Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Do You See The World at the End of Your Pointing Fingers?

Do You See The World at the End of Your Pointing Fingers?

Last updated on: June 12, 2015 at 12:27 pm by Susan Cottrell

Do You See The World at the End of Your Pointing Fingers? 2015-06-12T12:27:10-05:00 Susan Cottrell

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

fingerFREE

I wrote a post about a pastor at the pearly gates, being called out for rejecting LGBTQ people. It was very popular and got a lot of comments – positive and negative. This comment revealed a fascinating perspective on how Christians view their role in the world.

dear-susan_white I write Dear Susan posts most every Friday. Sometimes they are poignant, sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes tender, sometimes funny… but hopefully always worth the read.

Dear Susan,

The conversation at the pearly gates could then become, “I see you were more concerned with being everyone’s friend than proclaiming grace is for sinners not the self-righteous.”

Grace

Dear Grace,

What an interesting idea! You’re saying that being everyone’s friend goes contrary to proclaiming grace for sinners. Yet, Jesus was friends with everyone! Most of all he was a friend to sinners. Of course I am interested in being a friend to sinners. That hypothetical pastor I wrote about should definitely be a friend to sinners. That’s his entire job.

What does it mean to be a friend to sinners? First off, it means to stop categorizing them as sinners. Not cool. Second, it means that you are not put off by those you consider sinners. It’s not being worried you’ll get cooties if you hang out with sinners – or worse, “a bad reputation.” Seriously. Isn’t that the fear?

Real Christians who seek to follow Jesus should be saying this:

“Hm, not everyone views being gay as a sin, some profoundly knowledgeable theologians do NOT believe it’s a sin, so who am I to say? I guess I’ll just love and let God take care of that part of it.”

And THAT is all Jesus asks of you anyway!

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
– From Jesus, Friend of Sinners, by Casting Crowns

Instead, I hear in you a fear that this “perfect Christian life” you’ve put together will be soiled by others’ sins. [I rarely hear people who ask questions like this worried about their OWN sin.] As if you’re standing on the corner in your expensive silk jacket, leather boots, and perfect hair – and you don’t want someone to drive by and splash mud all over you. That’s the fear I’m hearing.

Box-christians love to say benevolently that LGBTQ people are “sinners just like me,” but they don’t live that out, because they won’t stop pointing out that they believe homosexuality is sinful.

The sin of box-christians is that they can’t let it go! They can’t stop meddling in something they don’t understand. They keep comparing it to alcoholism and worse, as if people who are LGBTQ just lack self-control.

The LGBTQ people I know have taken this more seriously, shown more self-control, poured out their anguished hearts more to God in prayer, and researched the verses more deeply than the countless box-christians who simply won’t shut up and trust God about it.

(Many Christians who have seriously pressed into God have seen the errors of previous false interpretations, and have become affirming. Is that the fear? That by really, prayerfully looking into this, God might press you to become affirming?)

Friend to sinners? Have you witnessed the bedraggled people Jesus hung out with? I mean, really! Jesus never ever warned us not to hang out with ‘sinners’ but instead said, “Love your neighbor! P.S. Everyone is your neighbor.”

The only people Jesus corrected vociferously were religious leaders who judge others! That should be muchscarier than not judging harshly enough, don’t you think?

We should be all about proclaiming Grace. We do that by loving everyone we see. What other job do we possibly have? As we yield our fears, we let God love anyone and everyone through us, and they will get to know the truth about God’s heart and the teachings of Jesus, the very Grace that embodies us.

There is nothing more freeing in the world!

Susan

Previous Post

June 10, 2015

15 Warning Signs That Your Christian Friend Is Becoming PRO-Gay!

Next Post

June 13, 2015 All I Asked You To Do Was To Love

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Church & Religion Dear Susan Family Support Gay Weddings & Marriage GCN Conference Jesus Blog LGBTQ Support Parenting Personal Stories Suicide The Real Jesus Theology Transgender Uncategorized X Archived Posts

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 June 2022 December 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 March 2018 January 2018 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which New Testament book is written as a sermon?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Acts Galatians Hebrews James

Support this
Column