As I was reading Paul's first letter to the Corinthians this morning, I came to 5:9-13. I really began to think about the Church and how screwed up things seem.
Paul is admonishing the Church to stay away from the sexually immoral. But he makes it clear "...not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world." He is talking about staying away from those INSIDE the Church who are living lives characterized by sin.
My small view and experience of church world seems to show that rather than staying away from one inside the church who has a life characterized by sin, the Church has pretty much taken itself out of the world to isolate and insulate itself from those "bad people" out there becoming a "holy huddle" of like minded people who are ineffective in reaching the world for Christ.
Then again, maybe there is also such an attitude of perfection expected in the Church that the one who struggles with sin tries so hard to keep it hidden that the Church doesn't even know about it. Or if it does, ignores it; or gossips about it. In 2 Corinthians 2:6-9 and Galatians 6:1, Paul tells us the purpose of confrontation is restoration and obedience.
Since I am the Church, what are my personal attitudes about those outside and inside the Church? What am I doing to help fellow believers, and to have them help me, confront sin in each of our lives? And what am I doing to reach those who are outside the influence of the Gospel? Do I stay away from them thinking somehow that I will be "tarnished" if I am friends with them or do I accept them as lost and in need of Jesus?
No comments:
Post a Comment