There
exists a certain degree of hypocrisy among us. What I mean is, without
qualms, we condemn the world for not being Christian, yet without
remorse we accept we are not Christlike.
I
am not saying we shouldn't cry out against evil; sin exists and we must
reprove it. However, at some point we must recognize there is more to
our destiny than judging sin. God is looking for the perfection of mercy
within us. "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13), and to follow
Christ is to walk the path of mercy toward full redemption.
Recall
the words of Paul. He tells us to "have this attitude in yourselves
which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). He goes on to explain that
Christ existed in the form of God, yet He emptied Himself, took the form
of a man, and died for our sins. In other words, He saw the need, but
instead of condemning man, He died for man. Paul says we are to have
this same attitude in us.
I
do not want to be a typical American Christian. I am hungry for more. I
want to "grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head [of the
church], even Christ" (Eph. 4:15). Our call is to attain "the measure of
the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (v. 13).
Jesus
said, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (John 20:21). As
Christ was sent into the world to pay the price for sin, so in following
Him we become a society of redeemers. When wounded, we forgive; when
forced to go one mile, we go two. We bless those who curse us and turn
the other cheek to those who strike us. As Christ hung on the cross at
Calvary and prayed, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34), so we stand
before God, and on behalf of our sinful world, we pray the mercy prayer
as well.
I
am convinced that the more Christlike the church becomes, the greater
will be the backing of Heaven. The more we become a society of
redeemers, the more hope we have to see our nation turned back to God.
Adapted from Francis Frangipane's ebook, Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ available at www.arrowbookstore.com.
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