I just changed my facebook religious view to: "Sinner Saved by Grace." I was eating lunch with a friend this afternoon and we talked about life, God and the church. She was describing how she went through the process of recording her religious view on facebook. "Christian" can mean so many things. It can turn the stomachs of some who are not followers and turn the nose up of some followers because of the elitism which exists in so many churches.
Everyone likes to use the phrase "Jesus follower" or "Christ follower" but that comes with a lot of pressure. None of us, not one will ever follow Jesus perfectly. We are going to mess up and the accountability that goes along with being a Jesus follower is to much for any body to achieve. I am not saying we shouldn't try to live like Jesus, I'm just saying you can't perfectly.
Since we're not perfect, since we are all sinners and need God's grace I decided to call it as it is--"Hi, my name is Scott and I am a 'sinner saved by grace.'" This statement means so much more to me. It is not a badge I wear proudly but without it I may not fully comprehend the love God has for me.
Here is what it says about me: 1) I am not perfect, 2) I deeply matter to God and 3) without Jesus I am nothing.
I have made a conscious decision about this title change. When someone tells me they are a Christian, I am going to try to correct them by saying, "You mean a sinner saved by grace, so am I!" (While putting my hand above my head looking for acceptance with a high five).
You see I think we have missed the chance to truly share the hope of the gospel by labeling ourselves Christians. The word Christian is used three times in the New Testament and twice it is used by those who are not followers to describe someone who imitates Jesus. The third time it was used in context of suffering. It was mostly used by the outside world to describe someone they saw as a follower.
Paul never used it to describe himself, but he often referred to himself as a sinner, not only a sinner, but the worst of sinners. Then he talked about grace. There is so much authenticity when we first see ourselves as sinners. It makes us not better than the world, but like the world when it comes to our condition before God. There is not a difference between me and the pagan on the other side of town when it comes to the penalty I deserve because of my sin.
The difference comes when I realize 1) I am not perfect, 2) I deeply matter to God and 3) without Jesus I am nothing.
That is the message the world needs to hear. They don't need to know that I am a Christian, they need to know I am like them and the only difference is that I understand those three things about myself. And because of that I am not just a sinner, "I am a sinner saved by grace."
