purpose for the convert? Here is what I think is one of the largest fallacies we could preach or teach: Jesus is the Great Forgiver.
At first sound it may sound like I am being totally unorthodox in my message here, but believe me, I'm not.
But once again, let's examine why Jesus died, what He taught, and what He left us with.
When Jesus came on the scene for the first time an angel told His parents that He would be a king that would save His people from their sins. Remember that. He would "save" His people from their sins. Later in life, John the Baptist sees Jesus and shouts, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Remember that. Later Jesus says that He came to "seek and save that which is lost." Jesus refers to himself like a medical profession when He says, "It's the sick who need a doctor, not the healthy." Read Pauline scripture. You will see a great theme; one that states that Jesus died because reconciliation between men and God had to happen for man to be in right relationship with God again. Sure, Jesus forgave sins while on the earth, He even spoke that to a man that was paralyzed, but to call people to that, the forgiveness of sins, is a falsehood and at best an incomplete image of what He actually wants to do in their life.
If Jesus' purpose and desire was just to forgive sins and therefore die and make everything better and everyone good to go, then why did He tell His disciples it was vastly important that He go away? Because when Jesus left, He sent the Holy Spirit, whose purpose is to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment. If forgiveness was the end, the what need would there before conviction? If forgiveness was the end then why did God send John the Baptist to lay a foundation of repentance for Jesus' ministry? If forgiveness is the end then why would tell us that we shouldn't go on sinning so that grace may abound?
Forgiveness isn't the end. Forgiveness can't be the message. The message is one of repentance, reconciliation, freedom, righteousness, wholeness, eternity...and yes, forgiveness of sins. So let's not tell people that Jesus want to forgive their sins and if they would just put their trust in Him, He will do that. For those with a heart of repentance, that works, its the last element they may need to hear, that while they are separated from God because of their sins, a Loving, merciful, Judging God wants to forgive them of their repented sin and therefore bring them back into perfect communion with Himself. But for those whose fallen conscience even tells them what they have done is bad, all they want is the removal of guilt and approval of freedom. They want the heavenly "get out of jail free" card. And what Jesus did meant more than that. He forgave us all our sins, He cancelled the debt that we owed for our sins, nailing it to the cross and therefore paying it for us. The Word declares to us that we are not our own and pronounces this: "You were bought with a price."
Jesus Christ did more than forgive our sins. He bought us back. He paid our debt. He died our death. Of all the names the Bible gives Him, 'the Great Forgiver' is nowhere to be found. I would ask that we not invent it with our actions. Amen
And that is debate in my own mind. Because here is what I have found. How can we have true converts, true Christians if we don't call them to the right or true conversion? If we invite someone to "accept" Jesus, in someone's mind it might seem that Jesus is standing at the front of the church begging that you would let Him come live in your heart because he is cold and homeless. Nothing could be farther from the truth of the situation, and most of us know this, but our rhetoric to a world that doesn't understand our "christianese" can often make assumptions based on what we say and how we say it. I know I would.
For a while now I have been on a huge rant about "The Purpose Driven Life" craze that has swept the Christian nation. I have been quoted as saying, "If you need a book other than the Bible to tell you that your life has purpose than I have a hard time believing that you have the Spirit of God living in you and that you have really been freed from all your sin, become a new creation and are living for the Lord." It may sound harsh but that is really my heart about the issue. Yeah, I own the book...and the journal that comes with it. But I've opened neither of them. I received them as a Christmas present one year..."So what are you trying to tell me?" And I have seen non-Christians read it and stay that way and I have heard of people reading it and their perspective on life being radically changed.
But I guess that is one place where the Church as failed. If it takes a trendy new book to sweep the nation for congregants all over the world, let alone our own country, to see that God has a purpose for their life, then I don't know if we have called them to the right place of salvation.
