Holy Week: What we must not do
By DAVID CASUCO
A story goes about an engaged couple shopping for a jewelry item at a department store. The young woman points to a 24-k gold necklace with a cross pendant. She loves it, but she noticed something not to her liking. “That one is just perfect, but I don’t like the little guy hanging on the cross,” she told the jeweler.
In a way, that is how some of us deal with Christianity. We are drawn to it because it seems perfect for our lifestyles, but we don’t want the stringent precepts that come with it to rule our lives. What happens, we refuse the lordship of Jesus the Christ. We love to be called Christians, but we are ignorant of what the Cross is all about. Sure, the Christian ministers keep reminding us what it is all about. But, do we ever listen? A lot of us do not, and I am sure of that.
Try to observe during a wedding ceremony. A lot of the male churchgoers, who are there because they are in the program, get out of the church sanctuary to take a puff of cigarette and chat with their buddies when the minister starts to do the preaching part. And for those who have the little decency to remain inside, their minds are focused on their weekend golf tee-off schedules. Men have this cavalier attitude of ignoring God’s message. Most of us consider it a weakness if we are spiritual. We choose to remain ignorant of what is man in relation to God.
I say that because if we fully understand what the Cross is all about, then we would not be trying to remove our sins by doing weird voodoos during the Holy Week. Those sins, and all the sins of the world had been covered by the blood our Lord on the Cross some 2000 years ago. Let’s just make it simple; let’s leave it that simple.
If we truly understand the Cross, we would not be seeking glory for ourselves. On that Cross the Son of God made it possible for us to share His glory forever.
If we truly understand the Cross, we would not be arrogant of what we are, because on that Cross our Lord suffered untold suffering and shame for our inequities.
If we truly understand the Cross, we would not consider it awful if we don’t have material possessions because our Lord, after he died on that Cross, was buried on a borrowed tomb.
If we truly understand what the Cross is all about, we would not hear wails of grief when our loved ones depart from this world. On that Cross, our Lord conquered death. And if we are properly connected with Him, we likewise have victory in death.
If we truly understand what the Cross is all about, we would not have problem with unbelief, because on that Cross, when our Lord said, “It is done,” the curtain of Jerusalem’s temple was torn down, signaling man’s access to the throne of God.
And if we truly understand what the Cross is all about, we would not be identifying ourselves with any Christian denomination. On that Cross, Jesus Christ dismantled all man-made religious pretensions.
One of the worst things that we Christians do to Christianity is when we spin it into a religion and call it Church-tianity. Almost always we twist the real meaning of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.
When I was a small child, I kept wondering why the guitars and the mirrors in the house are draped in black during the Holy Week. I still remember the shock from my sister’s face when she found out that I had gone swimming on a Good Friday. That was a bad theology. As an impressionable child, I was getting the wrong signals to spirituality. Now I understand why the prophet Hosea lamented, “My people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge.”
Aside from reflecting on our relationship with God, we, Christians, have no obligations to do, or not do, during Holy Week. From our end, there is not much we can do. On the Cross, God already did the thing that we cannot do – save ourselves. That is what the Cross is all about. Let’s not add any more than that. God laid out the perfect plan for the salvation of the humankind; the job culminated on that old rugged Cross. If He chooses to include us in that plan then Glory is to God. (The author can be reached at davecasuco@yahoo.com)
14.............................
If a man dies, will he live again?
This question was first asked some 4000 years ago by a man named Job, one of the most interesting characters of the Bible. Today, people still ask the same question. It is as current as a utility bill. Put it another acproof or material evidence."
Except our Lord, Jesus Christ, no dead person, great or unknown, had ever come back to life after death. So, inasmuch as there is no material evidence to back up a life-after-death phenomenon, human reason says, "forget it." Top hedonist Omar Khayyam said, "Oh, threats of hell and hopes of paradise, one thing is certain this life flies…"
But, wait a minute. Didn't God say that whoever believes in His Son, Jesus Christ, "shall ... have everlasting life?" In the Bible it is very clear that God's plan is for people to gain everlasting life.
