I was in a group discussion the other
day when the topic turned towards legalism.
The question was asked, “Name some of the things we Baptists are
legalistic about?” The usual suspects
were mentioned; dancing, drinking, smoking, etc. The conversation narrowed down
and the focus became alcohol consumption.
Someone said they’d have a beer on occasion. It was discussed that nowhere in the Bible is
drinking alcohol forbidden; everything in moderation. It was also stated that if there is
alcoholism in your family, you should run from alcohol or if you made a vow to
God not to drink alcohol, then don’t. If you have an addictive nature, stay
away. There were comments that Jesus
turned water into wine and the question of “watered down” wine was asked. I’m sure many thoughts of “for” or “against”
remained only thoughts…except for one.
A man spoke up against
consumption of alcohol. He stated that
if someone drinks alcohol they are opening the door for satan to attack. He used the word “abstinence” many times. He also said that Jesus didn’t serve wine at
His table. Really? This man spoke with disgust;
his tone was strong and his conviction was clear. He spoke for a few moments and it became very
quiet in the room. Folks were pondering
his comments…some nodding their heads in agreement and others kept their eyes
on the floor.
Then the topic of
conversation turned to homosexuality…. would an openly gay couple be welcome in
our church? Soft comments were made, “probably not.”
Probably not. Surely not. Absolutely not.
Someone said that we
tend to be more accepting of people who sin the sins we sin. If the sin is “extreme,” then we are not so
loving and possibly….even….judgmental? We rank sins, yours are worse than mine
because they’re yours and not mine. I don’t see that anywhere in my Bible.
I was reminded of some
comments I overheard about a men’s retreat, a golf tourney where the purpose,
as I understood it, was to invite the unchurched to join the churched in a
round of golf. Someone in leadership
said that they were having a hard time filling the roster because the churched
stated they didn’t really know any unchurched.
Really?
When the man was
talking about abstinence from alcohol, I thought, wow, if I were an alcoholic
and needed some support and this was the first time I came to this church…I
would leave and not come back. Why? Because if one person spoke so vehemently
against the very thing I struggle with…everyone else probably feels the same
way. This doesn’t sound like a loving
and forgiving place. Where’s the help? He
sounds as if he felt that strongly about the person drinking the alcohol as he
did about the drink itself. I’d feel
worthless and hopeless even though “they” don’t even know me…they probably all
feel the same way – silence is condoning - so I wouldn’t feel safe sharing my
sin…
Someone also mentioned
they won’t drink alcohol because they don’t want to cause someone to stumble,
like being seen having a cocktail in a restaurant by someone you have been
witnessing to. And I wondered if I were
having a drink and the man who spoke for abstinence only saw me having a
drink…would he treat me differently from then on? They abstained to remain an example of
Christly living and having a drink doesn’t fit that definition to them. But, if we speak so strongly about something,
which sounds condemning and is overheard by a lost soul and that condemnation prohibits
the lost soul from seeking Christ, shouldn’t we guard our words as well? “Consider what a great forest is set on fire
by a small spark.” James 3:5
While the subject of
homosexuality was quietly being discussed…I thought of a homeless man I have
befriended who is not only homeless, but an alcoholic AND a homosexual. I have spent time sitting with this man and
talking about life; about how he worked for child welfare for a lotta
years. How he would take time off, and
try to be renewed before he went back to a life of trying to save little ones
that others were willing to throw away.
It finally got to him and he and a friend got in a car and drove off…and
he never went back. He drinks to cloud the memories of kids being treated like
property…by their parents, sisters, brothers, foster parents, grandparents. The
ones who were supposed to protect those little ones were guilty of abuse and
neglect. That’s just not the way it’s supposed to be. So he drank to forget and
now he can’t quit.
My friend is not where
he wants to be but he hasn’t pulled down his wall yet to allow God to come in
and take all the pain away. He’s
articulate, funny and very caring. He is a man hurting and in need of Jesus’
forgiveness…but he’s homeless and a drunk and gay. So, should I shun him? Should I stop inviting him to church? Should
I give up on him because other people have? Should I run because his sins are
different than mine?
Someone mentioned
during our legalistic conversation that in Jesus’ day, the tax collector was
stigmatized…just as gays are today in our society, mostly by Christians. What
did Jesus do? He looked into Matthew’s heart and knew what he could
become. What did Matthew do, because he
was loved and cared for? He became a disciple…he was filled with hope and his
life was transformed. Because Jesus was
willing to go to him and get to know him.
The thing is we gotta
go where it’s dirty, uncomfortable and unknown…because that’s where we’ll find
the disenfranchised, poor, mentally ill, demon possessed, forsaken and
forgotten…the homosexual, the homeless, the drunk. I’ve found the more time I spend with them, I’d
rather be by their side than anywhere else. By developing relationships I see
the person and not the sin…God wants to transform lives and by doing so the
sins are forgiven –even what Christians perceive as the extreme ones - and a
life changes and the Kingdom grows.
I wonder if those who
speak so strongly against something, like booze, drugs or homosexuality – do so
because they’re afraid? I was at first.
But the only way God could take my fear away was for me to dive in headfirst.
You know, take the first step. I told Jesus I was nervous but I was willing to
go… I want to serve Him wholly, whenever and wherever and fear prohibits
obedience.
May I always know some
unchurched people and may I always be willing to go to them…to share a meal, to
sit in their home even if it’s an alley, to provide for a tangible need, to
listen and to remind them that God loves them…If we don’t believe God can save
the worst of the worst – whoever that is – then we’ve missed the reason Jesus
died and we’re doubting that He can truly transform anyone.
So where’s the faith in
that?
I pray that I will
never be so passionately against something that it causes me to be passionately
against someone.
In His service, d
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