Whether we choose to admit it or not, each of us are highly imperfect. I am no where near being "perfect", let alone deserving of the title " a decent human being". I am selfish, defiant, and narcissistic, more than I would ever care to know. The odd thing is that I believe in Jesus, who is the only person to walk this earth and be blameless in the demanding eyes of perfection. He is not selfish, defiant, or narcissistic. And I have the chance, through grace, to be blameless for my imperfections. The concept makes no sense.
This weekend I was talking with a friend about a member of a christian band who's faith has been called into question. This issue has risen because one of the members of the band smokes, or smoked, marijuana. Lately they have been accused of not being real Christians, playing the "Creed" card, if you will. However, my friend's response really encapsulates how I believe we are to view our mistakes in the light of claiming we belong to a perfect God.
My friends response is as follows; "It's total bullcrap. The fact that he admits that he has an ongoing issue with drugs, and that he states that he is trying to get off the stuff, is how you know he's a christian!"
Now I am not saying that admitting sin, yet,continually sinning, is what makes one a true christian. However, admitting our faults and sins to one another in hopes that they may help us fight against our own selfish desires is what God wants from us. Another friend always says that "once we put our faith in Christ the punishment from sin is gone, however, the power of sin remains. And though that power is still there, with the help of God and fellow brothers and sisters, that grip can slowly be loosened." (err something like that :) That's what living as an imperfect person, yet belonging to a perfect God is all about.
I guess my point in this scatterbrained blog is that I am always going to be a screw up. But I don't believe for a second that I will be defined by my imperfections, because of the freedom I have in Christ. The only way I want to be defined is how I love God, people, and the world. That's what I learned this week.
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2 comments:
this actually made alot of sense to me, and it helped. thank you travis!
good stuff as always Trav. Quite the "edgy theologian". Through Christ I'm saved from the penalty of sin, am being saved from the power of sin, and will be saved from the presence of sin.
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