Jesus was not afraid to be seen with people of bad reputation. He was not afraid to get a little messy to bring home those he came to save. The only person that Jesus sought to please was his Heavenly Father.
The Church and Summum bonum
When a visitor comes to your church, what would they perceive is the summum bonum of your group? Does the visitor feel loved? Does the visitor see the work of God in the lives of the congregants?
Intentional about Grace
The Church of Jesus Christ should be the most gracious place on the planet but often it is not. If we are not consistently preaching the Gospel, if we are not reinforcing our need for a savior, if we are not intentional about living under grace, then we will become what the world thinks we are.
Tim Keller on being defectively orthodox
It is possible to get an “a” grade on a doctrinal test and describe accurately the doctrines of our salvation, yet be blind to their true implications and power. In this sense, there are plenty of orthodox churches in which the gospel must be rediscovered and then brought home and applied to people’s hearts.
