Who is God? Inclusive, All-Embracing, Head of D.E.I.B. (devotion, endurance, integrity, and belief)

I scanned the announcement in the bulletin again:  Non-Members Invited! Check. Newcomer’s welcome! Check. No RSVP required! Check. Kids included! Check. Just come and enjoy the church picnic – no need to bring a dish! Check. I smiled and crossed off from my to do list make- cookies-then-go-to-Walmart-to-buy-24-pack-after-I-botch-homemade-ones. Later in the afternoon, my husband and I loaded our two young children in the car, and with smiles and high expectations, we drove to the church we had recently started attending. I smiled as we arrived and approached the mass of fellow churchgoers standing and chatting outside. After 37 seconds and a few pleasant nods and “hello’s,” I sighed and looked at my husband – Now what?

No one acted mean towards us, yet this “everyone welcome” gathering left us feeling a tad bit left out. I scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face. All I saw were groups of people chatting like family or friends who have known each other for 30+ years. After a prayer, we all lined up to fill our plates. Balancing my plate plus my daughter’s, we located an empty picnic table outside and sat. After six minutes of silent eating, our plates sat empty before us, and I wondered what to do next. People smiled as they walked past. A few said, “Hi,” but dashed off to join their own crew. No one noticed when we trudged back to our car and left.

ALL WELCOME is an oft-used, well-worn banner for Christianity, but really, how true is it? Does God embrace anyone who comes to Him, or is that just flashy but deceptive advertising? How “All-Inclusive” is God concerning salvation through Christ? Is it “Non-Members invited,” but 37 seconds later, you feel awkward, out of place, and left out? Does God exclude certain people from coming to Him through Jesus Christ? That may seem silly to those of us who have walked with The Lord for many years, but this is a serious question that some may struggle with. What “exclusion delusions” exist, and what does the Bible say about them? I suggest most apprehensions fall within these three groups: novice Bible knowledge, unforgiveness, and sin.

Quiz Finalist vs. Unquestionable Flop 

The look on my face displayed a mix of astonishment and a twinge of fear. I’d recently moved into a conservative Christian college dorm room and already pretty confident in my familiarity with scripture.  Before semester classes began, I made a new friend named Samuel. He began telling me about “Bible Quiz” competitions.  I’d never heard of it before, so Samuel’s friend Walter helped him with a demonstration. Walter prompted Samuel with merely three words of a Bible verse, then, to my surprise, soft-spoken Samuel detonated in an explosion of thunderous words. Without pause for breath, he rattled off the correct passages of scripture word for word (without mistake) of at least a string of 5 or more verses. My confidence fell ten times lower than the drop of my jaw. How’d he do that? I wondered. Sure, I’d memorized a few passages here and there. Still, Samuel’s ability to quote chapters at a time from Genesis to Revelation (in hypersonic speed) - there was no way I’d ever achieve that level of ability.

I believe one roadblock people place on themselves in coming to Christ is, “I don’t know much (or anything) about the Bible! How can I become a Christian?” Is a dead last finisher in Bible Quiz still able to come to Christ? God isn’t worried about your lack of Bible brilliance; He looks at behavior.  As Jesus was dying on a cross, two men marked for the same punishment hung on crosses near Him. Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32 state that both insulted Jesus along with the crowd. At some point, one man does an about-face. The Bible tells us nothing of his personal history. We only know that he stops his taunts, admits he is guilty and deserves death (and Jesus didn’t), and acknowledges Jesus as King (Luke 23:39-43). The Messiah didn’t ask the man to quote a single word of the Torah (first five books of the Old Testament). Christ gave no quizzes nor asked one religious question. The Savior, positive of a heart change, said, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (verse 43).

Another example of Jesus reaching out to all despite levels of religious education is evident in John 8:20. John documented that Jesus taught one day in the “treasury area of the temple.” After further research, I discovered that this spot, also called “the court of the women,” was one of the most public places in the Temple area. (1) Also, Luke 14:15-24 details a parable (story) Jesus told at a dinner party at the house of a Pharisee (religious leader). The Kingdom of Heaven is like a banquet, Jesus explains:  After those first invited to the party (Jews) snubbed their noses, the Master tells his servant to invite those on the “roads and country lanes” (vs. 23).

