Grace for the Broken

Grace for the Broken

I've been thinking about sin, more specifically, how we as Christ Followers are supposed to react to the sinful nature of our fellow Christians? How do we, as a Church, treat our fellow sinners? What does God ask of us? And how do we add up? I'm sure you've seen a well-meaning Christian, call out a fellow believer in their sin. Perhaps, like me, you been the one dolling out the judgment and condemnation in the name of sanctification. Perhaps, like me, you've justified your actions with saying that you’re just “looking out for them.” Or even that it’s your job as a Christian to point out the sins of your brothers and sisters in Christ? Or perhaps, you've been on the receiving end of a thorough condemnation.

As I've begin to study what the Bible teaches about rebuke, I am struck by how we, as Christ followers, are often leaving out some very important steps in Biblical rebuke. In those moments where I have rebuked unfairly, or in the devastating times where I have received or witnessed a harsh condemning rebuke; something has always been missing. In fact, I can count on a single hand the rebukes that I have received that lead to fruits of repentance, most have led to shame, embarrassment and seclusion. Most of the time we tend to give a lot of advice and condemnation, and rarely address the heart condition that lead to the sin, nor do we use the word of God to lead and teach a way out of the sin. 

 Sin is a symptom, and God is the great healer of the core disease.

Proverb 29:6 Describes sin as a snare, or a trap. Think about this for a second, you have a friend and this friend has been dealing with a really struggling time, after a few years of this you start to notice that this friend has developed a shackle on their leg. “Friend!” you say, “What is this shackle on your leg? How did it get there!? You need to take that off…..” you continue. “Friend, I love you, but I cannot continue to see you if you continue to carry this chain.” Then you leave, you offer no key to unlock it, nor do you stay and help your friend figure out how the shackle got there in the first place. You simply state the obvious, shame them for it and go on your merry way. I’m sure you see the ridiculousness of this kind of response. But how many times have you seen it echoed in a rebuke from Christian to Christian?

Look as this scenario: You have a friend, this friend has shared a bit with you over the years of her broken marriage, or wayward children, perhaps her sister or father passed away and she’s not “gotten over it.” You've noticed that she’s been a bit more sullen then normal and you start to feel concerned for her. So you pray for her and you start to feel that you should talk to her so you invite her for coffee. As you sit and chat, she mentions that she’s needs to refill her pain meds, and you notice that she smells of cigarette smoke. That’s funny, she never used to smell of smoke. Perhaps she laughs about the parties she’s been going to where she’s been drinking and chatting up some male colleges of hers, even though she is still married to her husband. Suddenly, you see it…. This woman is sinning, she walking the thin and treacherous road of the grey zone. You gather the courage to face her and tell her that you are concerned about her, you don’t like what she’s told you about the parties and she can’t quite point down why she needs those pills. So you tell her something like this. “Friend! You’re drinking and smoking and spending time with other men rather than your husband! That’s not ok, you shouldn't do that! You need to stop doing that!.” You watch as her face flushes and her guard raises, “I love you, but I can’t be around you until you stop. I’ll pray for you.” And with that you give her and awkward hug and walk away. Behind you is a lost opportunity. Like the person in the first story, you have failed to give your struggling friend the key, and left her just as trapped as she started.

But what if, instead of shaming her for her sin, you instead spoke the truth of the gospel over her. What if you spoke of how God has restored and redeemed your relationships, how he has been faithful to rescue you of your sins, of which you saw no way out. Perhaps, you could have taken the time to speak the truth of who she is in the eyes of Christ. That she has been made new! That God has given her a spirit of power and strength to overcome!  How God has not left her alone to fight her own battles but that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has come with power and has given her the Holy Spirit to change her and that God desires to heal her brokenness if only she’d allow him! You see the Bible teaches us what the key to unlocking the chains of sin is, it is the Truth of the Gospel.

2 Tim 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Gal 6:1 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted”

2 Tim: 2 “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching”

It is quite clear in scripture that we who are spiritually sound should rebuke our brothers and sisters, but it is equally clear as to how that should be done, in the spirit of gentleness, by the word of God, and with complete patience and in teaching.

My challenge to you and me today is to remember the grace that God has given us. When God called us he didn't shame us and point to our sins, we most likely were well aware of our sins. No, when God called me, he did so by offering me a way out. Total dependence on Jesus Christ. He called me by offering me freedom, the freedom that comes from allowing God to call the shots in my life. If I am to look at my fellow Christian and point them away from sin, then I must point them to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I will do so with the same grace and compassion that God extends to me.