* * *
My co-worker turned sarcastic when he learned I spent a couple of years in Bible College. He tried to scare me with his characteristic dregs of bravado saying, "I hate religious people. I don't believe in that 'eternal life' stuff." I told him, "So was Jesus. He was angry at the religious Pharisees. But Jesus is 'the way, the truth, and the life'. He is the very 'eternal life stuff' you are referring to."
"Ah, forget it," he answered, visibly confused.
Then I chided him: "Next time, if you don't know what you are talking about, just don't open your big mouth. You see, some people can give you information that is tough for your brains."
Understandably, people hate religion because they feel intimidated by the stringent norms religion imposes. And before they know it, they are angry at the religious people; branding them names like ultra-rightists, bigots, and homophobes.
Personally, I don't like religion. My reason is that not all religions recognize God. But I don't hate people who practice ungodly religions. God's word continues to be preached by the workers of the Christian faith. We never know religious people who worship false gods today can be God's top advocates in the future. The word of God does not come back to Him void. In India and China alone, long time bastions of traditional religions, people have started embracing the Christian faith. And their testimonies are so compelling; their conversions are unmistakably of the Holy Spirit.
* * *
I finished my college education at a learning institution that teaches religion. So, I learned to practice religion. No problem. I thought that was good enough because it made me a do-gooder; it made me a believer in the goodness of people. It made me behave and interact better with people; it made me more considerate to other people's needs. With religion, I learned a lot of lessons in character education.
Simply, religion made me a better
person.
But while I was growing up more and more of a religious person, I was almost ignorant about what is man in relation to God. Logic and metaphysics did not help either. I just felt good I had religion. I didn't know what is written in the Bible. I didn't know what the Bible is. All I know then was that it is a book that a minister reads during Sunday service, during weddings, baptisms, and funerals. But God, with His mercy that is new every day, led me to knowing Him. The goodness that I learned from religion, I now do to glorify God.
* * *
Now, if you think religion is okay, think again. And if you feel confident that you can use your religion as a passport from here to eternity, well, the Bible says clearly it is not. The Bible indicates, in no uncertain terms, that there is no "salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12)." If you are wondering what is the only Name, it is Jesus, the Christ.
You've got religion?
You've got virtually nothing.
But what about the good works that we do for religion? The hours we spend at church sanctuaries? The time we take to visit the sick, the money we give to charities? The rituals and sacraments we perform? Aren't they being counted for righteousness?
Again, sorry, the same Bible says to eyes of the Holy God, our own righteousness appears "filthy as rags" (Isaiah 64:6). And rightly so; come to think of it, if doing good and giving contributions to charities are to be counted for righteousness, people with money - the hypocrites included -- get heavenly credits all the time. Of course, this is not so. The Bible says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)." It is very clear; the business of salvation is God's job. No amount of good works and religion's over-hyped tools can save a person.
What then should a person do to gain eternal life?
Good question. If you have your Bible handy, Matthew 19:16 provides the answer. In that passage, a rich young ruler asked our Lord the question, "what good things shall I do that I may have eternal life." And, no matter what level of faith you have, the Lord's answer will surely inspire you. Check it out. Then see John 3:16. This drives home the central message of God's plan to save the humankind.
* * *
Everlasting life…offered free? It is amazing to realize that the best thing in life does not cost us anything. Free, indeed! Free, yes, but never cheap. It took the Son of God to die on the cross to cover all our sins and inequities that we maybe reconciled back to our everlasting God. So that when our God looks at us, He no longer sees filthy rags, but people clad in righteousness by the blood of Jesus.
ETERNAL LIFE: What a precious gift from God.
15..............................
‘It ain’t your birthday’
December 25 happened to be my wife’s birthday, too. And guess what? She never had a great party tendered in her honor. Always, the greetings, if ever they come at all, were afterthoughts. And the food were, yes, leftovers. Every time December 25 comes, people who are supposed to greet my wife totally ignore her. If it were any consolation, a few will call two, three days later.
