My journey...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
I do love the church
Listening to stories about the imperfection of the church, makes me love the church even more. Because the church is made up of imperfect people. There are many who suffers under the system of the church. Many who have been hurt by the church. Who will then love them?
The church is the bride of Christ. He is the head and the church His body. How can we embrace Christ and not embrace his bride?. How can we love Christ and not love His body. How God will weep for the state of the church because it is in His heart. God loves His church because it is made up of His people and this is how we are called into community with each other. As imperfect as the church is, there has to be a love for the church.
I am learning how to love the church. Perhaps it starts with one person at a time. I do thank God for His grace and His patience. His grace that though many churches are walking in their own selfish desires and system, He still causes people to grow and He still blesses them with His gifts and love. Shouldn't we then also love the church because it is in the heart of God?
It is not for us to judge the church. For judgment comes from God. It is for us to walk in obedience to His calling. For us to embrace that which is in His heart. To work together with Him to see His kingdom come. To see His plans restored to what He intends it to be. Focusing too much on the imperfection of the church blinds us to what is really important. The people.
The will of God and the love of God for the people. If we begin to look at people the way God looks at them, the imperfection of the church will not even bother you cause you are there for the people. You are there to love the people of God. Together we learn to embrace the will of God. Together with all our own imperfections we learn to walk the way of the Kingdom. With Christ truly as the head.
posted by Janelle at 6:27 PM
4 Comments:
thank you.
Yes, love the people. The problem is that too much of "church" today is about the system, activities and the leaders. Much of the church today is about a system where shame is used to control people. When people say for the good of the chuch, it is actually for the good of the institution or the program. I know...I have seen too much of it. The leaders are blind to the fact that what they do actually do people more harm than good.
Much of the system, such as tithing lists and membership conditions are used to control people. I used to think that the institution was worth redeeming, but I am not sure now. Maybe insted of redeeming, the institution needs to be destroyed. so that Christ's true bride can emerge?
WEll, what do I know...I am just another person too damaged by the church to know any better
Thanks rants-raves for your comments. I am sorry that the church has hurt you but I pray that you never give up on God. Perhaps you are right. That the instituition needs to be destroyed but I have hope that as we serve a living God, no matter what we see, He is still in control :)
I really love your post here. We need to see the Church as the Bride of Christ, as Jesus sees it.
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