On Saturday, while relaxing in Deep Cove I reread part of The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. I've found Manning to be quite liberal in his theology to the point where I've totally disagreed with him, maybe even written him off. But my Amazon order wasn't in yet and I needed something to read. I was so struck by what I read in the first chapter that I feel like I need to share it with you:
When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am trusting and suspicious, I am honest and I am still playing games. Aristotle says I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel, with an incredible capacity for beer.
He goes on to say:
And though it is true that the church must always disassociate itself from sin, it can never have any excuse for keeping sinners at a distance. If the church remains self righteously aloof from failures, irreligious and immoral people, it cannot enter justified into God's kingdom. But if it is constantly aware of it's guilt and sin, it can live in joyous awareness of forgiveness.
That rocked me. How 'bout you? Any thoughts?
OK now here's my query. Have you ever noticed how almost every book in a Christian book store is either between 200-225 pages or it's a little book which means it's between 100-110 pages. What's up with that? There may be a perfectly good reason for it but it just seems ODD.
9 comments:
Sometimes i even wonder, are we more disgusted with peoples sin than God is?
Now Graham that is the best thing someone has wrote in a while. GREAT question. "Sometimes i even wonder, are we more disgusted with peoples sin than God is?"
I read this awesome book that said, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Now that is a true demonstration of LOVE.
Yo Paul, my journey has led me to this conclusion -so far... I find that (at least for me) the problem is I judge people, organizations, churches, the righteous, and sinners. A humble heart will keep reminding me that I am the dirtiest sinner I know. Judging is the single biggest mistake people make in their faith. We judge if a church is right, too liberal, too conservative; we judge if someone is saved or not; we judge a person's motives; the list goes on. Since when was it ever humanities job to judge? Funny I thought that that was God's role. We are only to love. I think we get ourselves into trouble when we judge whether someone is bad or good. God's revelation should reveal that things aren't black and white, especially when this is about a relationship, not a religion with a handbook of rules.
My thoughts.
Hugh
p.s. I disagree with this blog. -jj
who's jj
jj = just joking
Graham and I were just talking about this. I feel the church today is marked by 2 key failures.
One... the failure to accept as Jesus did - sinners belong with saints in community. Two... that we have failed as leaders to hold professing christians to the high standard of a disciple of Jesus. We must demand that those who call themselves Christians (including ourselves) live a life marked by obedience to Gods Word.
Is it possible that in the same church community - "Sinners" feel that they belong and "Saints" live a life of holiness?
Petkau,
You're wisdom is borderline frightening lately.
Miss you man
Nice blog!
LMc
righteousness as filthy rags (literal meaning is disgusting)
at first i found the last part of manning's statements a bit wild but the more i reread an interesting word seemed to pop out in his text - self righteousness... which totally clued me in.
my rightouesness is nothing of my own doing.
it is God's grace through love.
i am nothing and something.
paul and wanda? how the heck are you guys?
Peace!
jeffrey.
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