When my son was very little, I recorded him telling his version of Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. He excitedly recounted how Moses held up a “big stick!” As he continued to the exciting conclusion, he proclaimed that the Israelites “crossed the river to the other side so they could play in the sand!” I beamed. I think God smiled as well!

Is your comprehension of the Bible, at best, at the elementary level? It’s OK, God’s arms are still open wide to you! He’s not looking for proficiency in doctrine – He seeks pure hearts of devotion. After Jesus ascended to Heaven and commissioned His followers to share the “Good News,” some were still confused. Is this just for the Jews (who were notably well-learned in the Torah)? Peter, whom Jesus declared would begin the task of building His church, said, “Friends, you well know that from early on God made it quite plain that He wanted the pagans to hear the Message of this good news and embrace it—and not in any secondhand or roundabout way, but firsthand, straight from my mouth. And God, who can’t be fooled by any pretense on our part but always knows a person’s thoughts, gave them the Holy Spirit exactly as He gave him to us. He treated the outsiders exactly as He treated us, beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed Him.” (Acts15:6-9, The Message Translation)

Problematic Pardon 

The 2005 movie End of the Spear tells a true story about five missionary men working in Ecuador (1950s) who were killed by the tribe they tried to reach. Astoundingly, Elisabeth Elliot (husband Jim Elliot, one of the five killed) returned and lived among the tribe (along with Rachel Saint, the sister of slain missionary Nate Saint), offering forgiveness and salvation in Christ, which the tribe eventually accepted with willing hearts. Unbelievable! I’m convinced many people who want to give their lives to Christ hesitate because they, too, have been unspeakably hurt by someone and struggle with unforgiveness. Does God stamp “disqualified” on such broken souls? No. Hebrews 4:14-16 (The Message Translation): “Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.” Forgiveness is necessary, but God stands ready to support you in profound and even miraculous ways. It’s not about excusing evil. Forgiving shifts the burden off your shoulders onto the Lord. Lewis B. Smedes said, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” (from his book, Forgive and Forget: https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1046320-forgive-and-forget-healing-the-hurts-we-don-t-deserve )

The Christian walk requires endurance. Forgiveness can be difficult, if not seemingly impossible, but remember, we ourselves also need clemency from God. Ephesians 4:23 (NASB) says, “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” None of us come to the cross stamped as “perfect.” God meets us where we are, broken mess and all, but He also doesn’t intend us to stay put. It’s about growing, learning, and maturing in faith. In all honesty, I don’t think I could have offered such pardon as Elisabeth Elliot did, but I do know she had help. This level of mercy is only attainable by the supernatural, “passes all understanding,” power of God.

Falling Short by a Long Shot

May 20, 1999, early afternoon. Despite the pre-primetime TV hour, I had already become irritated by the incessant ads and nonstop radio alerts. I rolled my eyes and sighed. As much as I wanted to shrug my shoulders and move on, I made a mental note of the broadcast time advertised for later that evening. I’ve always been cautious – so why did I care if some idiot wanted to try and jump his motorcycle across the Grand Canyon? I remember turning on the television midway through the program. I watched a few seconds of Robbie Knievel decked out in a white jumpsuit decorated with blue stripes and stars. Stupid. I tapped the off button. Fifty-two seconds later, I found my finger pressed against ON. Fireworks were at the ready, and Robbie now donned his American flag helmet. Nope. Click! I finally decided to wait until after “the jump” to see what happened. Confident that enough time had passed, I again switched on the TV, and, with relief, I watched replay (after replay after replay) of Mr. Knievel flying across the two ramps, easily clearing the canyon (Well, not necessarily the GRAND Canyon, but a narrower offshoot of the historic landmark). Robbie and his CR500 Honda soared 228 feet, breaking his previous motorcycle jump record of 223.

In a Gospel tract created by the Billy Graham organization called “Steps to Peace with God,” one of the pages shows a chasm depiction of how sin separates us from God. The next page illustrates how only Christ’s cross can bridge the gap. Relying on our own goodness, strength, or will to reach Heaven without the cross of Christ is like attempting to best Knievel’s jump in the same fashion by clearing the widest section of the Grand Canyon: about 18 miles! That’s why Jesus said (Luke 18:27), “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” Still, some may say, Yeah, with what I’ve done, that cross would have to stretch across two Grand Canyons! I suspect the largest barrier people think prohibits them from Christianity is sin. Guilt over past wrongs surely raises objections to the unbelievable thought that Christ can cleanse from all of them. Can He? Or is there a threshold reached of wickedness where God pulls out that “disqualified” stamp?

