Column by Bro. Terry Ivy
"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures..." (Titus 3:3) The greatest danger for believers, the greatest hindrance to sharing the Gospel, and the greatest threat to turn us into modern-day Pharisees, is to FORGET what the Lord has redeemed us from!
If we ran an advertisement in the paper explaining our life before we came to Christ, it would read like a jail docket. And yet, it becomes easy to blast away at today's youth—while we shake our heads and wonder, "How could they?" The answer is the same way you and I did...by following the destructive passions of the flesh and not pursuing God's purpose in our lives through faith and truth.
And yet, when we lived wild and foolish, Jesus still loved and reached out to us, offering grace and healing! How can we do any less? If we spent more time praying and weeping for the youth instead of judging and condemning them, we could bridge the communication gap and reach some of them with the Gospel.
May the Lord give us the humility and grace to see their need instead of their foolishness. May our hearts long to reach out to them instead of condemning them. May we remember, "For we ourselves were once..." Yes, we must call sin, sin, and be willing to speak the truth about their rebellion and spiritual condition; however, we must not forget what God has redeemed us from.
Instead, we must drop the stones of condemnation from our hands and reach out as the former foolish youth from the previous generation. Let us reach out with mercy... reach out with truth... reach out with understanding... reach out with patience... reach out with tears... reach out as Jesus did to us!
Sin has a way of letting the troubled soul know its errors. We certainly knew the struggles we had while living in sin. Likewise, the youth of today also know. Especially if they have a godly parent or grandparent who has been praying and speaking to them about the Gospel. Many do not feel that Church is relevant to their situation. Satan blinds them from realizing that the freedom from their spiritual bondage, depression, and loneliness is found in Jesus Christ. So, they chase another pill, another one-night stand, another bottle of whiskey to drown out their sorrow.
Meanwhile, as the Church, we have the answers for the meaning of life. We have the understanding of the value of man, the joy of life, the purpose of existence, and the promise of eternal life. These truths are not communicated with the long pointed finger of condemnation but with a clear call of repentance and faith. Our life should display the life of joy that is only found in Christ. Our compassion should let them know we understand their plight because we too have been there!
Next time we feel the uprising of disgust toward the rebellion of today’s youth, let us remember our past. God has been merciful to us… We must not forget!