Some seven years ago, her family had a big Christmas reunion in West L.A. Her children collected the most gifts. My wife? She had nothing, nada, zip, zilch. Then, on our way home, I mentioned that nobody gave her a birthday gift; much less remembered her birthday. “It ain’t her birthday. It’s Christmas” my son, then a four-year toddler, butted in. I don’t exactly know what the feeling is like being missed out on your birthday because people are so busy doing something else. I would not have the best feeling in the world if I were in her shoes. The good thing is her family is quick enough to compensate for those kinds of misses.
Evidently, December 25 is the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ. And guess what? Almost always we miss Him out, big time. Fine, we mention His name during church services, see His name in our Christmas cards, and say that He is the reason for the season. Then, it is fun and games all the way.
Truly, the main celebrant of Christmas is always left out. We have replaced Jesus with funny Christmas icons and images. Gone are the carols that are loaded with task theology. Our Christmas songs have become more and more irreverent. We have moved “away from the manger” to “city sidewalks, busy sidewalks.” We catch the “Christmas Spirit” sniffing the aroma of chestnuts roasting on an open fire than watching a nativity scene, which, by the way, is now banned in most public places.
What is happening here? Simply, we have veered away from the high road to the
jagged way. We have been preoccupied with a lot of things and we forget our spiritual concerns. A story in the Bible about two sisters, Martha and Mary, reminds us that our spiritual concerns must supersede our temporal needs. In Luke 10:38-42 (NKJV), the story goes: “Now it happened as they went that He (Jesus) entered certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.’ And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her’.”
Most of us can identify with Martha, the worrier. Like Martha, we are distracted by the cares of the world. We worry about our bills and our taxes, we worry about health and memorial plans. We worry what clothes to wear, what hair color to use, and just about anything else. Then what happened? We get stressed out. We forget that God is in control, and the Bible is our manual how to life a stress-free life.
And Mary? She is a cool chick. Her eyes transfixed upon the Lord Jesus, unmindful of the world around her and totally secure sitting at the feet of the Savior. Her focus is eternity. Mary represents the jaded believer who puts God before everything else. What kind of life is it? It is a blessed, stress-free life.
So, this coming Christmas, let’s not forget our Lord Jesus Christ, the main celebrant. He is not just the fun part; He is joy unspeakable. He is peace that surpasses human understanding. He is the Name above all names. Yes, He is the good part. He is the part that Mary chose. On Christmas Day let’s return to God the honor that is due Him. Let us recognize that our Lord’s birth is the greatest gift men can ever have. This truism will never change even if the greatest of men will say otherwise. And what about our foolish religious traditions that we do, and the tools we use to define Christmas? Let’s leave them to the fools!
16.............................
Land of the thieves
The Philippines is the only Christian country in the Far East, a region where Oriental mysticisms and other funky and cultic religions flourish. That puts the Philippines a cut above the rest in terms of spiritual pre-eminence. We often hear this from the pulpits of Christian ministers, who love to flaunt RP’s “singular recognition” in the light of God’s glory.
Fine. How nice.
I am not going to argue against that statement, even though I have a problem analyzing it. My problem is that I cannot reconcile graft and corruption hand in hand with Christianity as a way of life. If the Philippines is truly a Christian country, it should be a cradle of saintly and noble heroes not ignoble thugs and thieves a.k.a. elected public officials. I would like to think that Christians are morally superior to any group of people who are into Oriental mysticisms and man-designed religions.
But, alas! We know it isn’t so. Pretty much like the goose that laid a golden egg.
The Philippines, with over eighty percent of the population claiming to be “Christians,” has one of the most corrupted government bureaucracies on planet Earth. The tentacles of graft and corruption perpetually choke that beautiful country they call “Pearl of the Orient Seas.” Now, that’s one heck of a pearly disaster!
