the purpose of the church

Someone suggested in a facebook post the other day that the purpose of the church is to point out sin or call out sin.

While I do believe in sin and I have personal experience with it, this is not the job of the church or the job of the Christian.  That is God's job and God's alone.  When we point the finger at others, all we do is come across as hateful.  There is nothing Christian about that.  We end up driving away the very people that we would have hoped to have won.

Anyone who points the finger at another, better be living a sinless life.  They better not skip church ever, and they better give 10% at least.  Those without sin, cast the first stone.

Over and over Jesus dealt with sinners with grace and compassion.  The only people he crushed were those who were crushing others, the Pharisees.  I said this the other day, too many modern Christians sound more like the Pharisees and not enough like Jesus.

It is not our job to point out the sins of others.  That is the job of the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of the church is to point people to God and to lift up the name of Jesus Christ.  The purpose of the church is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  The purpose of the church is to offer grace to a broken world.

Grace to you my friends.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.