Love covers over a multitude of sins

8:22 AM

This is not a sermon, and I am certainly not a preacher. This is a free flow of my thoughts.

I think that I have a problem with Christians. This is unfortunate considering that I am one. As a child, I accepted Christianity just as it was given to me. I was sort of built up with this perception that the church was perfect and as long as I was not doing what the church told me I shouldn't do, I was doing alright in God's eyes. College has found me in a very weird stage of questioning and searching, I think it does to all of us. I believe that this is why close people in my life have turned away from God. I, myself have been tempted at times to turn away as I realize that the church is NOT PERFECT.

The reason I have a calloused heart towards the church is the lack of love that I have found there. Working at a Christian camp this summer, a common thing amongst my campers was that they have turned away from God because God was not present in their church. They had been hurt by their "spiritual leaders" and they had been turned away because of certain decisions and actions that they had made.

Is church not supposed to be founded on love and forgiveness. 1 Corinthians 3:13 says "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Why must Christianity be linked with political schemas? Why, because a person has an abortion or is of the homosexual orientation, do we turn our backs and feed them our bit of scriptural evidence that they are destined to hell. I understand that in some context, these are brought up in scripture. I, personally do not agree with abortion or homosexuality and would not practice them in my own life, but I can not use that as an excuse not to love them.
Here is my own bit of scriptural evidence.
"With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." -James 3:9-11
If the church is so set on the principle of love, we can not turn around and rebuke a certain group of people. Just like a salt spring can not produce fresh water, the body can not proclaim love if there is also hatred.

Let me verify. I do not think the church is horrible. I believe in church as a community of believers and I know and have experienced the power of that community. Let me also verify that as I ask more questions, my walk with God has become stronger, I have not turned away from God because of my questioning. I also appreciate feedback. I appreciate someone who can test my ideas and make me think. If there is no "yang" in my life, how will I grow?

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins

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