“It’s about grace, man”

Somewhere along the line this lie about “a Grace-filled church” came about and people are fleeing to them like a life-line. It’s funny to watch these people passive-aggressively speak or post their comments about grace and love unable to realize that they should be directing it to themselves.

I’ve grown up in the church and I’ve seen a lot of things. I’m a self-confessed church brat who had parents that really did “parent” me. There were very specific rules in the house I had to follow. There was an order to things and obedience was mandatory.

For example, I had a 12am curfew until the day I got married. I was 27 years old but I obeyed. Why? Because I lived in their home. They were my parents and it’s what they required. It wasn’t causing me harm and it didn’t affect my health. It was their rule and I had to follow it.

I think that’s the problem with today’s churches. First of all there’s too many buildings and not enough churches. To gather on Sunday and hear a positive message doesn’t make a church service. Add a couple feel good songs and twist it together with a prayer or two doesn’t make it any better.

It’s easy to talk about being a good neighbor, prosperity and loving your enemy. It’s easy to talk about heaven and to teach people the stories about Jesus healing the blind man or walking on water. But what about the old testament? Do we not talk about that anymore? It’s still in the Bible, right?

These “Grace-Filled Churches” believe so much so in grace ( or what they think Grace is) that they leave out all the icky stuff. Like how a leader in the church is chosen by how they lead their family:  1 Timothy 3 – 2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,3not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.4He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity5(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),6and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.7And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

The church-goers get angry at the pastor for teaching about things that make them uncomfortable and they don’t want to hear about tithing- how it’s 10% of your income. They’d rather believe the lie that it’s ‘just give if you feel like it’ or ‘it doesn’t have to be 10%, do what you feel is best.”

Funny, Jesus never said do as you feel.

There’s a lot of churches that don’t talk about the Holy Spirit, either, or give no place for Him in the service. I don’t understand that aspect at all. God in three persons literally means that if you want God you need all three parts of Him to make a whole. It’s God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Read the Bible. I promise it’s in there.

I won’t get many fans for this article and that’s ok because I don’t want fans. I want people to stop breaking God’s heart. I want the selfishness and the pride to end and for Christians to really be Christians. Be Christ like. Don’t pick and choose what you want to hear. Don’t leave your church where you were growing because you suddenly didn’t like what the pastor was saying or it didn’t fit your life anymore. Don’t get mad at the Pastor if he’s preaching right from the Bible because who you’re really mad at is God. You think it’s old-fashioned and too judgmental-perhaps that’s conviction you’re actually feeling and starting to get uncomfortable.

Grace means that you get to live although you deserve death because of your sins. You can do nothing to earn it or take it away because it’s given by God. I really don’t want to hear “It’s about Grace, man.” It not about Grace, it’s about Christ and when you compare yourself to him are you being Christ-like? That’s what it’s about. You’ve been given grace, you don’t have to do anyting for it. But you do have to work on your life to be like Jesus. It’s hard work and only for the strong-hearted.

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under Grace? By no means!” Romans 5:20

Your sins are between you and God and you don’t stop sinning because “someone” told you to. God will help you with that if you give it to Him. But, the Pastor of any church is allowed to deny you the right of being a leader in the ministry if you have sin in your life. It’s the house God entrusted him with so he has FULL RIGHT to say no to you. Just like my parents and their rules. I’m sure their rules aren’t causing you harm. If you don’t like that ask God to remove your sin- don’t you want that anyway? I mean, unless you just want to “show” people how spiritual you are because you lead at the church?

Some of you reading this hate me, but that’s ok. You don’t decide if I go to heaven or hell.

Peace and Grace-

Daniela

*** Disclaimer- the author of this blog admits she is not perfect nor will ever be perfect here on earth. She struggles with her flesh too and still working out her own salvation ***