Never Give Up
In my over 40 years of ministry there are times when I wanted to walk away from my calling, because of the things I have seen God's people do to each other and to me.Some have said that the Christian army is the only army that shoots its wounded, and I have seen evidence of that for sure. I have seen Pastors and Elders struggle and wound one another horribly as they operated in the flesh, instead of the Spirit.However, I'm not giving up on God's people and here's why:
God loves them, even in their (my) sin. Salvation is not for the perfect.
Romans 5:8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1. I have an Obligation
If I am strong spiritually, my role is the help the weak, not give up on them. Jesus, the ultimate strong one, didn't give up on me.
Romans 15:1-3 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (2) Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.(3) For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
2. I'm Needy Too
The Gospel is for me, God's grace and forgiveness have covered me. Christians have extended God's love to me when it was undeserved.
There is NO Perfect Church.
Corinth had major sin issues that we read about in 1 Corinthians. Paul still loved this sin scarred church that he planted (1 Corinthians 16:24).
3. We have an Enemy.
The enemy of God's people is a loser, and I hate losing to a loser. While he is a defeated foe, he is not a powerless foe and we should not be unaware of his schemes to "steal, kill and destroy." (John 10:10)
4. Jesus Promised
No matter how much we botch things up for Jesus, He still promises that the church will prevail (Matthew 16:18).So I can't give up on God's people, those Jesus shed his blood to rescue.