We’re in it Together

In the letter of 1 John (1:8-9) we read, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 

Scholars tell us that within John’s church, there was a group of well-meaning Christians who had been trying to improve the church, and out of frustration, had broken away. It is widely believed that this group was influenced by a kind of teaching known as Gnosticism. This is from the Greek word to know – like in the sense I know and you don’t! At the heart of this teaching was the belief that if they tried hard enough, a person could attain perfect spirituality. Through serious and intense study or discipline, a person could become so spiritual that he or she would be above and beyond sin. They could somehow reach perfection.  

Now maybe you’ve met people of faith like that – who think they have all the answers. Like somehow they are Christians and you are not.

I sat on a plane one time with a young Pentecostal brother who was studying to be a pastor. When he found out I was a Presbyterian Minister, tried to convert me. He honestly believed that he attained something that made his faith superior. And he shared with me that if I only would pray hard enough and believe hard enough, I too, like him, would receive the gift of tongues. It was clear that in his view there was a level of faith I hadn’t strived hard enough to reach.

I thought about that young man. He had a young family. We both lived in Jacksonville at that time. We could have been friends. We could have shared some ministry. But he had a litmus test that destroyed that possibility.

Eugene Peterson, in his book, The Way of Jesus, gets at this. He writes: “Perfectionism is a disorder that occurs frequently in the Christian community. It is a way of… dividing up the church and putting each of us in our place: mere believers and serious disciples; water-baptized and Spirit-baptized; lukewarm and on-fire; the rigorist and the relaxed.” 

The argument goes like this…: “If we take this life with unrelenting seriousness we can actually live a perfect life in Christ. When that happens rigorist condescension turns into polite (but not always polite) contempt of (others).”

For John, a true test of Christianity is fellowship and love for each other. And he gently reminds us that we like everyone else – are saved not by our own efforts – but only by the blood of Christ. (1John 2:1-2).  

Thanks be to God.

Let us pray: Wash over us again with your grace, O God. Help us to accept and love ourselves and others as you love us; through Jesus our savior. Amen.