On Hippocracy, Authenticity, Sin and Performance

I was asked this week to share a note of encouragement with the CARES Teams. This is one of the great things about my work! I had actually already written this letter and not sent it, but now I will share with you too. I may have become a little carried away and let it go too long, but I think it's worth the read. I'm going to post it as it was written; a letter to CARES Teams or anyone giving their life away for Christ.

Hello CARES Teams!

There are two things recently that have coincided in my mind and become heavy on my heart. Please bare with me and I hope it will be worth the read.

I read an article in Spiritualily & Health magazing recently. The magazine is a pretty generic, feel good, publication about spiritual health issues. In this particular article, Rabi Rami Shapiro, explored the human condition as seen by various religious sectors from Buddism to Christianity. His sumation of Christianity was interesing to me. “Broadly speaking, Christianity’s diagnosis of the human condition is that of inherent sinfulness rooted in the idea of original sin taught by Saint Augustine (354-430). Humans are born in sin, and destined for damnation. Only faith in the saving nature of Christ’s death and resurrection can cure you of sin, and save you from its consequences.” (Spirituality & Heath, Jan Feb 2008, pg 14)

If we assume that Rabi Shapiro’s understanding of the Christian faith alligns with many people (for example your neighbors in the apartments), then this is alarming! On the surface, his statement is accurate. We are born into a fallen world and inherit a sinful nature. All who are not saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, are destined to eternity in hell. However, Christ’s death does not cure us of sin! No wonder the world looks at us and see’s a bunch of hippocrits! Christ’s death is a covering, a substitute for the consequence of sin - death. As human’s we cannot conquer sin, therefore it is necessary for God to look at us through the filter of his perfect son. In spite of my sin, he sees me as holy because I am “a new creation in Christ” 2nd Corinthians 5:17. In Rabi Shapiro’s world, we Christians should all be walking around perfectly sinless, never hurting one another, intentionally or otherwise, and never slipping up. We would be cured of sin! If we are still sinful (which we all know we are), then we must not have enough faith, faith at all, or we must be pretenders. This is not to say that God will not ultimately cure sin when Christ returns and/or we enter eternity in heaven. He can and will cure this world of it’s brokenness.

Someone recently pointed out that being a CARES Team feels like being on stage all the time. This line of thought could create a fear of slipping up. “My neighbors are watching, the staff is watching. I must not sin. I must be a good witness.” In my mind, this thinking falls in with Rabi Shapiro. A person would feel like they must live rightly, without sinning, in order to prove the validity of their faith, to not be a pretender.

If this is how you feel, I am sorry.

Living your life in Christ, living as a witness to his saving grace, is about authenticity.

Romans 5:8 states “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” NIV

If you are feeling this sort of pressure as a CARES Team, please consider this new line of thought. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While we were still sinners… think on that. He loved us that much before we accepted Christ. He cannot love us more than that. Eradicating sin from your life or being a good witness cannot make him love you more. Practicing spiritual disciplines cannot make him love you more. It is true that CARES places you on a sort of stage where your neighbors and staff are your audience. Your witness as a CARES Team then should be this, “I am a sinner. I am broken and lost. God the father loves me even so. Christ died for me even so. I am a real person, just like you, my neighbor. I do not pretend to get it right all the time, but I want to honor my Lord and Savior, therefore I serve him as a CARES Team, husband, wife, father, mother, church volunteer, worship leader, etc… therefore I practice spiritual disciplines and fight sin with humilty, not pressure or pretense.”

There is freedom in living a life this transparent. Sin will be much more easily tackled when out in the open. You community will be one of authenticity where deep relationships flow naturally. You will not feel any pressure to please God or people, but simply claim the free gift of forgiveness and salvation. You will not dwell in shame. You will not fear the “stage”. You will experience grace and you will show grace.

You may think these are elementary concepts to our faith, but they are essential and it can never hurt to revisit them, especially when we are wanting to share them with our neighbors. I want to encourage you that you are a blessing to Apartment Life and to your communities. You ARE a good witness and testimony of Christ’s love for mankind. Press on!!!

One more thing... I am broken and often lost. I do not claim to know anymore about these things than you. I sin against people I love. I hurt my family and friends with my sin. I may have hurt you. I am a real person, pressing on in a broken world. I believe fully in the redemptive power of Christ’s death. I claim love from God, my Father. I claim perfect righteousness in Him, as his child. I want to serve Him and honor Him in gratitude for my life. He has forgiven me for things I still find difficult to forgive myself. It is my heart’s desire to grow in my faith continually, to sin less and less until the day I die when it will be conquored in me and I enter paradise. I will not fear the stage!