Christ Is Not Off-limits to Us

Last updated on: December 13, 2022 at 1:39 am by Zo Mathetis

Christ Is Not Off-limits to Us 2022-12-13T01:39:51-05:00 Zo Mathetis

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To everyone who has been hurt by the church,

To everyone who has become ashamed of and distant from Christ because of the wrongdoings of those who represent Him,

To every queer person, every abuse victim, every church-scarred bearer of the sacred image of the Creator,

From one whose heart is decorated with many of the same scars.

They have told us, at many times and in many ways, that Christ is off-limits to us. This is a lie, and a pernicious one.

If it is true that a man was born 2000 years ago who was God, who liberated us from sin, and who reconciled us to the Creator – this is incredible, life-changing news. This is precious news. This is good news.

And yet the good news has had terrible journalists. This holy message has been carried by evil messengers. They have re-forged this plowshare into a sword against the marginalized. They have used it to enrich themselves, they have used it to abuse those in their care, and they have used it to fortify walls against those they already held in disgust.

The Lies We Have Been Told

Make no mistake: these people have lied to you about Christ. They have committed blasphemy. They have said, with actions and words, that He stands against the poor and the marginalized. That He tolerates or enables abuse That He hates queer and transgender people. All of this is blasphemy.

These blasphemies come in big and small packages. Some church leaders actively use their ministries as a platform from which to abuse their flock, enrich themselves, or create a veneer of celebrity power. Others simply fail to care for the poor, struggling, or marginalized in their communities. Both alike have lied about the Gospel in their actions and inactions.

It is a great irony indeed that those who claim to most ardently cherish the Gospel have treated it so carelessly. They have worked to rebuild every barrier destroyed by the death and resurrection of Christ, to re-weave the veil torn in two at His crucifixion. To make us once again distant from God.

Many will hear this as self-righteous – Lord, forgive me if such sin resides in these words. The truth is that I am training to be a minister and I too will lie about the Gospel. Should the Lord ever entrust me with a church community, I will very likely hurt members of that community. I will represent God poorly. I hope and pray that I never do so severely.

The Good News about the Good News

Now we who were brought up in the Church look back upon it with wary eyes. How can we trust God when His (allegedly) most devoted followers have proven themselves untrustworthy? They taught us about goodness, and yet our souls cry out that goodness looks vastly different than what they have said.

The good news is that these lies are lies and the truths of Christ must drown them out. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

The good news is that Christ offers us freedom from brokenness and evil of all kinds– we are forgiven for our wrongdoing! The good news is that the kingdom of God is at hand, a world free from the chains of capitalism, a world where poverty and social injustice of all kinds are eradicated. The good news is that there is a way out of the empty, content-drenched, everyday lives that feel for many inevitable in the present day.

And that good news is not off-limits to us.

God loves you.

P.S.

Many will not resonate with this good news, with the message of Christ. It may not call to you. There is nothing wrong with that. Please don’t hear in my passionate advocacy for that message any judgment toward you. I recognize that it looks strange, perhaps unnecessary. I hope you do receive this as a gentle invitation. Should you ever long for a life that seeks more deeply and feels brighter, should you ever feel the need for forgiveness that goes beyond the interpersonal world – know that Christ is not off-limits to you. Don’t be afraid to send a casual prayer His way. He won’t mind.

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