Grace and Truth

I haven't blogged about something "spiritual" or "Jesus-y" in a long time. This post is Jesus-y. No apologies.  :)

I've been thinking a lot about the subject of "grace and truth" lately. Ok, I've also been thinking about sit-n-stand strollers (which...oops...haven't posted here yet that we are having one more baby. hehe :) Poor third baby. Doesn't he/she get their own blogpost? Yes. He/She will.), captain crunch, tacos and if we will buy a minivan :( or a terrain or acadia (SUV with the ability to seat three children) :) However, I've been like an 18th party  (which means I'm not really involved at all) to a conversation that made me start to think (again) about this important subject....that seems to revisit itself over and over again in my life.

Our own Pastor, Mark Vroegop at College Park Church gave a stellar sermon on "Balancing Grace and Truth" last summer. You can listen to it here. I know you probably won't, but you really should. Really.  (have I mentioned how much I love our church? Not in a "my-church-is-the-best-church-out-there-and-does-everything-right-and-is-perfect" kind of way....but because I think that God is being glorified here. Its tangible. His gospel is being furthered, lives are being changed and people are being won to Jesus because sinful people that have been redeemed are being vulnerable and doing life together as a community. I like to call it "one-anothering", or "walking alongside of" :) I think College Park has come a long way in making a "big church" feel small. I have goosebumps every time I sit through a service. And the messages are usually so convicting that I'm brought to tears over my own sin and God's grace and intervention in my life. Anyways. Rabbit trail.

I'm really posting this blog so I can link to it on Facebook and get the input of my highly valued friends across the miles. Perhaps some of my Grace College friends, who are married to Pastor's and who do full time ministry and might have a good angle on the subject. :)

So, how do we balance grace and truth in this crazy world? We are called to love. We are called to speak the truth. How do we do this well and win others to Jesus?

In my former life of conservative baptist church-going, I'm compelled to conclude that the leadership I was surrounded by majored on truth. I saw little love or grace when it came to speaking truth. I saw people shunned, ignored and talked about instead of being sought after for restoration. I saw petty rules become the letter of the law. I saw hardness and legalism. I saw very little of Jesus.

And now, as I watch myself and my peers do church and Christian life....I get a bit worried that our "Christian" culture and society is moving too far in the other direction. Can we love too much? Can we ignore truth to the point that it is dangerous? Well, obviously, yes I believe we can. I completely get wanting to put behind the conservative legalism of the past. I get being open, loving and accepting. But, certainly not everything has become a grey area. Not everything is debatable. Does sitting in silence day after day indicate that we are happy to show love, but unwilling to stand up for what the Bible says is so important? Does silence always mean approval? How do we know when the time is right to approach a situation? (I should go back and listen to the sermon probably! I'm guessing M.V. tells me)

I admit that I struggle with this. I don't want to deal with confrontation. I was an RA at Grace College for two years and dealt with more than my share of confrontation :) I'm happy to say that 95 % of those confrontations ended in lasting friendships and a change and eventual turning towards Christ (not necessarily as a result of me or Grace College...just in general :)) I'm just kind of over all that. I want to peacefully watch the world go by and let people deal with the consequences of their own actions. But...is that biblical?

Well, the moment has passed. My kids are crawling all over me and I have a bad feeling I need to go change an enormously stinky diaper. Such is my life these days :) I guess I'll conclude with....I need to pray for wisdom on this subject and trust the Holy Spirit to lead my encounters. And trust that my failings won't hinder God's glory. Would love to hear your input on this subject.  :)