An Inkling
I’ve been writing blogs since August 16 describing why I believe our denomination has crossed a line toward unfaithfulness through its decision to change ordination standards. I’ve offered these reasons in no particular order – just a stream of consciousness theologizing – till now. I’ve saved the two main reasons for last with today’s and tomorrow’s blogs.
So, let’s see: I’m up to eight reasons why I think we’ve crossed a line. Isn’t that making a bit much of a sexual ethics debate? It would be if it were just that. As important as biblical sexual ethics are, they are clearly not essential tenets of our faith. But in our generation they are one of the main stages on which we are playing out our understanding of some essential tenets, namely the nature of grace and forgiveness.
The best single gospel story I can think of for grasping the full nature of grace and forgiveness is that of the woman caught in adultery in John 8. Even people who don’t follow Jesus quote these red letter words – at least in part.
Let the one without sin cast the first stone. Wow! With a single phrase Jesus makes plain what the accusers have in common with the accused. The point is not that we’re to forego all judgments. Many scripture passages direct us to judge. The point is that we are to enter such conversations, in this case our sexual ethics debates, with a full awareness that all of us have our own sinful patterns in this area of life. That totally changes the conversation.
Neither do I condemn you. The only one present who had the right to condemn did not. Wow again! There is grace demonstrated – but only part of it. Jesus wasn’t done.
Go and do not sin again. This is the red letter phrase in the story that somehow goes unquoted. It’s the other half of grace, which is not biblical unless the loving acceptance of neither do I condemn is inseparably joined with the call to accountability and change in do not sin again.
Notice the order. If we’re to embody grace we must speak first what Jesus spoke first – loving acceptance. Otherwise even a grace-full message sounds condemning. Only then, but essentially then, do we speak the call to accountability and change. For without the last half forgiveness is rendered mere indulgence. And the last thing we need in our brokenness is indulgence.
And the last thing the church needs in its leadership standards is truncated grace. Let those who lead do so with full awareness that they have no right to cast stones. Let them receive in full God’s loving acceptance, which is tied inseparably to a call to turn from sinful patterns. Let them demonstrate in their way of life, including their sexuality, the full-orbed grace of the gospel.
That postures our leaders, like those they lead, in readiness for God’s transforming work, to which I’ll return in tomorrow’s post.
Blessings,
Keith
