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

Today's Scripture Reading (March 7, 2021): Romans 5

American radio speaker and author Earl Nightingale argued that "When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself." In our judgment, we try to shape the world around us, maybe even prove that we are better than the one who is the object of ridicule. We use judgment to exclude the one who is not like me. Somehow, we even seem to believe that exclusion is part of what it means God followers in our culture.

What we seem to miss is that Jesus worked hard against the exclusion of the people who were subjected to religious judgment in his culture. He defends the woman, caught in the act of adultery, by responding to the judgment of the men who brought her to him by arguing that the one without sin should throw the first stone (John 8:7). The men eventually realized that they had been excluded, instead of the woman, and walked away. He told the parable of the Jewish man who is robbed on the way to Jericho. He is rejected by a Priest and a Levite before being rescued by a despised Samaritan, a man who was a victim himself of Jewish judgment (Luke 10:25-37).  Jesus tells his followers that they are actually welcoming him when they welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:34-40). Nowhere does he judge and exclude those who the religious elite would seek to exclude. If there were anyone that he would judge, it would be the religious elite. And in each case, it is not the one that the elite judge that is the defining moment; it is the elite who dared to judge.

Paul argues that this is a portion of what it means to be part of a Christ-centered movement. God loved us so much that he sent his Son to die for us while we were still sinners. God didn't wait for us to be worthy of his love or Christ's sacrifice. While we were still sinners, he came to us and made a sacrifice on our behalf.

The problem is that we have become the modern-day Pharisees who believe that we can shape and define our world with our judgments. I don't think that we understand Paul's argument. If we did, I think our actions would be very different. Paul is adamant that the Christian Church is the body of Christ. If that is true, then we are the ones who should be willing to die for a world that is caught in sin; we are defined not by our judgment but, instead, by our acceptance.

There is currently a fight in many of our denominations over two issues that appear to have become polar opposites. However, the relationship between the two issues is not readily apparent. These issues are accepting LGBTQ+ Christians into our fellowships and those who view the role of women in Christian ministry to be subordinate to a male figure (complementarian instead of egalitarian ministry roles). Both seem to want to exclude the other. According to some, we should exclude both LGBTQ+ Christians as well as female Christian leaders. Those who accept women in leadership are generally more willing to accept women in leadership.

But the argument here is not whether or not either of these issues is a sin. If we are the body of Christ, why would we want to exclude either of these groups, regardless of our view of what is right?  Christ died on a cross for our inclusion, even when we stood outside of the orthodox Christian behavior. We need to continue the discussion around the acceptance of women in leadership and LGBTQ+ Christians. I am not arguing either view here. But our desire to exclude based on sin would seem to be anti-Christian. Because "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" and for our right to be included.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 6