Loopholes in Grace

"Truly it is an evil to be full of faults, but it is a still greater evil to be full of them, and be unwilling to recognize them."

                                                                                                     ~ Blaise Pascal




Often I check the 'tracker' for this blog; it tells me where in the world people are located when they read these words.
The majority are from the United States; yet, it is truly humbling to know that there are believers in the Ukraine who read the words God gives me faithfully.
Knowing the political and military struggle that is taking place in Europe, it brings a blessing to my heart.

This began as one man struggling with what was believed to be the last stages of life. 
At that time, I was diagnosed with stage four lung/adrenal cancer; I had the support of my family and several from my church. 
The readership was high and while it has went down a little, it has grown overseas; to the point where I can no longer joke that tragedy and death bring ratings.

Today, the blog remains and has evolved into a review of some of the most crucial questions of a person's individual faith.
This too is suffering, albeit a different kind.

It has been my experience spiritual and emotional suffering is just as traumatic to a human being as physical suffering, even suffering with death on the horizon.
This is especially true when one has been hurt by a church family or another believer once held dear to the heart.

Therefore tonight, I pose a simple question with a simple answer.
Question: Is it ever OK to write someone out of your life?
Is there a time when a Christian can and even should walk away from another person, including other Christians?

Friends, the answer is unequivocally 'yes,' although it may be painful to do so.

It's easy to say that one can write an abuser out of their life, or a rapist or a child molester. But we're not talking about the worst of the worst; we're talking about another Christian; one who appears to be serving the Lord, but brings you personal anguish.
Is it OK to write that person out of your life until repentance and restoration occurs by the hand of God?

If another person, including believers, have injured you in the past and you have forgiven them; yet, they continue to bring you anguish to the point where your walk and witness may be compromised - then yes, as a Christian you should walk away.
And if you do, it will be sad for you have lost touch with a sibling in Christ; yet, there will also be a load lifted because you will be allowed to heal without further injury or salt in your spiritual wounds.

But, let me say this - if you ever do walk away from another believer in a manner just described; you had better leave room for restoration and grace.

You see, grace has no limits; which means it can penetrate the most hardened or hurt heart; but it also means there is a scent of scandal about grace because it sounds just too good to be true.

As a Christian who, like millions of others, have suffered physically and then been injured by a Christian fellowship, I know 'grace abuse' is very real.
People who do things they know could hurt others, but also know God will for forgive them; these are abusers of grace and they generally hurt other believers and don't even realize it.

Sometimes they do realize it and do it intentionally and the question for their soul is not can God forgive, He can.
The real question is after they have injured other believers knowingly, will they want to ask for forgiveness and be restored?
And that's a question that can only be answered by judging the fruit of the tree. 

The great Church Father Augustine stated: 'God give where He finds empty hands.'
The truth is that if a person's hands are full, then they can't receive a gift; including a gift from God Himself.

A Christian who accepts no responsibility or will admit no guilt cannot accept forgiveness; their hands are too full.

Scripture teaches that there are guilty people who acknowledge their sin and others who don't (Jn. 8); but it doesn't really matter if one acknowledges it or not - all remain guilty in some manner.

Most Christian deny far more than we confess fault; yet, unless the Holy Spirit awakens the pain of sin and guilt within our aching soul; it cannot be healed.

When a Christian becomes an abuser of grace at your expense, then yes; you can walk away until the Lord provides reconciliation.

Scripturally, Jude warns of the possibility of good Christians to, 'change the grace of our God into a license for immorality."
Sadly, some have done just that under the banner of freedom.

For a Christian to sin to get what they want or to go along with the popular voice, thinking they can repent later - THAT is the sin of which Jude speaks.
Unfortunately, anyone who has been around a church for very long, has seen this happen; and if you have ever been hurt by a church, you've seen considerably more of it than your fair share.

Yet, most will rationalize and not see the need for repentance.

For example, thousands of Lutheran pastors preached grace while their government in the form of the Nazi Party pursued societal endorsed racism and later, genocide.
Until the war machine came for them, they never saw the need for repentance.

Sin has a definite stench of death about it; why would a true Christian choose it?
Well, we are products of our fallen world and some begin to think like the world from time to time, thinking God ends will be achieved by man's means.
In short, like hogs on the farm, we tend to enjoy a good wallow in the mud.

Yet, if a person truly understands what God has done for him, the Christian ought not abuse the gift of grace nor injure other believers; instead, the Christian will strive to live worthy of His Love, Grace and Mercy.

Until next time, when one for the good guys.