Questions: If Christianity invariably means following the precepts that Jesus Christ teaches in the bible, why are the people in the Philippine government so lazy, dishonest, evil-minded and morally bankrupt? Why is the Philippine bureaucratic system so awful that it cannot get over a little hump of decency?
Filipino-Americans ask these questions all the time. Sure, we talk about it all the time. And then, that’s it. We hit a wall; blame the system and go to sleep or take off for Vegas.
But if we stay awake for a little while and do a little probing, we will be able to see the root of the greatest tragedy on earth that is the rotten Philippine bureaucracy. We will be surprised to see what the error screen displays – “compromised faith due to wrong value system … rebut … if error persists contact your Manufacturer.”
Yes, the problem is our own undoing. Our fundamental character is desperately flawed. We have become so good that we have forgotten to follow the Manufacturer’s guidebook to life and living. We have been doing things our own way. We are a people who appear so smart and righteous from the outside, but in our hearts lurk the enemy of truth and righteousness. And so, what happens is that when nobody is looking, the people holding offices of public trust dip their hands into the taxpayers’ funds, solicit grease money, conduct routine extortions and run all sorts of scams. Meanwhile, the country and poor Juan dela Cruz sink deeper and deeper into the quagmire of hopelessness.
At this point you may ask, “Why belabor the obvious? Is there anything we can do about it? Is there anyway we can change a sick system?”
Hear this people. With God nothing is impossible.
I know this spiritual pitch will stir up chuckles, or whip up a cacophony of antagonism. Some of you may even be laughing right now. It is all right if you laugh. I used to laugh a lot, too. I even went as far as trying to hit my friend’s face at one time when he told me God puts food on the table and pays the bill.
I believe that a person who trusts God and acknowledges God’s power makes a good leader. A leader who is a believer may not churn out instant miracles, but God will definitely give hive him wisdom and understanding on matters of statecraft. George Washington, one of America’s great leaders, looked heavenward whenever he sought enlightenment to govern what is now the greatest nation on earth. He had faith in the all-powerful God. He recognized the value of God’s sovereign power when he said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the bible.”
Of course, it requires a certain level of faith for a person to recognize God’s power. And that level of faith is the very thing that is lacking in the Philippine leadership, and the majority of the Filipino people for that matter. Which is, again, very ironic, considering we are the “only Christian nation in the Far East.”
Consider this people. There is hope for the Philippines.
The truth and righteousness that is in our Lord Jesus Christ have all the power to bring an end the big lie that the chain of graft and corruption in the government is unbreakable. The power of God breaks every bondage and stronghold, the evils in the Philippine government bureaucracy included. All we have to do is enhance our spiritual latitudes --by doing God instead of religion. Let’s stop this shameful religious charade and let’s do the right thing. Let’s put God in the bureaucratic equation. That’s the only option left for us – the Manufacturer’s option. That’s an option we can count on. That’s the option George Washington chose.
17..........................................
Led us not into temptation
When I was growing up I had a little problem with the version of the Lord’s Prayer that I recite from memory. The phrase “... and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...” just did not seem right. I know it was a matter of semantics. I was learning my English syntax, and I was trying to figure out why does God tempt people? Later on, I found out that in the new version of the Lord’s Prayer the word test was added to replace temptation. That was good move, I thought.
* * *
When confronted with difficult situations, believers sometimes ask, “Is this of God or of the enemy?”
Put it another way, “Is this a test or a temptation?”
Now tests are good; they are there to make us. Passing tests puts us on a higher level. Board exams, promotions exams at workplaces, and other tests of these kinds always make a person better in the end. God sometimes tests us.
On the other hand, temptations are there to break us, to bring us down to a lower level. God will never tempt us.
* * *
What are we to do when we encounter temptation? Very easy, our Lord showed us how to deal with it when He, Himself was tempted by the Devil. Okay, let us revisit our Manufacturer’s Manual (The Bible), see what is the effective weapon against temptations: Our Lord had just fasted for forty days. Obviously, He was hungry, so the Devil took advantage of in the first test: “Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.”
Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”
The Devil then took him to the Holy City. He sat Him on the top of the Temple and said, “Since you are God’s Son, jump.” The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: “He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone.”
Our Lord countered, “Don’t you dare test the Lord your God.”
For the third test, the Devil took him atop of a high mountain. He showed our Lord the expanse and the glory of the world’s kingdom. Then he said, “They are yours— lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.”
Jesus’ then rebuked the Devil: “Beat it, Satan! Worship the Lord your God and only Him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”
One important thing we must understand: The Word of God is an effective weapon against temptation.
Another noteworthy thing: The Devil is familiar with the Scripture. He keeps quoting the Scriptures.
* * *
One of the favorite jokes in Christian circles is about a young guy who does his job as a Christian minister with zeal and enthusiasm. One day, the ebullient Reverend was invited to an office blessing at a crowded commercial center in the city. The program says he is supposed to be at the facility by 9 a.m. to do his part. The Reverend was in the area before 9 a.m. alright, but he could not find a parking space. He circled the block four times, still no luck.
On his fifth try, he found a restricted parking space. Feeling a little bit exasperated, the young minister decided he had enough. So, he parked his car on the restricted space and wrote a note for the cops, who he knows will not miss his parking violation. On his stationary, he wrote: “Officer: I circled the block several times, but I couldn’t find a space. I have to do some religious duties around here for a few minutes.” Then at the bottom of his note, he wrote: “P.S.: Forgive us our trespasses.”
Sure enough, the cops got him. When the Reverend returned, he noticed that his note is gone and a parking ticket violation is clipped on the wiper instead. Aside from the ticket, the cop left a note. The note reads: “Reverend: I have circled this block for over ten years and if I will not give you parking violation ticket I may lose my job.” At the bottom of the note, the officer put: “P.S.: Lead us not into temptation.” (All Scripture quotes are from “The Message.” / David Casuco can be reached at davecasuco@aol.com).
18.................................
Wrong value system
In the beginning there was moral bankruptcy. Now groups of morally bankrupt thieves came one after another and continued marauding the beautiful islands called the Philippines. They were so happy with their loot, they thought, “This is very good.”
Lo and behold, the freaks are still doing it!
Result: The Philippines, a country endowed by God with rich natural resources, experiences never-ending economic crises. Even right now, another fiscal crisis of greater dimension looms ahead. And well-meaning Filipinos know that there is no immediate relief for their miseries, not even a probability of hitting rock bottom. They just keep on falling deeper and deeper into a bottomless pit called hell.
The Philippines, once a virtual paradise and Pearl of the Orient Seas, may just as well be called land of the freaks and thieves.
Against this backdrop, a few questions beg asking: “What is happening to the Philippines?” “Why are the people in the Philippine government so dishonest, evil-minded and morally bankrupt?” “Why is the bureaucratic system so awful that it cannot get over a little hump of decency?”
Filipino-Americans ask these questions all the time, talk about it occasionally, blame the system and conclude that Filipinos are just that — born to experience hopelessness and despair.
But if we look closer and examine the situation, we will end up with one good conclusion: Filipinos have wrong value system. Most of them are very selfish and, indeed, morally bankrupt. They don’t love their neighbors. They don’t love their country. And worst of all, they don’t love God. That is why most of them are greedy and corrupt. The others who are not corrupted don’t involve themselves in the government for reasons quite obvious enough.
Now, put greedy and corrupt officials in sensitive posts like the Customs and the BIR. They will definitely steal the money of the people, solicit bribes and run all sorts of extortions and scams. Why? Because they do not love their country, they do not care if the Philippines is labeled “the sick man in Asia.” They don’t care if millions of Filipinos go to bed with empty stomach. Outwardly most of them are even religious, but they are not afraid to break God’s law. They steal; and they steal big time. Why? It is because God is not real to them. They just attend Church on Sundays and let the people around them assume that they have enough righteousness in their hearts. But come Monday, Tuesday and every day of the week, they mercilessly plunder the coffers of the government.