If anyone written about in the Bible deserved rejection by Almighty God, I think it might be a man you may have never heard of (unless you’re a Bible Quiz enthusiast).  Manasseh, son of King Hezekiah, is first mentioned in 2 Kings. At twelve years old, he succeeded his father to become King of Judah and reigned for 55 years. Here is the list of his “accomplishments” (all from 2 Kings 21, NLT):

He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, following the detestable practices of the pagan nations that the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.

He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had destroyed.

He constructed altars for Baal and set up an Asherah pole…

He also bowed before all the powers of the heavens and worshiped them.

He built pagan altars in the Temple of the Lord.

He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and he consulted with mediums and psychics.

Manasseh led them (Israelites) to do even more evil than the pagan nations that the Lord had destroyed when the people of Israel entered the land.

Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire. (In other words, torturously murdered his son by throwing the young child in a raging firepit as a sacrifice to a demon)

Manasseh also murdered many innocent people until Jerusalem was filled from one end to the other with innocent blood.

After reading verse 18 of chapter 21, “When Manasseh died, he was buried in the palace garden…,” I shook my head in disgust. What a disgusting reprobate! I continued my “read-the-Bible-through” passage for the day and forgot about King Wicked. A few weeks later, I reached 2 Chronicles 33, and things looked familiar: Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king… He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight… (Much of what is documented in 1 Kings and 2 Kings is also recorded in the books of 1 and 2nd Chronicles.) I scanned the familiar list of wrongs I had already read in 2 Kings, but then my jaw dropped – apparently, Manasseh’s story continued:

So the Lord sent the commanders of the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon. But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request. So the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God! (2 Chronicles 33:10-13, NLT)

The text goes on to say that King Manasseh “rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David,” removed the idols he had set up in the Temple, tore down the false alters, and “dumped them outside the city.” He restored the altar of the Lord and tried to get the people of Judah to do the same. Sadly, a book called “The Record of the Seers” has been lost to history. 2 Chronicles 33:19 states that it documented “Manasseh’s prayer” and “the account of the way God answered him…” Regardless, the end of verse 19 is the most important thing we need to know – “…he humbled himself and repented.”

Color-Coded Complex Questions

A sin, or not a sin? That is the question. CONCEPTION or CHOICE? Rainbow flags announce with indisputable certainty that same-sex attraction (plus anything in-between) and gender fluidity are as solid as skin color – no choosing allowed. I was born this way; God created me like this. I was born in the wrong body. I’m no theologian. I’ll admit I’m not qualified nor smart enough to delve deep into these complicated arguments. My only task for this article is to address the person seeking salvation in Christ who is saying, I’m gay. I’m lesbian, I’m trans, I’m ________. Is Jesus’ arms still open wide?

The answer: YES! Jesus welcomes all who come to Him, and next, He wants to deal with sin. Looking at Jesus’ words, He said this concerning His pending crucifixion: “…my blood, which confirms the covenant [promise] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” (Matthew 28:26) So, sin is a big deal. Jesus knew it separated humanity from God. Christ also boldly said, “And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:30) Another not-so-gentle statement is found in Matthew 18:6 “But if you [adults] cause one of these little ones [children] who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” I don’t know about you, but I want absolute clarity in my understanding of what Almighty God considers sin, even if I don’t agree or think it’s fair.

Apostle Paul: Legend or Liar?

A popular cartoon shows one white sheep calling to Jesus, “But the Verses!” As Jesus hugs a rainbow sheep, he declares, “Love over Verses!” What are these “verses” the drawing is referring to? The Old Testament definitely addresses homosexuality (Sodom and Gomorrah – Genesis chapter 19, and Moses’ Law – Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13), but it’s true, Jesus never specifically talked about it. The texts “in question” (2) are the writings of Apostle Paul, and I suppose one verse in Jude (referencing Sodom and Gomorrah, Jude 1:5-7). If you’d like to look up exactly what Paul wrote, here are the passages: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:5-11, and Romans 1:18-32 (I recommend The New American Standard Bible – NASB, or New Living Translation – NLT. They are accurately translated from the original Greek language to English, easy to understand, and available free online). Many other verses note “sexual immorality,” but these three passages are more specific.

