It is what it is.

Psalm 31:1
In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness.

Have you ever left church feeling like you just got slapped in the face by the preacher? I have; it’s not all that much fun. The scary thought that I have on days like that is this: how does the “seeker” feel leaving church today? If I, being a Christian and already saved, feel put down, kicked, stomped, and worthless, how does that person who doesn’t know Christ feel when they leave? Going even further, how can making Christians feel guilty and worthless possibly be Godly teaching?

We’re called to preach the Gospel, that is, the Good News of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Nothing more, nothing less. We have not been called to preach anything other than that. When condemning messages are vocalized from the pulpits on Sunday mornings, Jesus isn’t being preached; Moses is! By Moses I mean the law and “religiosity” of Christianity.

It is presumptuous, prideful, and arrogant of any preacher to assume that he can speak on behalf of God in declaring your unrighteousness, or more appropriately, your lack of right-doing. It is not the responsibility of ministers to point out the flaws in our lives, wrongs in our thinking, or sins we are committing; it is their responsibility to continually focus our attention on Jesus Christ and what He did for us. It is their calling to point us to the cross, to direct our thinking to the righteousness found in Christ, not to dwell on any unrighteousness found within us.

If you’re thinking that I’m wrong, I invite you to check out these scriptures, quotes from Jesus Himself: John 3:17, John 5:45, John 8:11. Still not convinced? Try these: 2 Corinthians 3:6, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 15:16, Galatians 3:24.

So where am I going with this? Right back to Jesus Christ and the fact that He has sanctified me, justified me, saved me, and cleansed me from all unrighteousness. He has given me His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) and made me a new creation. My trust is in Him, not in whether or not I’ll stop making mistakes. My trust is in Him, not in my own ability to stop making mistakes. My trust is in Him, not in the principles and steps to becoming a good person. My trust is in HIM!

Every single person with whom Jesus Christ came in contact was given healing and forgiveness. Not one person was guilted into a confession or made to feel unworthy. Everyone who met Jesus walked away unashamed, having been given His grace and the confidence that they were forgiven! It is through His righteousness that we are delivered from our sins and our misdeeds. It is in Christ, and Christ alone, that we are able to walk upright and not feel condemned (Romans 8:1).

In You, O Lord, I have put my trust. Let me never be ashamed because I have been delivered by Your Righteousness, Jesus Christ!