Finally, a Fitting Fit to Finish

24. When proclaimed in its purity, the gospel of Jesus Christ comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.

25. There are many easy and false ways to comfort the afflicted. “The gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction.”

26. Society at large is in denial about its sinfulness. Outside of the church, the concept of sin has no meaning.

27. Afflicting the comfortable is always difficult and never well received.

28. The task of evangelism includes the naming of sin.

29. Only those who have been afflicted by the word of God can be properly comforted by it.

30. The task of evangelism includes the pronouncement of forgiveness, not tolerance.

Trying to fix #20

After encouragement, maybe I find this thing salvageable.

So here:

20. When one is concerned about filling pews and offering plates, one is tempted to adopt a position of tolerance.

Okay?

Grace Inflation

One pastor said that Jesus died and rose as proof of God's justice. Jesus was a member of an oppressed people who was crucified because he threatened the power structure, nothing more. So God (sic) had to (sic) raise him from the dead because to leave him dead would be unjust. I took issue with that because I thought it watered down the gospel. If the gospel is only about justice then I am most certainly on the losing side, and I am of all people most pathetic (1 Corinthians 15:19).

That's not so bad, really. I do need reminding that I am called as a disciple of Jesus to act justly and seek justice. I just thought that was a pre-gospel conviction and a post-gospel response, not the sum total content of the gospel.

Then yesterday I read that Jesus died to free us from traditional gender roles. Referencing Galatians, the author wrote that she was freed in Christ not to clean the house. For years I have been the one in our house to do the laundry. Now I know why - cuz Jesus died to make it happen.

Looks like grace is getting cheaper all the time. If we keep minting new graces at the present pace, what will become of our justification?

Judas

Luke 9:1-6, 10.
You gain a whole new perspective on this mission when you remember that one of those twelve was Judas. He too was chosen, commissioned and sent out. He too healed, cast out demons and proclaimed the good news.
What happened to him? I have a friend who is writing a book about Judas - with a positive slant. Perhaps he was not evil and insidious from the start. Maybe he was a man of faith. Maybe Dante was wrong.
This could have implications for you as well. You, too, might be redeemed.

Fit the Fifth (three times fast)

We repeat #20, with the reminder that it is false.

20. Tolerance will fill pews and offering plates; forgiveness will not.

21. The filling of pews and offering plates is not the task of evangelism.

22. Lutherans, and all Christians, evangelize because we are called to do so by Christ himself.

23. The guiding principle of evangelism is love. We love people enough to bring them the gospel.