We Christians have a reputation for "moral grounds." We seem to always be doing battle over moral issues. We want people to ... well ... stop being bad. I suppose that might be an accurate portrayal. But should it be? Is our primary concern that people be good?
In Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth we read, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 6:9-10). Controversial, I know, what with all that "homosexuality" stuff and all, but I want to point out two things. First, that particular issue is one of nine that Paul cites, and it's not a comprehensive list. He's simply listing things that point to "the unrighteous." So when we make "those who practice homosexuality" our primary focus, we're selecting a really small view. Second, notice what Paul's concern was. It wasn't, "They shouldn't be doing those things!" It wasn't the behavior at all. The problem was "the unrighteous" and the concern was that they would not inherit the kingdom of God.
Would it change your views, your outlook, your interactions with others, your direction if you were more concerned about the eternal welfare of others than you were about their "bad behavior"? Would it make any difference in your approach and your prayers if the key issue in your mind was not "Those behaviors are bad" but "These people won't inherit the kingdom!"? Is our primary concern immoral behavior or is it lost souls who need the solution we have to offer?
2 comments:
For me, it isn't just that those behaviors are bad, but they are both bad for us eternally and temporally. God gave us the Law so that we'd know how to best function. We'd all be happier and healthier if we obeyed His Commandments perfectly. But sin brings death, both to our souls and to our bodies. The primary concern needs to be their eternal destination, but we can't ignore how sin harms us here and now as well. Even if people became more moral without accepting salvation, their lives would simply be better.
Yes, you're right, David. We tend, however, to lose sight that the Law cannot provide a solution to our sin problem. It only highlights it.
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