The Drawing Board

Sin is not tidy December 8, 2009

Human sinfulness is messy. Reinhold Niebuhr once said that “the doctrine of original sin is the only empirically verifiable doctrine of the Christian faith.” What he meant is that you don’t have to look far to notice that the world is helplessly broken. Don’t believe me? Look at the recent Tiger Woods “scandal” and tell me how a guy with virtually limitless money, terrific reputation all around the world, a BEAUTIFUL wife and children gets caught up in an elaborate lifestyle of sexual encounters. The answer: he is sinful, just like you, just like me. No one is immune.

Yesterday I received an email from a woman in my church with a recommendation that we should have a dress code for our church. She wanted some kind of policy that said what was and was not appropriate to wear at church. Apparently, she was *shocked* when someone came into church wearing something she felt was objectionable. Now, let me say, I don’t think church should be a free for all. Obviously, there is some propriety that needs to come with being part of a community. But, let’s be even more honest when we say that things like dress codes in church would be virtually unenforceable, and even more concerning possibly ungraceful.

DON’T ACCUSE ME OF BEING LAX ON APPROPRIATE DRESS. We can’t have people coming in tube tops and miniskirts, etc. I get it. I know. BUT….are we really going to turn people away at the door because of what they are wearing? ”Sorry, your outfit tells me that you are not worthy or ready to hear of the grace God gives you in Jesus Christ. Please go home and dress more fittingly and then come back.” Please.

What am I saying? Life is not tidy. It’s messy, and ministry even more so, sometimes. More and more I am coming to believe that we must set aside certain things that we think are objectionable so that those who need to hear about and see Jesus in our actions become more important than our own desire to be comfortable while we sit in our padded pews.

Basically, Christians need to get over themselves and quit expecting non-Christians to act like they are Christians.

Shalom!