Why do these church leaders want to take credit for all the good things that happen in the Church, whether directly or indirectly, but deny any culpability for the wrong things that happen in the Church, whether directly or indirectly? And why, when they or other clergy members are found in the wrong, being deceptive, and self-indulgent, do they teach as though Scriptures give leaders a sort of heavenly diplomatic immunity? They pull out the 'grace card' or the 'imperfect card' to justify hypocrisy. They make it perfectly acceptable for those who call themselves leaders to strive for, to recline in, and to bathe in their imperfections, turning proper exegesis into poisonous eisegesis. But what is the grace and justification of God? I contend that grace is not only what we receive through salvation through Jesus, but it is the extension of time that God gives for those with evil, perverse, exploitatory, deceptive, and self-indulgent hearts; those who say they believe and those who don't, the grace period to repent. And see that justification is that he cleared our record through his loving sacrifice, not so we can willfully, with unrepentant reprobate conscience, pile more evil on the glorious clean slate he has given us.
And so, in conclusion, I leave you with these words from Paul, one of the great seasoned leaders, that was given to young Timothy, a young up-and-coming leader:
"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." ~ 2Timothy 3:10-17
Be well and stay blessed.
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