This is going to sound terrible, but I think you only have one point that's worth making: we are going to fail. Some of us in big ways, some in small ways, some publicly, some not.
You say this, and you know it, and you believe it, but that's really the only thing you should be saying.
None of us are allowed to move on to any of your other points until we have really and fully faced this.
The real choices that we have are a painful awareness of our failure and weakness, or we become monstrous Pharisees who lie about our sin to ourselves and to others. We live lives of condemnation without ever honestly facing ourselves.
If we don't go through this painful process first, all of your other points are reasons to accuse others. And they are motivation to deny our own sin and lie about it to ourselves.
So I think you need to chew on that one point until there's nothing left of it. And of course, not just you, but all of us. When I say you, I mean you as a writer who is publishing things.
That whole, but but but Jesus is always enough stuff actually is just a Pharisee talking until we are painfully aware of how he hasn't been enough for us. How we haven't let that happen. How none of us ever let that happen consistently and sometimes really ever.
And I'm talking about Christians only here.
Everything we say is nothing but pride until we go through this process.
My husband texts me all the headlines of famous Christians when they are caught in some sin or scandal. Same this time. It opened a door to talk about how all of us have an influence on others, and that no sin is really “private.” Private sins hurt others, influence others. One of the ideas he rejects about the Christian faith is that what’s private or personal, especially when it comes to sexual practices, shouldn’t be judged as sin or wrong. It’s personal. God doesn’t care.
Anyway just thinking about my convo with my husband in light of what you’ve written here. At least two things are true: we shouldn’t hold Christians high on a pedestal, expecting them to never fail, and we should care that our failings will influence others.
This is going to sound terrible, but I think you only have one point that's worth making: we are going to fail. Some of us in big ways, some in small ways, some publicly, some not.
You say this, and you know it, and you believe it, but that's really the only thing you should be saying.
None of us are allowed to move on to any of your other points until we have really and fully faced this.
The real choices that we have are a painful awareness of our failure and weakness, or we become monstrous Pharisees who lie about our sin to ourselves and to others. We live lives of condemnation without ever honestly facing ourselves.
If we don't go through this painful process first, all of your other points are reasons to accuse others. And they are motivation to deny our own sin and lie about it to ourselves.
So I think you need to chew on that one point until there's nothing left of it. And of course, not just you, but all of us. When I say you, I mean you as a writer who is publishing things.
That whole, but but but Jesus is always enough stuff actually is just a Pharisee talking until we are painfully aware of how he hasn't been enough for us. How we haven't let that happen. How none of us ever let that happen consistently and sometimes really ever.
And I'm talking about Christians only here.
Everything we say is nothing but pride until we go through this process.
Timely and encouraging. thank you brother
My husband texts me all the headlines of famous Christians when they are caught in some sin or scandal. Same this time. It opened a door to talk about how all of us have an influence on others, and that no sin is really “private.” Private sins hurt others, influence others. One of the ideas he rejects about the Christian faith is that what’s private or personal, especially when it comes to sexual practices, shouldn’t be judged as sin or wrong. It’s personal. God doesn’t care.
Anyway just thinking about my convo with my husband in light of what you’ve written here. At least two things are true: we shouldn’t hold Christians high on a pedestal, expecting them to never fail, and we should care that our failings will influence others.
Thanks for your response to that question. Your perspective is a blessing and helps us keep our eyes on Jesus.