It seems to

me people often misunderstand the church. How many times

have you heard someone say that they don't know how

people who are so "bad" can claim to be

Christian and go to church?

There's

this idea that church is the place where people who are

" righteous" and "saintly" and know

"every answer" go to show off to one another

just how "good" they are. Even some Christians

think this way.

That's not what the church

is at all. No one is perfect. No one is without sin. No

one can keep the Ten Commandments and live up to the full

expectations of our divine creator. Working our way into

God's favor by even our best human efforts of being and

doing good is impossible. Everyone falls short of being

what God rightfully wants them to be.

So what is the solution?

God has provided a means by which folks can come again

into His favor and experience a right relationship with

Him. That solution is the person and work of Jesus

Christ. He kept the law of God, He conquered sin, He put

things right between creator and creation. He is the

salve for the wounds of the world.

And the church? Well, it's

sort of the first aid station where this healing ointment

gets passed out to everyone. You see, people who are hurt

and lonely and who have failed and failed again can

always come through the doors of the church to be

forgiven (for Christ's sake) and to be used by God to

bandage and comfort others.

And when one has been

touched and healed and pressed into service, his or her

life begins to look a little different. Oh, the sinning

unfortunately goes on and that which is "bad"

doesn't always instantly disappear. But change occurs.

And the more one can see

life in the perspective of this undeserved love of God,

the more one can live out the kind of life that more

closely reflects the intentions of our creator.

It seems to me this is what

the church is all about.

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