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Scandals in ChurchHow much I would like to deny that things go wrong in church, I cannot do that. Church is a gathering of often a messy group of humans. People from all layers of society, people with their short comings, people who still drag their sin loving nature with them.
However, Christians also believe that they need a Saviour. A real Christian repented of sin and puts his or her trust in Jesus. It is safe to say that not all people who say they are Christian, really trust Jesus or take the Bible as their guide. And this will cause issues which are hypocritical and surely not Christian-like.
It is like any other organisation. We have to deal with flawed people and we will have scandals because of this. Don’t take me wrong! We are all flawed. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” We all need to be saved.
When the Bible talks about the church it is referring to a body of true believers. As said, a Christian is someone who trusts Jesus and seeks to follow and serve Him in the Christian community of the church. But a Christians is just like a real person, like real people they will fail so now and then. Still, the Christian should be living close to the Lord and in doing so, the Christian should look at sin as something detestable. Sin should be despised in the eyes and heart of a Christian.
Now let’s think about the apostle Paul. Surely this great guy was a true winner if it comes to doing that what is right! I’ll read Romans 7: 17-23 for you. I’ll read to you from the Message translation:
“But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.”
Paul seems to be desperate about it as we can read in verse 24:
“I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?”
The King James version is shorted:
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
But Paul understands the situation and in verse 25 we hear him say:
“I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Why? Read on in chapter 8 verse 1:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
So yes, to conclude, there were, there are and there will be scandals in Church. This will continue till Jesus returns. Until that time we will have to acknowledge that church is not the same as a wonderful showroom in which all things are sorted and laid out perfectly. No, church is more like a hospital in which the sick get treatment for their illness. Looking at the church might result in a similar responsive the scribes and Pharisees had when they looked at Jesus’ followers. Why do you hang out with bad people? In other words: What is wrong with you all? It was Jesus Who said: “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
To which group do you belong? The self-righteous or those who admit they fail time and again.
