Sometimes scripture is uncomfortable and while we may not like it, we can’t ignore or gloss over it. The harsh words of Numbers, Ephesians, and even in the Gospel of John are not intended to establish the line between who is in and out of the club, nor are they intended to give us, or anyone license to make that decision. The truth is that the entire world is in the club, John does not say that God so loved the people he knew would 100% follow the rules, he said God so loved the world, the entire world; not just the hunk of atoms we abuse for our own desires, but every version of the earth that has ever existed and every version that is yet to come. God’s love for creation is not linear. God loves all of creation; at all times; in all places; in all dimensions; whether we accept that love is a completely separate theological issue.
Many people have taken the words of this very gospel and used them to hurt many people in the misguided belief that they were helping God save those who were on the wrong path. The worst words in the entirety of John’s gospel are “those who do not believe are condemned already.” Now these are not the worst words because they are scary, they are the worst because we assume that we are the ones who get to decide who is condemned and who isn’t; but that is not the case. Only God will decide who is lost and only God knows the heart, the faith of all. My point is this, we are not the deciders, we have zero control over the salvation of others. The only decision we get to make is whether we believe, or whether we want to allow God to love us and when we do make that decision, whether consciously or not, it is at that moment that we are saved. It is at that moment that God welcomes us into the fold. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan I would liken it to the moment Frodo puts on the Ring of Power and the Great Eye of Sauron, immediately feeling the power of the ring, is instantly pulled in the direction of the ring. God is always aware of us, loving us and waiting for us to simply acknowledge them and when we do, the Holy Spirit will come alive in us as if we have a holy spotlight shining in our direction.
There is no getting around John’s use of the word condemned, though the Greek actually translates directly to judge and while I could go down a very long rabbit hole about word use and translation I will spare you; the important thing to remember is that we should never take the words of scripture and then apply them to other people. So, when John says “Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed” we need to look at ourselves and ask whether we believe; not take this as a command to launch an inquisition and begin the process of judging others.
I goal of your clergy is to create a community in which God’s love is not rationed out for those who profess belief, or know exactly what to do during the service, or who behave exactly right during the service, but a community in which all are welcome! Which means that we want St. John’s to be a refuge from the world, a place that anyone can find comfort, quiet, friendship, companionship, support, belonging, and most especially healing. This is one of the reasons we include healing prayers in every service. As far as I am concerned we can stay here for 3 hours if that is what it takes to ensure that every person who comes forward feels the healing love of God. Being a community of faith, however, is not limited to our connection to this building. It extends to the people we encounter as we go about our lives. When we compassionately listen to a person’s story in the grocery line; when we hold the door for a child; when we give a reassuring nod, that is our faith community in action. It is through those actions that the love of God is spread.
I teach an ethics class and this past week we were discussing the ethics of condemning people within the LGBTQ+ community. Our discussion focused on trying to understand why so many people seek to judge them and one of the points made was that many people do so because of their religious beliefs. As I am associated with a religious tradition that has moved away from those heretical beliefs I was able to reassure them that not everyone who is religious believes those hateful things. That is what it means to carry your faith and your community with you into the world. It isn’t about making a judgement or converting people, it is about sharing your understanding of God, even if you don’t use the word God, and even if you don’t fully understand what you are sharing.
Our conversation then moved into the realm of whether we are moving backwards as a culture. It became abundantly clear to me that these kids are scared, I could see it in their eyes. They are scared that they have no future. One young lady voiced her feeling that it seems pointless to plan for her future because she isn’t sure there will be one. She and her classmates’ fear for the future is not coming from the usual teenage anxiety about what is next, it is coming from the hateful rhetoric and discourse which is pervasive in our society. While I cannot stop that rhetoric, what I can do is reassure them that while it may feel like the world is ending, it is not and eventually the rhetoric will quiet down and our society will once again move towards liberty and justice for all; which I believe, not because everyone will wake up one morning and decide to hug it out, but because as we and other communities of faith seek to extend our communities beyond the walls of our buildings God will be able to enter the hearts of more and more people and over time the hateful judgments of society will fade and we will take the next step towards being a Beloved Community. Amen.
Learning by Fire! 