During a recent debate, an ABC News commentator passed a bag of stones to Republicans on stage. Every candidate, except for one, grabbed a handful of rocks, to throw at the man they considered the sinner amongst them. In a scene right out of, well, the Bible, Republican candidates - again and again - pelted the sinner, a great sinner, to be sure, with stones; all the while, reassuring the audience: they, the upstanding candidates, were nothing like the sinner. Each of them, they made it clear, were more fit to the hold the office. Their sins were small, not the large sort the sinner was guilty of; humans of quality, they.
In another scene, right out of, well, the Bible, Jesus once spoke to those with great confidence in their own goodness: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: `I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'
But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, `O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God."
This sinner. Old as the Message is, it is so new and wonderful, if rightly presented, as to awaken astonishment in the weary, imperfect hearts who hear. When babes in Christ give themselves to the Lord - justified through the Redeemer's sacrifice, brought into the family of God, begotten of the Holy Spirit - it means a great change for these. It means a Miracle. Old things pass away; all things become new.
Only Now, just like Then – whited walls, the outside-of-the-cup crowd, invested in the appearance of good conduct and their "core" principles, make the Precious Savior, Bringer of Peace, Lifter of Burdens, unapproachable, uninviting, intimidating, to sinners seeking forgiveness, desperate for a second chance. The Rick Perrys, the Michelle Bachmanns, the Ron Pauls, the Rick Santorums and Mitt Romneys of today's world, their banners of spiritual pride waving high, keep multitudes of sinners standing afar off, sure they are unworthy to approach the only One who can make them new.
On that stage, that night, there was not one word - not one word - from the political Christians about the miraculous saving work of Christ Jesus, sufficient to change, to make all things new, to transform the worst sinner, even Newt, into a new creature.
America is full of sinners, who love their country, many of whom would die for it, and according to the purity test of the republicans on stage that night, they probably couldn’t run for dog catcher. Steve Deace sees things a little differently: sometimes the greatest sinners, "the most broken people are the ones God does the most tremendous work through."
No one has walked a mile in Newt's shoes, except for Newt. No one on that stage knows the crowded corners of Newt's heart. There is only one thing every believer truly knows about Newt... he is forgiven.
forgiven
Amen! Thank you for taking the time to right this and I do believe you get it. :O)
This post of yours is confirmation for me as to where we are at today as a Church and a nation. This lesson is very important for us to pay attention to. The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is also very relevant. Some of the behavior we see on here is like the son who never left his father who was angry and resentful of the treatment his brother received when he returned and repented.
11 Then Jesus* said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with* the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”* 22But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
25 ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 31Then the father* said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”