Absolving the Pharisees and condemning the sinners

Another post of #Thirty-three (original at 06/2007)

 “But when Jesus heard {that}, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what {that} meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” – Matthew 9:12,13

Religious groups of Jesus’ day were outraged by the fact that He is “friend of sinners”. The Pharisees, one of these groups are the “righteous” that Jesus refers to in this text. The Apostle Matthew had given up everything to follow Jesus and Jesus was later dinner at his house, many friends sinners of Matthew were there too. The Pharisees were scandalized by this situation. It was when Jesus summed up beautifully his mission on this earth. He came for sinners, who were sick spiritually because of their sins. Those who think they are well have no need to seek the doctor Jesus.

I was reflecting on this text for a long time and saw that the present church has followed the footsteps of the Pharisees, unfortunately, frequently. Lost sinners in the world are destined for eternal damnation, because the messages “evangelistic” focus more hell than heaven. The good news that Jesus had us to spread turn into bad news. Sinners feel so unworthy, who prefer not follow Jesus by considering not just as good as the church. In the meantime, in the temples, many of the Pharisees are acquitted, because the messages are of hope and victory . The sins are forgiven by these infinite mercy and grace of God, after all, we live in a time of grace. That is, for lost sinners what matters is the law of the Old Testament, and for us, the saved, what counts is the grace. The church then becomes the just and sinners become patients. Well, Jesus came to call sinners, not righteous.

So you say, I approve the sin of the world? No! We just cannot condemn sinners with their sin. Otherwise, we’d all be condemned. Because we are sinners, that Jesus was come. If we were all just his coming would have been unnecessary, but “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). The apostle Paul so the continues: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”(Romans 3:24).

What about the church, it is forbidden to preach a message of hope and victory, when there are so many facing many difficulties and temptations? The answer is a definite no, again. The problem is not to preach about victory, the problem is always preaching about it and, worse, say that coming to Jesus Christ you will have all your problems solved. We must make clear to the church that were provided sufferings and temptations for Christians, the Bible itself. We will have moments of victory, yes, but the difficulties are necessary to shape our character and make it more similar to Christ, who said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

I conclude here my simple mind, leaving a well-known text of the Bible so that, taking into consideration what was discussed here, you make a new reflection on it, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: {teach...: or, make disciples, or, Christians of all nations} Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, Io, I am with you always, {even} unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19,20)

Stay with Jesus =)

The most beautiful thing about Christianity

Another post of #Thirty-three (orginal at 06/2007)

“We often think that when we finish a study, we already know all about the two, because ‘one plus one is two’. We forget that we still have to study the ‘more’” – Sir Arthur Eddington

 

This beautiful phrase reflects, unfortunately, the situation of the Church in the world. We have forgotten to unite us, and we also have neglected to see that diversity is something that the body of Christ is something magnificent. Imagine how the Church would be boring and monotonous if there were only a theology and only one way of believing.

I was thinking one day about “my theology” (I have done this a lot lately) and saw that every friend, every theologian, every religion believes in different things about small doctrines. I have my angry friends (I’m believing and thinking very similarly to them) with the church situation. There are also enthusiasts who want to gain the whole world to Jesus. There are evangelicals who believe that all Catholics go to hell. There are also Catholics who think evangelicals are going to hell. There are several doctrines with which I disagree, and exist doctrines that I believe many others feel that is pure lies.

But the most beautiful of all is that all those who are true Christians – regardless of creed, denomination or religion – ALL, without exception – believe the story of an almighty God who became a simples carpenter, someone who was and is still rejected by many, a man who knew that men do not remain faithful in what He taught, knew that the men were divided into doctrines and religions, was fully aware that drove the merchants from the temple, but after a while they return, knew that greed would take care of many hearts, many try to buy their own salvation, that grace would be ignored by many others, that men will continue to judge each other and that what he taught in the Sermon on the Mount would be so disrespected times, finally, who knew that even saved, sinners would sin, yet not give up sacrificing the worst of deaths, did not give up to feel the full weight of the sins of humanity on his shoulders and with that being abandoned by the Father since his holiness would not allow contact with sin, even if it was to save his son, his only son.

What excites me is that even though I am who I am – and God knows me even better than myself – Jesus lived, died and rose for me and even though I was the only person living on this earth, He would not hesitate to do everything the same way.

The Church has many errors to be corrected. Every true Christian must take their own fault in this process and fight to get back to what Jesus believed (and still believe) can be created when each of us as member of one body: a holy Church, which reveals his love to those who need it (and everyone needs).