Church is for Sinners.. I guess..

Matthew 9:13
But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."


When I was younger, I would hear comments like "How can she go to church and live a sinful life?". In short, if you sin, you shouldn't go to church. If you go to church, the best Christian gesture you'll receive is a nod from the ushers.

Then what happens to what Jesus said - I have not come to call the righteous but sinners?

What else - should we avoid sinners?

Bad company corrupts - indeed, but why did Jesus hang out with all those sinners within those three years of ministry? Because He is God, he cannot be corrupted?
Then if that is the reason why He hasn't been corrupted, then why do we keep on saying that Jesus should be a model to us?

If Jesus is a model, then why shouldn't we hang around more with sinners? Because we might get corrupted? The question just goes around in circle.

Or a better interpretation should be this - be in the world, but not OF the world? I think this would be a better reconciliation of the matter.

I just don't understand some Christians who wants nothing to do/deal with non-Christians because they are sinners and might be infected with sin like AH1N1 does? Don't they need you more than people who are Christians already?

If the Old Testament dudes were in church today, how will things be for them? Most of them have wrecked marriages, drunkards, liars, and stuff. Or would you rather answer by saying that I have a wrong question?

Wealth

Matthew 6:19-20 (New International Version)
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.


I am hurting too many Evangelicals now by this post.

God's plan for us is good. Yes, it is a plan to prosper us and not to harm us.

But never did the Bible mention any guarantee that we'll get rich after accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour.

God left us with the tools to be rich, and these tools are principles to be rich. Even non-believers also have access to these tools (which explains why there are non-Christians who are rich). These tools are principles that you should abide by like saving, investing, giving, etc.

But puh-leassse! To be poor is not a sin!

And please stop forcing into my beliefs that Jesus Christ was really a rich man when He walked here. There is no such explicit teching in the Bible about Jesus' financial situation.

You know why there's no emphasis on that huh?! It's because money is never an important issue.

Jesus came and died and was raised up not because He wants to get us all wealthy and healthy in this earth. He did those things in order for our spirits to live! That is the pure and unadulterated Gospel.

Sad to say, the word "salvation" has been stretched too much by a lot of Christians, including the church I am attending in. Salvation for them is wholeness, not only in spiritual, but in physical terms too like wealth and health.

For me, I am happy enough to know that my soul will be saved in the end. Assurance that I'll be prosperous in this life doesn't give me comfort. Some Evangelicals will say that this is hypocrisy.

Yes, physical things such as money is still important in these lives of ours, but to focus too much on these things is just plain wrong. It is enough that outside church we are bombarded with things that motivates us to earn more money, but talking about it in church too much is what makes me cringe every Sunday.

Physical things are just temporary. Why do we concentrate too much on these things?

You will have your dream house soon, don't worry.

You will have your business soon, don't worry.

But to measure your spiritual life based on these things is just plain wrong.

Why am I still here toiling for my dream house? Is my faith lacking? Why is my business failing? Is my faith lacking? Do I have anything in me that displeases God?

You think because we are Christians, we are operating outside of the world? That we are immune to accidents, poverty, tragedies?

If you think we are immune to these things, please do tell Steve Green and make him feel that he is a less Christian than you. Please go and tell Sandi Patty that she has been a bitch slut and that she might be not a Christian because she underwent divorce. Don't forget to slap her after doing so.

Weaknesses

2 Corinthians 12:9 (New International Version)

9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Too many times we are taught to be the nicest Christians who live on the face of the earth.

I was raised thinking that Christians should be somehow an epitome of excellence, perfection, and all that. Regularly reading the Bible and praying.

That was until the big scandal happened in the church where I used to attend. That was almost ten years ago. How can a Christian leader commit such atrocity? - I asked myself.

This led to the start of my journey being an agnostic and a church hater. Sometimes I think that being an atheist is better because at least if you're one, there is no possibility that you hate God because you cannot hate someone who doesn't exist, whereas being an agnostic, there is a possibility that the person might hate God.

By God's grace, I'm back to my original beliefs and I'm starting to seek involvement in a church where God wants me to be planted.

I backslid because of wrong ideals. Christians are also humans. I expected too much from our church leaders, to the point that they shouldn't commit such grave sins or else I'll leave the church.

Oh yes, we shouldn't use our humanity as an excuse for these acts, but we shouldn't also deny the humanity of our spiritual leaders in the church. We are all WEAK after all.

Wait! This is the opposite of what preachers today are preaching. Get free from the bondage of sin! You are victorious! You are rich! You are healhty! Aren't these the things we should believe in??

How can God's strength be of use to us if we aren't weak?