Don't misunderstand me here. I am not saying that I want to nor would I ever condone the preaching of "God has a wonderful plan for your life." I have read Ray Comfort's books. I think if I did that I would want that 5'1" fireball of a man to come and kick my butt six ways to Sunday. But the truth of the matter is, God does call us to salvation for a purpose, His purpose. And that purpose is an extremely wonderful plan; a plan devised in the heart of God for the heart of God. God's plan for every single human being He calls is for them to worship Him. Jesus died so that we may live. Not so that we may live and live for our own desire, pleasures, and purposes. That is what got us lost and hell bound to begin with. Jesus died so that we may live to do nothing else but worship Him.
Whoa, at first this may seem like our God is a narcissist. But we can't look at it as such. God knows what is best for us. He knows what will satisfy our every longing. He knows what will give us the biggest and most intense rush. He knows what our bodies, souls, and spirits long for and that is Him. God meets our every real need by giving us Him. So its a win-win situation.
But that's not the end of it. If Jesus died so that we could just raise our hands, sing songs, and occasionally sway to some music for Him, what is life for? Well, I'm glad you asked. Paul explains to us in Romans 12 that giving our bodies to Him is our spiritual act of worship. Worshipping God is doing anything that says, "God, you are in control and I want to follow you and obey you and trust you and listen to you...because you are good." Yeah, digging a ditch can be worship. Jesus told a group of Jews, God's people chosen to be a light to the gentiles, that they were the light of the world and shouldn't hide that light. He told them that if they would live according to the purpose God set our for them (I will be your God and you will by My people) that people would see what they were doing and praise their Father in Heaven. God receives glory when we live out the life He has for us. (Matthew 5)
But back to the central idea here. What is God's purpose for the convert? Here is what I think is one of the largest fallacies we could preach or teach: Jesus is the Great Forgiver.
At first sound it may sound like I am being totally unorthodox in my message here, but believe me, I'm not.
But once again, let's examine why Jesus died, what He taught, and what He left us with.
When Jesus came on the scene for the first time an angel told His parents that He would be a king that would save His people from their sins. Remember that. He would "save" His people from their sins. Later in life, John the Baptist sees Jesus and shouts, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Remember that. Later Jesus says that He came to "seek and save that which is lost." Jesus refers to himself like a medical profession when He says, "It's the sick who need a doctor, not the healthy." Read Pauline scripture. You will see a great theme; one that states that Jesus died because reconciliation between men and God had to happen for man to be in right relationship with God again. Sure, Jesus forgave sins while on the earth, He even spoke that to a man that was paralyzed, but to call people to that, the forgiveness of sins, is a falsehood and at best an incomplete image of what He actually wants to do in their life.
If Jesus' purpose and desire was just to forgive sins and therefore die and make everything better and everyone good to go, then why did He tell His disciples it was vastly important that He go away? Because when Jesus left, He sent the Holy Spirit, whose purpose is to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment. If forgiveness was the end, the what need would there before conviction? If forgiveness was the end then why did God send John the Baptist to lay a foundation of repentance for Jesus' ministry? If forgiveness is the end then why would tell us that we shouldn't go on sinning so that grace may abound?
Forgiveness isn't the end. Forgiveness can't be the message. The message is one of repentance, reconciliation, freedom, righteousness, wholeness, eternity...and yes, forgiveness of sins. So let's not tell people that Jesus want to forgive their sins and if they would just put their trust in Him, He will do that. For those with a heart of repentance, that works, its the last element they may need to hear, that while they are separated from God because of their sins, a Loving, merciful, Judging God wants to forgive them of their repented sin and therefore bring them back into perfect communion with Himself. But for those whose fallen conscience even tells them what they have done is bad, all they want is the removal of guilt and approval of freedom. They want the heavenly "get out of jail free" card. And what Jesus did meant more than that. He forgave us all our sins, He cancelled the debt that we owed for our sins, nailing it to the cross and therefore paying it for us. The Word declares to us that we are not our own and pronounces this: "You were bought with a price."
Jesus Christ did more than forgive our sins. He bought us back. He paid our debt. He died our death. Of all the names the Bible gives Him, 'the Great Forgiver' is nowhere to be found. I would ask that we not invent it with our actions. Amen
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