Christians need to initiate a social grace movement. Jesus declared, “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord!” These words have inspired a multitude of social justice movements – abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, right to life movements.
We Need Law and Grace
I recently attended a middle school football game. As I walked through the crowd I observed the diversity – black, brown, and white. The football teams reflected the same diversity. I watched as two little girls played together – one white, one black. It was evident that this was their first meeting. They looked each other in the face, touched each others’ hair, and hugged. This is my community.
What would Jesus Say?
If we are to properly understand the biblical text it must be interpreted through the lens of the Incarnation. So, what would Jesus say about same-sex marriage? What would Jesus say to homosexuals?
The Father’s Embrace: Restoration, Grace, & Joy
When I was a child, my brothers and I sometimes quarreled and fought. Dad would come in the room and sternly warn us, “Boys, you better stop fighting right now or I’ll have you on your knees hugging and kissing each other.” Many of our childhood brawls ended with us on our knees embracing each other. There are many examples of sibling rivalries throughout the Bible, beginning with the story of Cain and Abel. Sometimes sibling rivalry has developed into civil war.
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Grace for Sexual Sin
I’ve learned some things about sin: (1) all have sinned; (2) we are often happy to talk about someone else’s sin; (3) those sins that directly affect us tend to get overlooked, or excused; and (4) eventually we stop talking about sin because we are uncomfortable with our sinfulness, and we don’t want to be accused of being judgmental toward others. This is especially true when it comes to sexual sin. However, the truth remains that sin is the condition of humanity – all of us. And, there is a remedy for sin.