Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Christians tick me off!

Seriously, some "Christians" are just plain ignorant. Recently, it was revealed that someone I know was struggling with the sin of homosexuality. I found this out because a fellow Christian told me about it. What upsets me is that he told me in gossip (a sin itself) instead of in brokenness and concern for the individual. It really annoys me that certain sins Christians would rather make fun of someone instead of embracing them and praying for them to find a way out of that sin. It truly is ridiculous. When it comes to sins of adultery, homosexuality, and promiscuity Christians are more likely to completely cut that person off than to love them. I am not saying that we should accept these sins, but I am saying that each and everyone of us has been caught up in some sort of sin at some point in our lives, and the blood of Christ covers the sin of adultery as well as the sin of gossip.
I have to admit I find myself guilty of this same stupidity. I talked about certain person that recently left his wife and instead of showing concern laughed and made jokes concerning it. Now I feel that we do this at times because we don't want to realize the truth of what is happening. Concerning the man that committed adultery, he was a man I looked up to and once I stopped being moronic and looking at it I realized how much it hurt. That can never give us a right though to sin in return by gossiping or making light of sin.
I truly feel that we must stop being so stupid when it comes to others sin. Each of us has accepted Christ still struggle daily to honor Him and many times we fall. Yet, when we discover a brother’s sin our immediate fleshly reaction is to tell someone else. "Wait till so and so hears this...”
In Luke 7:47 Christ says "Therefore I tell you her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he, who is forgiven little, loves little." Maybe the reason we find it so hard to accept these people with concern is that most of us have never been part of that sin. But that is not because of our righteousness or holiness it is because God Almighty, as was stated in my class today, saves some people from it, and others out of it. Just because God decided to save us from it does not mean we are greater it is simply what God in His sovereign judgment has chosen to do. If not for His grace who knows where we would be and what abominations we would be committing.
As many of you know, when I was ten years old I was molested. Because of this traumatic experience I struggled for years with sexual sins, and it wasn't until very recently God started to completely free me of that. Until last year I had never even told a fellow believer, except my youth pastor, about the struggle. I praise God that He brought me out of that and used that to help me understand the struggles of others. I pray God does not have to submit you to that before our eyes will be opened to the challenges some believers face. I urge each of you to look at your past and realize whether or not God has saved you from sin or out of sin He still had to do the saving. Without His working in our life we not only we be enthralled by the world, but also by damnation. We aren't perfect and we shouldn't expect others to be, though we should continue to pray those that have fallen because only God can pick them up. So next time a brother comes to you and says "Guess what I heard about...” why don't you ask him if he is telling you out of concern or gosip. Either way we should take the next step and pray for both of those brothers or sisters. Remember, you needed a savior too.

In God we Trust,
Jason Vaughn

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

While I appreciate your post and opinions please don't lump us all into one group. :)

Anonymous said...

You are truly not what Christ had in mind. He taught love. He gave us grace and he bought forgiveness for all with his blood. He did not give you a right to judge anyone. Better be careful as judging anyone of anything is dangerous to your salvation!

Royce Ogle said...

By God's grace we are given what we don't deserve, the righteousness of Christ. By God's mercy we are not given what we do deserve, the judgment of God.

"Blessed is the man to whom God does not credit sin" When you came to Christ in faith, your sins were not covered, but taken away. Christ is your advocate with the Father. When God looks at His child He sees the righteousness of Jesus.

Yes, we are to confess our sins. But, if we dwell on our sins we will not experience the "abundant life" Christ promised we can have.

An inward focus makes spiritual weaklings. An upward focus makes spiritual champions. Faith and fear can not live in the same place.

Just trust God to do what He has promised. Simple, child like dependence on Him will open the channel of blessing and deliverance for your life.