The Beautiful Church

Ever notice no New Testament writer said anything negative about Old Testament characters, even the ones that really deserve it?

Hebrews 11

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 

What shall I say of those men? Weak, scared, obnoxious, murderers, adulterers, drunks, horrible parents ... sinners! Didn't the writer of Hebrews read the book of Judges? Oh, I could say plenty of negative things. The NT writers saw those men through the eyes of God's beautiful grace.

It's not hard to find a critic of the church from both inside and out and most of it's true. People talk about what's wrong with the church, how the church should be improved, do better, it's weaknesses and how it is failing. I get it, it's full of hypocrites.

But... ever try that approach with your spouse or friend? Let me tell you everything bad about you, how you fail and need to get better. Feeling beautiful yet? 

The church isn't beautiful because the people inside are perfect , it's full of Jepthaths, Samsons, David's and Baraks, the church is beautiful because it's the bride of Christ. The more she is seen through the eyes of the Lord's beautiful grace the more beautiful she will become.

So I ask you "what more shall you say?"