The conundrum revolves around this: Was Paul representing the heart and thoughts of God when he wrote about homosexuality, or not? Was he just spouting off, writing on his own, not led by Holy Spirit? Jesus never intended to live on earth for eternity. That’s why, after His resurrection, He promised His followers the Holy Spirit, so even though He no longer walked here “in the flesh,” we can still be led directly by Him and hear from Him. Christians are called to represent Jesus – act like Him, talk like Him, and think like Him. In a perfect scenario, a follower of Christ is someone who is so aligned with God in all they think and do that when they speak concerning His Kingdom, it’s God’s words, not just their own. So, is it Paul’s words = Jesus’ words? Did Paul have the authority to fully represent Jesus in all situations? Or did he only do that part of the time?

I can only give you what the Bible documents about Paul. You must make your own decision. Pray about it. Ask God the hard questions. He will guide you; I know firsthand He loves it when I come to him desperately wanting to know the truth about something, whatever it is, even if I know I may not like it. In one way or another, He answers! Here are a few examples (this is not a complete list) from Paul’s life that I propose would authorize him to speak for Jesus:

Jesus personally appeared to Paul (at the time, named Saul), asked him what in the world he was doing persecuting Christians, and struck him blind. Jesus then arranged for him to meet a man named Ananias, and from that encounter, Paul’s physical and spiritual eyes were healed. Paul transformed to an evangelist proclaiming Jesus as Messiah.

Paul preached the Gospel under threat of murder. A group of Jews vowed to kill him.

He performed many miracles, including restoring the ability to walk for a man lame from birth.

Paul was stoned so severely for representing Jesus that his limp and assumed dead body was dragged out of town. He also suffered many other beatings and whippings.

God gave him a dream about where to go to share the good news of Jesus.

Paul cast out demons many times.

He found himself arrested and thrown in prison multiple times because of his message about Jesus.

Paul spoke in front of large crowds about Christ, knowing the mob at any second might kill him.

He raised a young man from the dead.

Paul, bitten by a poisonous snake, did not die from the bite.

“God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.” (Acts 19: 11-12, and all the above references can be read about in the book of Acts, authored by Luke, one of the four Gospel writers.)

So, when Paul put ink to parchment and warned against homosexuality, did he lie? Did he speak from his own reasoning? I’m sure some pastors assure us the same Holy Spirit leads them and affirm that, yes, Paul was wrong on this subject, or LOVE cancels out those warnings. I wonder, though, if Paul made a blunder in his letters, wouldn’t Jesus have appeared to him again to correct him or even send a dream to realign his faulty thinking? How reasonable is it to infer that God created you specifically, for example, gay, but spoke through Paul to proclaim it is sin to engage in same-sex intercourse? How logical is it to say God created in the womb a male body but gave the child a female brain/disposition and said transitioning from male to female is sin? Deuteronomy 32:4 (NLT) says, “He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” How could The Creator author something so unfair?

Second Corinthians 5:10 says we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. God will judge each of us with fairness. I’m sorry, Robbie Knievel’s courage times 1,000 still won’t tempt me to risk standing before Jesus one day to tell Him, “Yeah, I don’t think Apostle Paul got it right on the sexual stuff…” Love IS important! Love is what compelled Jesus to submit to a brutal execution, but it was because of sin. If sin weren’t a problem, a sacrifice wouldn’t have been necessary.

Open Invitation ≠ Open Borders

Salvation in Christ is free and available to all, but that doesn’t mean Heaven’s gates swing open to “anything under the sun” thinking. Whatever your struggle, my best advice is to take the Bible and search out what it says. Don’t let others tell you what to think. Read it for yourself and ask God to give you understanding. If you make a genuine request like this, He will! Biblegateway.com is a fantastic website to search for specific words.        

