I sat in my car listening to the radio. Cindy had just left to take the kids into the church's child care. Half listening, half watching some carpet layers packing up for the day, I noticed a middle age woman enter the children's ministry wing. I didn't recognize her, but, with a church our size, that is not uncommon. Momentarily, Cindy exited the building talking with the woman. It was obvious that both of them were going to get into the car. Better turn down the radio a bit. Opening the door, Cindy smiled at me, and introduced the woman. She was visiting the church and looking for a bible study. What a coincidence, that's just where we were heading.
I drove to the other side of the building to jockey a parking spot closer to our bible study. Cindy introduced our guest to the class, while I got lost in the chit chat that typically occurs prior to getting started. As our teacher started making overtures that the class was about to begin, our guest asked a question. She made a reference to Matthew 23, about Jesus calling the Pharisees hypocrites because they say one thing, but do another. It turned out that, because she smoked, she had been called a hypocrite Christian. The question was passed around the classroom and it settled in the grace of God.
When we accept the grace of God through Jesus, it does not mean that we stop being sinners (but, we should not use that grace as a license for sin). We Christians can carry many burdens regarding our salvation, and I think that this is just a sly trick of Satan. If he can't take us with him, he is going to foul up our relationship with Christ the best way he can: make us doubt the sincerity of our faith. As soon as we finished praying for one another, our Guest got up and left. A quick remembrance of something she had to do called her away.
I sincerely hope that she found an answer.
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