ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 18, 2026
On Sunday, I will be talking about forgiveness. You might have watched the short video I created on the topic. In it, I referenced the words from the Apostle Paul, when he said, “…just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” When I think about how I express my faith, I don’t use a lot of words like must. Since faith is by invitation and ultimately accepted by choice, it doesn’t feel comfortable in most situations to tell people they must do something. When Paul and Jesus say to people, “you must…,” it is important to note that in most every situation they were speaking to insiders. These were people who were already following, or at least trying to follow in the ways of Jesus. And the use of the word must was not an attempt to intimidate people into the faith, as if failure would separate them from God’s love. Instead, both Paul and Jesus had high expectations of those who desired to call themselves disciples, and as they joyfully rested in the grace and mercy of God, there was a base assumption that such gifts would be lived in very real ways. The must, at least as I read it through the lens of God’s unconditional love, is not to have us fearful of failure, but to help us recognize how the world needs Christ’s body, and that body is the church, assuming the church actually resembles Jesus.
For the sake of this world, O Creative and Redemptive Spirit, we must act faithfully and boldly, and when our actions fall short, we trust your love to remain consistent and uplifting. Allow every moment to be an opportunity for growth, and even when our best efforts fall short, help us offer some grace to ourselves. Amen.
