Restoration Nation

By Ernie Fitzpatrick, LRC, Houston

The church simply doesn’t know what to do with grace and therefore neither do most Christians. It’s bigger than our finite minds can comprehend. It’s totally out of the hands and control of the clergy which causes them to knowingly and unknowingly substitute fillers. And in an American culture, where capitalism and self made men reign supreme, graces makes no sense. So, we make excuses. Can you say perverted doctrines and church rules and bylaws? Let me give you a couple of examples- just a couple.

Let’s just blow the doors off right up front!

We Christians think we deserve what Muslims and Hindus do not! Let’s fess up. We don’t think “others” should get what we get- which is grace. I used two other religions just to get the blood flowing. However, let’s bring it closer to home. Remember the story of Jesus and the transvestite at the well? Or was it a lesbian that Jesus was talking to? You know where I’m going don’t you. Can’t fool you!

It was Jesus and the Samaritan woman, a type and symbol in Jesus’ day and time that would equate to a homosexual or what many Christians deem “unholy and impure“. Jesus was talking to a woman (of all things) who was deemed “unclean” based on Jewish “purity codes“. Such an act would make Him unclean as well. You know, you can’t mix clean water with dirty water without getting murky and polluted water.

Religion is what’s keeping more people from entering the Kingdom!

Religion and the appointed priests, rabbis, and pastors think they’re the mediators between the divine and the human. They are not and never will be! Religion has somehow put itself in the place of playing God, determining who is IN and who is OUT. Everyday we hear of self righteous church leaders condemning and keeping out of “their congregations” those THEY have deemed UNWORTHY. And then years later we find those same leaders being exposed for the same sins they so eloquently and fiercely preached AGAINST!

God forgive us!

As I see it, religion and the church has the job and responsibility of building a highway, as broad as possible that will allow anyone passage into the Kingdom. And yet what we have instead are narrow roads built by various denominations, in the name of God, with numerous “toll booths” along the way exacting of all sojourners, what they themselves have not paid.

Ahh grace is indeed scandalous, but mighty and beyond the strength of the prejudices that we build. None of the damns that we have built, none of the toll booths we have established, and none rules we’ve put on the books can deny the GRACE from our God. We will all indeed be surprised one day when we greet one another in eternity. But, between now and then, why don’t we err on the side of grace? Why don’t we offer unconditional love- to everyone! It’s what God has granted you and I.

You’ve gotta love the scandal of grace. I certainly do!