Sinners in the hands of a LOVING God!
Turning 30 years old has led to some of life's hardest times, but some of life's most freeing times. God has given me a new attitude in different areas, one of those areas being "sin".
Everybody sins. I do, the pastor does, the prostitute does, even you do. A lot of people don't want to admit it to be the truth, though.
Not so many moons ago, I thought that some sins were "worse" than others. The lies that I told myself weren't as bad as the lies that others told publicly. The sin that I committed wasn't nearly as awful as the lady's standing behind me in the grocery store.
It is always easier to think of ourselves
better than we really are!
Makes me think of the woman found in adultery.
John 8:1-11
"Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
The say unto him, Master, this woman was taken [found] in adultery, in the very act.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. and Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and SIN NO MORE."
Jesus did not condemn this woman who was caught in this sexual sin, but He did tell her to stop the sin.
The world does not understand this because they do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit guiding them as believers do, but hating the sin is NOT hating the sinner. Jesus gave us a perfect example in the Bible of "hate the sin, not the sinner."
When a believer comes to you in love and admonishes you to stop whatever sin is overtaking you, that is LOVE, not judgment.
Here's an example: Say, your friend is trying to stick a fork into an electrical outlet, but you know that obviously that is not a wise idea. You warn your friend of the hazards of electrocution.
Q. Should your friend thank you for the warning?
A. Of course! You saved them from a lot of harm!
The same applies to someone coming to you in love and telling you that what you're doing is harmful/sinful. That is LOVE and COMPASSION, not judgment. There's a big difference.
It is sad, though, that some churches and some Christians nowadays "steer clear" of the "sinners", even though ALL of us are sinners. EVERYBODY should be welcomed into the church, whether preacher, prostitute, saint, sinner, or whoever! Everybody's sin is on the same level, no greater, no smaller.
I am so blessed though, that personally, with all my sin and my "labels" and circumstances, that I am welcomed with open arms into my church. That is a clear picture of God's grace, when the church welcomes all with no reservations.
Peace and love to you, from one sinner to another!
Krista
Everybody sins. I do, the pastor does, the prostitute does, even you do. A lot of people don't want to admit it to be the truth, though.
Not so many moons ago, I thought that some sins were "worse" than others. The lies that I told myself weren't as bad as the lies that others told publicly. The sin that I committed wasn't nearly as awful as the lady's standing behind me in the grocery store.
It is always easier to think of ourselves
better than we really are!
Makes me think of the woman found in adultery.
John 8:1-11
"Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
The say unto him, Master, this woman was taken [found] in adultery, in the very act.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. and Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and SIN NO MORE."
Jesus did not condemn this woman who was caught in this sexual sin, but He did tell her to stop the sin.
The world does not understand this because they do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit guiding them as believers do, but hating the sin is NOT hating the sinner. Jesus gave us a perfect example in the Bible of "hate the sin, not the sinner."
When a believer comes to you in love and admonishes you to stop whatever sin is overtaking you, that is LOVE, not judgment.
Here's an example: Say, your friend is trying to stick a fork into an electrical outlet, but you know that obviously that is not a wise idea. You warn your friend of the hazards of electrocution.
Q. Should your friend thank you for the warning?
A. Of course! You saved them from a lot of harm!
The same applies to someone coming to you in love and telling you that what you're doing is harmful/sinful. That is LOVE and COMPASSION, not judgment. There's a big difference.
It is sad, though, that some churches and some Christians nowadays "steer clear" of the "sinners", even though ALL of us are sinners. EVERYBODY should be welcomed into the church, whether preacher, prostitute, saint, sinner, or whoever! Everybody's sin is on the same level, no greater, no smaller.
I am so blessed though, that personally, with all my sin and my "labels" and circumstances, that I am welcomed with open arms into my church. That is a clear picture of God's grace, when the church welcomes all with no reservations.
Peace and love to you, from one sinner to another!
Krista
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