Have you ever been disillusioned about something or someone you have truly admired that results in some new insight about human nature? This happened to me this past weekend.
On Saturday, R and I attended a membership class at our church (alright, it was hard for me to admit that, as sometimes we can be "anti joining groups", but we feel as though this is one way we can commit to this body of believers), and at the class our pastor honestly taught us about the dark side of the evangelical movement (which I truly appreciated!).
Our pastor reminded us that the "evangelical movement was birthed out of a schism", in other words, the protestant church breaking off from the Roman Catholic Church. As a result of this schism, many other schisms occurred, resulting in hundreds of denominations today. Our pastor told us snippets of the "dark side" of the reformation--persecution of the Anabaptists, allowed and perhaps even condoned by Martin Luther and John Calvin.
This news about Luther and Calvin shocked me. I felt a little disappointed with them. I wondered how they could condemn fellow believers, and I began to feel disillusioned with these men, until I realized there is a dark history in all of us, especially me. Our pastor reminded us that this history need not be hidden, instead it needs to be confessed just like any other sin. He warned us that as Protestants, this schismatic behaviour is in our DNA--it is our history.
Truly, the dark history is the sinful nature and tendencies within us. How many times have I judged other believers because of petty differences? I am afraid that I cannot count the times. Yet, God's grace is so infinitely marvelous! When we confess our sins he is FAITHFUL and JUST to forgive our sins. By his grace, he transforms our nature, and despite our dark sides, uses us to do HIS work.
Amazing.
By his grace, I can look at Luther and Calvin and say that they did great things. By his grace, I can say that my dark history is forgiven! By his grace, I need not be disillusioned by the nature of humankind, although sometimes it is a good reminder that I am in need of God.
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5 comments:
Well written!!!! I suppose it's one of the reasons I have an allergic reaction to Christians who critisize other Christians without words of gace - I think we can differ but we can do it in grace and love.
Oops didn't finish - anyway - I meant of course "words of grace" - anyway - you know i have been disillusioned so many times by people I look up to that I've become unnecessarily skeptical. There was a particular person that I needed to interact with that I had felt hurt by in the past - and I sensed God saying to me one day as I was driving: "Have you changed in the past few years?" Me: "yes - I sure hope so!" God: "Then you can assume that this person has changed in the past few years also. I am at work in you and I am at work in that person. When you interact with them - remember you are interacting with my child - and things they say that may hurt you usually flow out of their own past woundedness. Be patient as I am patient with you."
It was a hard thing to hear - but God has brought peace into that relationship and I am so thankful for HIS work.
I also tend to idolize people at times - and realizing that noone is perfect is a good reminder that only God deserves my worship.
Well, that ellicited a longish comment from me! :)
Love, J
i understand mel. i am so easily 'judgemental' of other christians, and forget to see the sin in my own life. i guess i'm so conscious of how we appear to non-christians, so i get frustrated when we mess up. but your pastor is right; we need to be honest, and in the long run, people will respect us more if we admit to our mistakes and try to become better people by the grace of God. thanks for sharing! love em.
Thanks for the reminder of God's great grace... it is so amazing that God loves us, even though we are so sinful and 'dark'. Praise Him!
Yes! I agree, oh, I feel like a wretch when I stop myself in the midst of judgemental thoughts of my brothers and sisters in the Lord...it's a struggle...praise Jesus for His sweet grace.
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