The Apostle John wrote to his church that he pastored three recorded letters in an attempt to heal that Christian community. It seems that little church was experiencing a break down and love was not flowing freely anymore. What was the cure?
John tells the people to get real and to quit acting as if they had it all together. It seems that the only way to experience healthy love in community is not by being perfect but acknowledging frequently how imperfect you are. This was not encouraged as a means to shrug off unloving actions and attitudes - "Hey, nobody is perfect" - but to ensure that we would grow toward being a healthier community.
God tells us all that we are sinners - we fall flat on our faces everyday - and He does this not to humiliate us or shame us but to set us free. Here is how he does this - bear with me:
God loves sinners...
God reconciled sinners to himself in Jesus...
God forgave sinners in Christ and no longer holds their sins against them...
God loves us not because we are good but because He is good...
God only loves sinners, which were the ones He came for....
Therefore, if you aren't a sinner God doesn't love you!
Wait a Minute! God loves everyone!
Yes!
And everyone is a sinner; BUT, if you don't quit pretending you have it all together and get real you can't experience God's love. You are presenting to God a "non-you" to be loved and therefore the real you will never experience God's love.
Take a deep breath, face your fears of rejection for being imperfect, and confess your sins to God - get real! You will experience a faithful, just and forgiving God and His loving embrace and acceptance of the "real you" will cleanse you of all un-realness.
Then, with the acceptance of the real you, you are free to graciously love others just like you. Community can begin to take place when real people show up.
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