The Worth Of Knowing

I was in the break room typing up my note for work. A coworker was divulging to another coworker and I their current relationship situation.

Suddenly, they turned their head sharply and looked at me, “Stop judging me. Not everyone is meant to marry young and have a family.”

Startled, as I had not said anything thus far in the conversation, I looked up at them like a deer in headlights.

Apparently my quiet existence as a Christian was enough to cause guilt.

I found my words, “I’m not judging you. I don’t think people who are not Christians need to live by Christian standards.”

“Yeah,” their tone changed and face softened as they continued, “I was just talking to my mom about that the other night …”

After a couple minutes they left the room and I let out a long sigh.

My other coworker still in the room noticed, “Those are hard conversations.”

“Yeah,” I said quietly wondering if I had said the “right” thing, if I should say anything more, and if my theology was even correct … all the while wanting to melt away into my chair.

It’s interesting how loud a quiet Christian life can be.

It’s also interesting how Christians can become panicked and overwhelmed by the sin we see around us. We can be tempted to want to stop the sin without taking a moment to consider why we feel the urge to do so. Is that what Christians are called to … to get people to stop sinning?

“Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

Matthew 28:18-20 CSB

The first call to action is “go and make disciples” not “teach them to observe everything I have commanded you.”

1 Corinthians 9:5-13 speaks of this specifically in regard to sexual sin. Verses 12 and 13 say, “For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you”(CSB).

I wonder what this looks like when we interact with unbelievers in our community? Because we are certainly called to interact with our community:

“I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 CSB

“‘As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.’” John 17:18 CSB

But when we’re in our communities, how do we seek to “make disciples” and not “judge outsiders”? Don’t we have to address the sin issue?

Several years ago, before going out to do street evangelism, I was instructed that our group needed to point out the sin problem before introducing Christ otherwise we’d be giving unbelievers an answer to a question they haven’t asked. So when we evangelize, it was said, we start with the problem (put bluntly, the problem of sin).

I’m not going to say that’s incorrect or wrong, but I have been mulling over what it means to “make disciples” and not “judge outsiders.” Isn’t belief what leads to real heart change?

Something I heard few weeks ago on a podcast by The Eden Project stood out to me: the Bible starts with Creator God and humans in personal relationship. It starts with the very good and it’s going to end with the even better … eternity in intimate relationship with our Creator and Savior.

Not only that, Jesus invites us to enter into eternal life now. He wants to begin that relationship here in the in between.

“This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent — Jesus Christ.” John 17:3 CSB

How is this part of “making disciples”?

It reminds me of what Jesus said after He humbly and lovingly washed His disciples’ feet:

“‘I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’” John 13:34-35 CSB

More than anything, the Church is to be marked by the love of Christ that is among them.

So here’s what I’m considering:

Could we say then, that it is loving to confront a fellow believer in sin? Even stooping down to humbly address the filth and sin on our brother or sister’s feet? Could this be how people know we are Jesus’ disciples?

Could it not be loving to confront an unbeliever in the same sort of sin? Could it be that the greatest sin of an unbeliever is not believing Jesus is the only way to forgiveness and eternal life in intimate relationship with God?

“‘What can we do to perform the works of God?’ they asked. Jesus replied, ‘This is the work of God — that you believe in the one he has sent.’” John 6:28-29 CSB

Maybe we’ve had it backwards. Maybe don’t wash feet that are still in the street. Maybe we invite the unbeliever into the house first. Maybe we show them the love we have for one another. Maybe we show them how we humbly address the filth and sin on each others feet.

Maybe we pray that God would grant them belief and a response like Peter’s:

“‘You will never wash my feet,’ Peter said. Jesus replied, ‘If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.’” John 13:8-9 CSB