Saturday, January 26, 2013

I’m A Christian And I’m Sorry: An Open Letter to Those Wounded By The Body Of Christ PART 1


Please start with the Introduction. 

PART 1

To the Homosexual, yes, I am a Christian but I’m sorry that We’ve judged you and treated you as though you’re entirely objectionable and vile. I’m sorry that We’ve rallied against you and stooped so low as to enter into childish arguments with you that just make us look conceited and foolish. I won’t fear you or condemn you just because I’m incapable of properly understanding you. I have been shown unconditional love by Jesus Christ and I now intend to show you the same. I do believe that homosexuality is a sin, just as are many things that are in my own life as well. With that in mind, l will choose to establish love for you in my innermost being before even considering to address your sin issues for I have enough of my own.

1 Peter 3:8-9 All of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.

To the men and women who live in the streets of this nation, yes, I am a Christian but I’m sorry that We’ve neglected you. We’ve belittled you because when we see you, we cannot relate to your circumstances. We’ve said under our breath that you somehow must deserve your current condition and that has been haughty and prideful of Us. I’m sorry we’ve created sterile environments within our buildings that aren’t welcoming or inviting to you. Perhaps most of all I’m sorry that our heated and air conditioned buildings sit primarily empty 140 hours a week yet you cannot stay within them. I choose to see you. I choose to take time out of my daily routine to stop and get to know you, not because I pity you but because you’re beautifully created in God’s image and you have value. I choose to help you anyway that I can, financially or otherwise. My Jesus sees you and is close to you, no matter what your circumstance.

Luke 6:34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.

1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Mark 9:41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

Luke 14:7-11 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in  the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

To the Murderer, yes, I am a Christian but I’m sorry that We’ve raised handfuls of stones in anger and retaliation to take your life because you took someone else’s. I’ll be the first to admit, it’s hard in an age and culture so corrupt and vile to know how to respond correctly to what you’ve done but just discarding you like trash, only worthy of death cannot be the only solution. If I get the chance to talk with you, I’d like to discuss how every action of man is led by a deep-seeded will that’s guided by forces unseen. I believe that my wrestling is not against you, but against those in high places who persuaded you to act out of an evil heart. I too have been under the curse of these and have been set free by Jesus Christ. I believe that, because the Word of God tells me such, that there must be a way to overcome evil with good. I honestly don’t have a good response to recompense properly what you’ve done but I will first choose to love you as Christ has loved me, one ranked among the greatest of all sinners. (Christians rally against abortion to no end, clearly stating that it’s murder. Despite this, I’ve yet to hear of anyone attempting to justify chasing down the young women who have them, demanding they too be given the death penalty for doing so. We’ve embraced double standards for far too long.) I will love you for I too have housed murder in my evil heart of stone before Jesus exchanged it.

Romans 12:18-21 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

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