That explains the predicament of the Pinoys. We became so smart that we have totally ignored to check with God – the Creator and Ruler of this world. He manufactured everything there is in this world, and he left us the Manufacturer’s guidebook – the bible— to life and living.
What happened? We ignored are continue ignoring the guidebook. We have been doing things our own way. We are a people who appear so smart and righteous from the outside, but in our hearts lurk the enemy of truth and righteousness.
Now, there is this big lie going around that the chain of graft and corruption that is choking the Filipino people is unbreakable. Hear this people, the power of God breaks every bondage or stronghold, the evils in the Philippine government bureaucracy included. All it has to take is for us put God in the bureaucratic equation. That’s the only option left for us (The author can be reached at davecasuco@ peryodiko.net)
19...............................
No-fault language
In journalism, brevity and clarity are norms. This way, a journalist can easily communicate to the readers. Everywhere else, it is totally different. It seems to me that doubletalk is the name of the game, and we are embracing euphemism as the most useful figure of speech.
We use euphemism because it is a no-fault language. It is a good tool if we don’t want to face the ugly side of life. Death, taxes, prostitution, war, bankruptcy and a lot more unpleasant realities need to have politically correct equivalents. As an escape route, we indulge ourselves in doublespeak and euphemisms to somehow lessen the impact of awful things in our lives.
So, we make it appear that people don’t die. Dead people are referred to as negative patient-care outcomes. And take note, we don’t bring our departed ones to the cemetery. Rather, we avail of the services of memorial gardens. In the papers, we don’t see their names in the obituaries; we read them under the banner from here to eternity.
Speaking of eternity, religious ministers also use sugarcoated words when dispatching the dead. The funny thing is they do not know the dead most of the time. And yet they say something like the person grew up in his backyard.
I remember attending a funeral service inside a church sanctuary. After the usual boring, almost meaningless ceremony, the church minister delivered the coup de grace, “Our brother is now in the hands of God…” Now wait a minute, that is plain sugarcoating (read: lying). How did he know? That is bad theology. What about judgment?
Recession, unemployment and bankruptcy are current realities. However, you’ll hardly hear those discouraging words around. Instead, we hear about downsizing, career change opportunity, and negative net worth.
Most politicians are masters of the art of doublespeak and euphemism. And why not, they are used to saying something and doing another. A politically correct public official, who wants the vote of the gay population, does not use the words of Billy Graham. Instead, he promises to fight for more rights of people who practice alternative lifestyles.
Another group of people who are good at euphemism are those who put personal ads in newspapers. Obviously, they do this to make them appear more desirable and engaging. One guy shows up regularly at the publication where I used to work in Glendora. He runs his ad like this: Forty-something, unaffected and earthly, self-employed and marriage-minded.
Why doesn’t he get a response? I wonder. I learned later, that most people who read personal ads are also good at euphemism and doubletalk. To the regular reader, the guy’s ad appears impressive enough. But if we will lift the euphemistic shroud, we will see a good-for-nothing fellow. Forty-something roughly means over forty and trying to hide it. Unaffected and earthly translates loosely to slob and lacking social skills; self-employed is technically jobless; and marriage-minded means an essential bigamist.
The military is perhaps the group of people who are so good in trivializing something horrific. In military jargon a collateral damage refers to innocent people who die or suffer as a result of, probably reckless, military operations – make it target services. Among U.S. military men, The Peacekeeper is not an elite United Nations peacekeeping force, but the irreverent MX Missile van. Over there in the Philippines, if the PR guy of the Philippine Armed Forces says, “the situation is under control,” it invariably means there is a fierce firefight going on.
Oh yes, Filipinos are not far behind in this game. We glamorize women of ill repute, or prostitutes, by officially calling them hospitality workers or, at times, guest relation officers. And when a rouge cop silences a key witness by eliminating him, it is not murder. He just salvages the poor wretch.
