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We forgive the lost – but what about forgiving the saved?

We talk a lot about meeting the unbeliever where they are, not judging them by their past or even their present. And don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely agreeing with that. How can the unsaved understand God’s grace if we – God’s people – won’t extend it to them, after all?

But I’d like to refocus for just a second on something else. When we say to love people despite their failures, sometimes we only apply that to those who just got saved, or those who messed up early or are still unbelievers.

The love of God – God’s grace from His people – should extend to everyone around us…those who messed up a long time ago, as well as those who have sinned against us now. Those who have been saved only a few minutes, but also those who have been saved for years and ‘ought to know better.’ The experienced mess up, too. They sin, they let their carnal flesh take over, they go astray.

I think we forgive easier when the Christian is young in the Lord. It’s harder when that Christian has been around awhile. Or when they do something that was a lack of discipline, or a show of poor character rather than something downright terrible. It’s easier to dismiss the person when we’ve decided they ought to know better by now.

Maybe it’s counterintuitive – maybe many people have experienced the opposite – that of being shunned for their past, or they’ve seen others be unforgiving toward someone who looks different than them. But I think if anything, that holds the danger of making us overreact the other direction – refusing to extend grace to those we see as older in Christ – those who are leaders, or are pillars of the church.

We’ve been told to forgive and extend grace to all. We want that grace extended to us, too, right?

Let’s not forget that grace goes to everyone. Not only the rebel, but also the straight-laced. Not only the ones living in outward sin, but those struggling with inner sins.

About the Author:

Sherry grew up in various cities around northern and central California. This gave her all sorts of stories that sat and festered in her brain, waiting to be let loose. She eventually went to college in Wisconsin, where she met her equally frenetic husband, Rich. They have six (yes, count them) children, two dogs and a cat, and currently reside in a madhouse in the southern California area. As a family, they enjoy being active in their local church. Sherry spends her time writing when not caring for Granny, the kids, the dogs, the cat and any number of strays in the neighborhood.

Sherry Chamblee can be found at http://www.sherrychamblee.weebly.com Or check out her books at http://www.amazon.com/Sherry-Chamblee/e/B00BA06RJ2/