Tension in the Church

What is your goal for unbelievers who visit your church? Do you have one? Hopefully your church has thought about this issue and communicated clear intentions regarding visiting unbelievers.

In I Corinthians 14, the apostle Paul addressed the need to think strategically about how your church ministers to believers vs. “unbelievers” and “outsiders” (I Cor. 14:16, 22).

If a church is to reflect the gospel biblically to unbelievers (and I think we all agree it should), then we must provide a tension for the unbeliever to experience.

Before you jump to conclusions, remember that the concept of “tension” implies there are two forces at work.

The first force that unbelievers should experience in our churches is Christ-like love toward them. Remember the example of Christ, “that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The same love that Christ has shown to us must be displayed to unbelievers who visit our churches (John 13:34).

That means we must exhibit the same patience, kindness, humility, mercy, grace, and hospitality toward unbelievers as Christ has exhibited toward us in Salvation.

Just think about how Christ treated Zacchaeus the tax collector, or the Samaritan woman at the well. He treated them with dignity, respect, and compassion –even when the religious leaders of the day were quick to criticize him for associating with sinners.

What happens when an unbelieving lady enters your church wearing the physical signs of drug abuse? How does your congregation treat unbelieving homosexuals? What about an unbelieving corrupt businessman or adulterous woman?

If we are to be true to the gospel, all of these folks should be treated with the love of Christ. However, we wouldn’t be completely loving (or true to the gospel) if we just left it there.

The second force of tension that unbelievers should sense in our churches is the conviction of sin. After all, without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, how will they understand their need of a Savior?

Remember, Jesus did not sweep Zacchaeus’ corruption under the rug. And, he did not overlook the woman at the well’s adultery.

The message of the church should never be watered down to make sinners comfortable in their sin (whether unbelievers or believers). The full counsel of Scripture must be communicated. God’s standards of righteousness set forth in the law must be delineated so that it is clear that “there is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10) and that our best efforts to please God fall short (Romans 3:23).

Don’t misunderstand. Churches should not seek to publicly embarrass or harass unbelievers regarding their sin condition. That would, after all, violate the love of Christ and display sinful motives of our own.

The goal, remember, is to see sinners reconciled to Christ –not to fuel their rebellion even more. Therefore, we must be honest and forthright about the gravity of their sin in a tone that is commensurate with our concern for their soul.

Of course that opens up a wonderful opportunity for the gospel. The tension between the love of God and the wrath of God should be so evident in our churches that unbelievers and believers alike should be overwhelmed and directed toward the Cross. At the cross, and only at the cross, we find the perfect resolution between these two forces of tension in the work of Christ!

When we are intentional about expressing and communicating both forces, we are in a wonderful position to point people to the cross and the wonderful message of the gospel.

I think every church would agree that there is nothing more glorious than to see a lost soul be freed from the burden of their sin and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. How sweet the joy when the same congregation who presents both the gospel tension and the divine solution, are able to celebrate in the salvation of a sinner saved by grace!

So, for the church that has sanitized its teaching to reduce the gravity of sin –its time to return to the full counsel of God. There is nothing loving about hiding the severity of sin from someone in need of Christ.

And, for the church that takes pride in keeping “sinners” out, take a look in the mirror and stop deceiving yourself. Embrace humility, serve sinners, and love them as you have been loved. Cultivate a genuine desire to lead them to Christ.

Ultimately, to embrace the tension between the love of God toward sinners and the wrath of God toward sinners is to embrace Christ!