As with any other period of history, our current era is confronted with major social issues that require the active engagement of Christians. Poverty, ethical decay, women in leadership, human trafficking, LGBT lifestyle, immigration are just a few. Too many Christians attempt to address these by starting with the issue and justifying a position on the matter based upon what they perceive to be an “appropriate Christian” response. The problem is that it leaves to every person or group the task of determining what that appropriate response is and it always puts Christians in the posture of responding rather than truly engaging.
Let’s start at the very beginning. It’s a good place to build a framework that allows high freedom and clear consistency with God’s vision for the world. We were created whole – complete in God’s vision for us. Yet through selfish use of our freewill, we broke proximity with God thereby warping the wholeness in which God created us. Thankfully, God has made a path of reconciliation for us to be restored in that wholeness through proximity with Him. This is singularly through the person of Jesus. Thank God that even on this path toward restoration, His grace allows us to live in wholeness while still under the effect of that sin. So in reality we are all broken and in need of grace for restoration.
Beginning with that vision for wholeness allows Christians to relate to each other and engage tough issues around us with a disposition of graceful humility knowing that there is no hierarchy of sin. Although some are farther along on The Way of Christ to wholeness, all of us may be on it if we so desire. In response to God’s grace we may walk on that path and increasingly be restored to the vision God first had for us. Allowing for the broad invitation that Jesus gives to all who respond in faith means that there will be people walking this journey who do not live as you do; who do not think as you do and yet who still seek the fullness of God for them. God’s vision of wholeness is our common desire. Allowing others the same restoring grace of God for salvation is natural when we start at the beginning and faithfully believe the path through Jesus back into wholeness in proximity with God is open to every person.
Blessings on The Way,
Kevin