The first step in coming to Christ is from Acts 2:38: “Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” If there is no agreement - or at least a consideration – that sexual acts outside the realm of a married man and woman equals “sin,” how can someone move forward? If there’s no agreement – or at least a consideration­ – that rejecting your birth gender and identifying as the opposite sex qualifies as “sin,” is there not an impasse? What’s undoubtedly true is none of us who came to Christ are immaculate. Jesus takes us as is, and then we must be willing to listen and be transformed in a process that He leads us through. Forget perfection – Heaven knows we’re human – He desires our pursuit of Godly integrity, which is doing the right thing by His standards, even without an audience. Yet, even if in all purest form of honesty you say, I just can’t. It’s impossible. I cannot change. God does not say, OK, forget you. He says, “I’ll help!” And His “helping power” is more than sufficient - “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

Before pointing fingers, sex/sexuality is by no means the only issue! What about greed? Or adultery, lying, stealing, murder, physical and mental abuse? When Jesus beckons an individual to Himself - as He does ALL of us - yet that person insists they won’t repent for a theft because “stealing is not a sin,” what happens? I don’t claim to be Highest Judge; only Jesus Christ holds that lofty title. God knows our history and what we have been through. “Hell” doesn’t do justice to what some have experienced. He understands the why behind our actions, feelings, and emotions. His mercy and grace meet us where we are in our logic. I love Psalm 51:17 (NLT) The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Christ’s Sacrifice Covers All Sins

Maybe you consider yourself a lightweight in the sin bracket, or maybe your past is dark with a list of offenses that could stretch from one end to the other of a large city. Level-of-sin is never a determining factor for Jesus. He came amid many messes – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Remember, if The Lord can extend mercy to a man with a rap sheet as long as Manasseh’s, you are qualified to receive the same offer. “Reprobate” never trumps “repentance.” Sin separates us from God (for example - Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Hebrews 10:26). Manasseh humbly repented and changed the way he thought and acted. That’s all it takes.

Faith vs. Fear

If you’re curious about Christianity and ended up at a “friendly” church like the one at the beginning of this article, I’m sorry. Please don’t judge the love of Christ based on an awkward experience. You may not be worried God won’t accept you because you lack Bible knowledge. Sin may only be a minor bother. You may hold no past grudges. Whatever your concern – please know salvation for all means all. Believe it! Romans 10:12-13 (NIV) says, For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile [non-Jew]—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But, it’s His rules – His Word tops worldly-defined righteousness. Even if you don’t have it all figured out (Trust me, even those of us who have walked with Jesus for decades still don’t have it all figured out either) – God desires everyone to come to Him, not wanting any to perish: …He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. (2 Peter 3:9, NLT)

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging sounds like a nice “all-inclusive” panacea, but it bridges no gap between humanity and a saving relationship with our Heavenly Father. To “be included” in the Kingdom of God, I gather He’s more concerned with Devotion, Endurance, Integrity and Belief. Fear of rejection must yield to what matters most of all: FAITH. Jesus told a frantic Martha after her brother, Lazarus, died, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” (John 11:25…And to prove it, Jesus resurrected Lazarus after he had been dead four days!) Faith says I’ll trust God even though I don’t have all the answers nor a single Bible verse memorized. Faith lets Jesus handle unforgiveness. Faith banks on the fact that no matter how bad I’ve been, with repentance and a turning away from sin, Christ forgives my every offense, no exclusions! Faith says I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died and was resurrected for me, and I put my life in His hands; I’ll submit to His leading and strive to obey His Word (3). Now, no exceptions, you are IN!

Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ. 

Colossians 3:10-11 (The Message Translation)

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(1)   https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-8-20_meaning/

(2)   Although I disagree, I think for modern argument’s sake, the Old Testament’s verses about homosexuality are “thrown out.” The belief is Jesus canceled out Moses’ Law (Well, kind of. More so, He fulfilled it). Moses’ law does include oddities such as, “Do not wear clothing woven from two different kinds of thread,” and “Whenever a woman has her menstrual period, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her during that time will be unclean until evening. The consensus is that if these strange laws are no longer followed, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 are irrelevant. So, “the verses” I believe the cartoon is referring to are only the ones in the New Testament.

(3)   Baptism – there are many theological angles that I’m not qualified to address. Here is what I do know: The resurrected Jesus, before He ascended to heaven, said to His disciples, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19, NLT) Also, noted in Mark 16:16.

Peter, as he preached, said, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized... (Acts 2:38). Paul also mentions baptism many times in his letters.

Some denominations insist you are not genuinely saved unless you are baptized. Others claim this act can be done as an infant, which is sufficient. All I am certain of is God is reasonable. We must do everything we can to obey what His Word says. Yet, if someone is physically unable to be baptized for an unknown factor, God will do it supernaturally—ask Him! He isn't interested in religious acts—He's about relationships!