More Grace in an “AA” Meeting?

We’re almost done with our summer women’s study on Tim Keller’s “The Prodigal God”, and I think I speak for all of the women participating when I say that it’s been a wonderful, convicting, encouraging time of learning more about God, ourselves, and especially the GOSPEL. (I highly commend this book to you!)

Throughout the study, we’ve been trying to APPLY what we are learning, especially as it pertains to how many of us have “elder brother tendencies” to:

– Do “good” things (and avoid “bad”) things, but for wrong (“damnable”) motivations
– Want the good things that God the Father gives us, but not REALLY want HIM
– Judge, criticize, and reject people who “don’t measure up” and people who are caught in sin

(And I could go on and on.)

I’m thinking about all of this in particular today as I awoke to the headlines of another “conservative” caught in sin. It’s horror to be sure and my heart breaks for that family.

But I am also reflecting on the elder brother blogs and commentaries that I’ve already seen with only five minutes of checking in on things:

“How COULD he?!”

“I just don’t UNDERSTAND this!”

“I would NEVER …”

Not to make light of sin, of course. And yes, it is shockingly AWFUL when these kind of things comes out. (If it doesn’t offend and break your heart, then something is seriously wrong.)

BUT … but …

The truth is that, if we have even a basic, elementary understanding of the doctrine of indwelling sin, we KNOW “how we could do this.” Of course we “understand” this. And yes, even if it seems IMPOSSIBLE to us to imagine being unfaithful to our spouses. we know that sin is insidious, our hearts are bent, Satan is real, and before we should ever say, “I would NEVER …” as regards any sin, we had better think very carefully and soberly about what we are saying.

All of this takes me back to many hours of my childhood, being in and out of the “AA” scene because of my alcoholic family.

(And no, I don’t think AA has a solid, biblical theology. And yes, I would and do point people to CCEF Resources on Addiction before I point people to AA. However …)

“Old Timers” (people who’ve been around AA for a long time) usually respond to shocking admissions of sin and horribleness WAY differently than most Christians. They don’t say, “How COULD you?!”They say, “I’m just like you.”

Shouldn’t this be our response in the Church?

Maybe I can’t relate to your EXACT sin and struggle. But I surely know what it is like to struggle with sin.

And yes, we are called to repent of our long list of specific sins—but how much more are we called to go deeper; to see ourselves rightly; to confess that it’s not just WHAT we do that needs forgiveness, it’s who we ARE that needs God’s mercy (our fallenness, “bent-ness”, unbelief, innate selfishness and pride).

We are all desperate for the Savior! Thank God that He has come and He has saved us and He IS saving us.

Now … let’s walk this journey of growth in grace, growth in sanctification, TOGETHER; with mutual accountability, encouragement, discipline, rebuke, exhortation, faith, LOVE. Love for God and love for neighbor.

Oh, that one day, there would be more grace in our churches than there is at most AA meetings! Because we have the True Answer: