Who’s a sinner?

Anyone who falls short of God’s perfect standards and has not placed their trust in Christ alone to be forgiven and made right with God. They are on track to being spiritually separated from God forever.

Who’s a saint?

Anyone who falls short of God’s perfect standards but has placed their trust in Christ alone. They are forgiven and made right with God. This person communes with the Triune God and will one day live in His presence and glory forever in heaven.

So much disappointment.

It’s disappointing and saddening when leaders of the Christian faith mess up and their shortcomings become public. Some of us might be saying, “No way!”, “Not them!”, “How?”, “Why?”. To others, it might seem like confirmation that religion is meaningless and there’s no difference between being a Christian and a non-Christian. Some might even say, “This is why I don’t trust Christians. They are hypocrites! They are no better than anyone else!” And to the last statement, I would have to say, you might be on to something there.

Remember how the definition of a saint began? “Anyone who’s fallen short of the glory of God.” That’s every single person to have ever existed. It is true, that without Christ, there would be no distinction from one person to the next regarding right standing with God.

Here’s the good news.

No Christian leader, pastor, or anyone else who speaks in the name of Jesus is actually Jesus. They are only messengers, who have tasted and seen the goodness of God in their lives and have chosen to tell everyone about Him.

We need to consistently remind ourselves that the object of our faith should not be on Christian leaders, but on Jesus, the head of the Church. He never changes and never breaks a promise.

He is our faithful Savior –– He loves us so much that He took on the punishment that we all deserved so that we can live this life not slaved to sin, and one day be face-to-face with Him for eternity.

He is the solution to everything wrong in this world. He is the source of every pure and beautiful moment, experience, sound, feeling, taste, smell, and visual of this world.

He is the ultimate judge and grace giver –– His forgiveness and love are boundless for you and me.

He is the great Redeemer –– He has promised to wipe away every tear from our eyes and make all things new.

He is who we Christians bet our whole lives and eternity on. This is the cause we live and die for.

How wild that He has chosen imperfect people to be His ambassadors, fully knowing we are prone to wander and mess up at times. It is true, and to no surprise to Him, that we won’t represent Him perfectly, and yet He chooses to use us every day. This is where His saving power is seen more clearly. He died for you and me. His life, death, and resurrection are good news for you and me. Everyday. In every high and low. In success and failure, public or private. In glory and disgrace. If a Christian leader who has stumbled and fallen needs Jesus to save them, then think of just how much you need Jesus too. You need Him to right your wrongs, and the wrongs done to you, because you know you couldn’t on your own.

May you find comfort in knowing that Jesus not only died for the sinner but also to bring healing and redemption to the person who has been sinned against. Even while having lived a blameless life, He identified with our sin and our suffering. Take heart in this good news!

A just and good God

All of this has been said not to excuse sinful behavior or undermine the deep hurt caused by the sins and failures of Christian leaders. It is simply to encourage all people by remembering the steadfast goodness of God. And in His goodness, He has placed servants within church leadership to address serious issues, keep leaders accountable for their actions, and protect His people. Please seek godly counsel found in the church if you need it.

What now?

So, to all of that, Christian brothers and sisters, I encourage you to pray for your pastors and church. Pray for those who defend the faith and strive to make Christ known. And remember where your hope and salvation come from.

If you’re not a Christian yet, then I ask you, what is holding you back from getting to know the One who knows you at your best and worst yet loves you the same?

Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:4 NLT

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26 NIV