Just a word of caution, don’t be naive out there. Aside from checking the fine prints, be careful with doubletalk as well.
20........................................
No one is righteous
My friend is a very good churchgoer. Sundays are reserved for everything religious that he does with his life. He attends church services unfailingly, sings in the church choir, volunteers as Sunday school teacher for the toddlers, and spearheads in a lot of outreach projects of the congregation that he belongs.
I asked for his conversion testimony. He does not have any. I gathered that he was drawn into that “Christian congregation” because his wife is into it.
The theology that he got is the one that his pastor teaches every week: “We do it better” Christianity, with a sprinkling of the wealth and health and positive thinking gospels.
He became a self-righteous person as a result. He looks at everybody outside of his small congregation as doomed and hell-bound. I told him to stop being self-righteous because in the bible, the Lord cast his strongest rebuke against the judgmental and the self-righteous.
He was stunned when I quoted what the bible says that, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” And the coup de grace thirteen verses later, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...”
Like most nominal churchgoers, my friend does not understand that passing judgement on someone is against the precepts that the Lord taught during his ministry on earth. The bible has strong words against it, saying people who are on a dark spiritual downward are the ones who like to pass judgement on others. The bible admonishes, “But if you think that leaves you on high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors (the message/rom 2:1).” Take time for a minute, and carefully examine your hand when you point an accusing finger at anyone – three of those fingers point back at you.
So then, our attitude to sin and sinners should be in consonance with that of the Lord’s. Jesus Christ hates sin but loves the sinners. That is because the Lord knows what stuff of which people are made. By themselves, men are very vulnerable. Our sinful nature makes sinning a natural thing to us. Proof of this is a young kid who acts selfish even in the absence of selfish role models around. Also, a young toddler lies naturally even when adults around him or her are not liars.
Now, the question self-righteous people always ask goes like this, “Is this man’s depraved nature an excuse for people to wantonly commit sin?”
The answer is, “Definitely not.” Otherwise, God will instantly cease to be God. God does not tolerate sin and unrighteousness, because He is holy, just and righteous. His other attributes are powerful, love, eternal, and merciful. And because He is merciful and loving he restored King David, who committed adultery and murder (Psalm 51). However, because he is just and righteous, God let David pay the consequences of his sins. All these were told in the bible. At one point, Moses was disobedient to God. The great Hebrew leader was told by God to talk to the rock so he could draw water from it. The hot-headed Moses, human that he is and terribly irked by the whinings of his people, struck the rock with his rod. Moses was not able to enter the promised land.
Also, bible accounts tell us that men of God, who are true paragons of faith, fell short at one time or another; they lied, cheated and committed all sorts of sins. But God’s mercies are new every day. Meaning restoration and forgiveness are always available to repentant sinners.
Other people think they have sinned so much that they are beyond redemption, because they have violated God’s law at every turn. Politically-correct thinking says, “Strike three and you are done.” Again, this kind of thinking makes sense if we take it from the human perspective. However, in God’s eyes no sin is greater than the redemptive value of the Blood of the Lamb.
The Lord said it Himself through the prophet Isaiah: “Come now and let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool (nkjv/is.1:18).” There goes the most beautiful promise of God to the sinning world. God knows who we are and He takes us for what we are.
The bottomline is nobody is immune to sin. Every person is a sinner. That is why it is wrong to pass judgment on others. Sin and people are no strange bedfellows. They are stuck to one another since Adam and Eve broke the Garden protocol. Bible-based Christians understand this spiritual reality. That is why they are not surprised when great personalities commit great mistakes and when high profile church leaders commit high crimes. And while the secular world, self-righteous churchgoers and nominal believers accuse people and gloat over the sins of others, true Christians go down on their knees and offer prayers and petitions on sinners’ behalf. (You can reach the author at davidlvnow@aol.com)
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