Resisting The Grace Police
Resisting The Grace Police
by Randy Thomas (cross-posted from Randy’s blog.)
While I am thoroughly enjoying my current season of learning more of the true depth of the finished work of Christ and grace, I am not enjoying some of the private interactions I have had with people worried that I am on a slow slide to heresy and hell.
Not fun at all.
However, when I refer to my current critics, they are not who I am talking about as “The Grace Police.” In fact, I am more concerned about people who hold the same views as I do, in my online crew, turning into The Grace Police. Offline, I don’t see this with the people in my church but online…something happens that has me concerned.
I think it is easy for our crowd to extend grace to each other and even to unbelievers… but when the topic of legalists or Christians who we perceive don’t “get” grace comes up, online at least, it can get flippant quick and even mean from time to time.
Some of our critics have chosen to make false accusations and declare them as fact, condescending generalizations, negative assumptions, as well as some go on to declare that we are allied with satan … but that doesn’t mean we should respond in kind.
In fact, after experiencing true unadulterated grace … I don’t want to respond in kind.
Now, those in my online crew don’t go there often and if they do it quickly turns toward a truly gracious approach to everyone… but every once in a while I see white-hot flashes of very deep anger and I wonder if it is righteous concern or personal wounding.
If there is anything I know humans are very good at… we can turn *anything* into legalistic rule-keeping. So join me in spreading the really Good News but let’s continually resist becoming The Grace Police.
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More: Randy Thomas is an online and social media consultant, artist and blogger. You can visit his personal blog here.
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4 Comments
by Tedford Hyde
On April 17, 2012
Well said!
by Randy
On April 17, 2012
Thanks Tedford
by Keven King
On April 17, 2012
Randy,
You are right on target. The way to reach people is to love them. Evangelist James Robison once said that when God reveals a great truth in His Word, the last thing you should do is run to your Pastor and tell him he’s way off the mark and then try to straighten him out. It’s always better to share God’s great truths in love, then let the Holy Spirit take over. When I get resistance, I find that there is no need to argue about what I know to be true. Instead, I pray that God, in His time, will reveal More of Himself in that persons life. There are appropriate times to debate and to give an account for the hope that is within us, but getting angry and impatient with fellow believers will not produce good fruit. I’m extremely thankful that our Father is patient with me because I can be very hard headed at times.
Thanks for writing about this. I needed to here it.
by Randy
On April 17, 2012
Kevin,
Thank you for your well thought-out comment and the encouragement. I can be hard headed myself but hopefully I am mellowing out as I get older. I have also found it is not good to argue with other believers and pretty much take the same approach as you. It is what it is and we can all always pray for each other. Thanks again Kevin!