Do We Really Believe in Amazing Grace or Not?

I have read multiple articles regarding the Josh Duggar sex scandal, and all I keep thinking of is the song Amazing Grace. I am shocked and devastated that such things can happen in a Christian family, and then I'm shocked by how shocked I am. Then I'm shocked by how it's being used in the media, and then even more shocked by the self-righteousness of others saying they've never done such horrible things. What is most shocking is that they are shocked by a family that has worked through sin talking about how horrible sin is. We can see in the story of King David the result of not addressing sin because of guilt of his own past sin. It seems Christians are so fearful of what the world thinks, when this is a perfect example we can show the world of how sin is addressed.

The bottom line is that we shouldn't be shocked at all, and Christians show our total lack of true belief as the body of Christ in three important messages of the gospel. 1) We are all sinners. 2) Christ death, burial, and resurrection is sufficient for all sin. 3) God judges the heart while we judge behaviors, and they don't always equate.

First, I want to say that what Josh Duggar did is horrible, terrible, awful, hurtful, painful, depraved, wretched, and any other word that can denote the worst thing possible. Also, in his words they were "inexcusable". I would never try to downplay what those who suffered went through, and pray for their healing as it was harmful and hurtful. My heart breaks for them. They also are the ones that are the most hurt by the public release of this information that should have never been made public. The one that is also hurt by what Josh did though is Josh, and there is no empathy for him but we should understand why God tells us that all sexual immorality is wrong. Maybe, just maybe, Josh can help us to understand how we all can be redeemed from the most heinous of sin, and even the shame of that sin. 

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

Is God's grace really amazing? Can it save a wretch like me? Can it help the lost be found? Can it make the blind see? How long is his hand to reach down into the deepest and darkest of pits? These words have been lost on deaf ears, and now is played on commercials for rescuing dogs. Is that what God sent His son for to die on the cross? We like to rank sin, but what is the sin that caused the fall from "grace" of Lucifer himself? If Satan is any indication, than we might want to rank the sin of pride pretty high when we rank those sins. I can't tell you how many are gleeful at the news of Josh's "fall", and how many have actually said they are better than Josh because they "never molested" anyone. 

Well, speaking of Amazing Grace. How many know the story of the man who wrote Amazing Grace? His name was John Newton, and he was the captain of a ship used for the slave trade in 1948, when one of those ships was in a violent storm he had a conversion experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. For the rest of his life he observed the anniversary day of his conversion May 10, 1948 as a day of humiliation in which he subjected his will to a higher power. Now how many of us would say that he participated in something terrible, awful, horrible, depraved, wretched...? Yet he went on to write the most recognized hymn, most sung hymn, and most played hymn at funerals of all times. 

So what does the actions of both John Newton and Josh Duggar remind us about?

1) Look in the mirror! We are all sinners! Our most righteous act is like filthy rags. When you try to say what you've done is not as wretched as what Josh Duggar has done than you better watch out on judgement day. I have not molested anyone, but I assure you what I've done is as wretched as what Josh has done. I just don't have it all in the public. Am I as bad as any sinner? Yes! Paul called himself the chief of all sinners. The reason that Paul and I can say we're just as wretched is because we're not comparing ourselves to John, Peter, or Josh, but to Christ! Sinners include liars, fornicators, adulterers, murderers, gossipers, homosexuals, backbiters, haters of God, disobedient children, rebels, self-righteous, prideful, prostitutes, idolators, greedy, enmity, wrath, thieves, cheaters, child abusers, wife abusers, spiteful, manipulative, envious, and covetous people. We are not self-righteous if we are an admitted sinner who depends on the work of Jesus Christ for our righteousness.

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6

Forgiveness and atonement of sin doesn't mean that the consequences of our sin are gone. There needs to always be punishment for sin on Earth, but true repentance of the heart takes away the ultimate consequence of our sin which is eternal death. When we are young teens our habits haven't been formed like in adulthood, and scientifically speaking the brain of an adolescent is moving from concrete to abstract thinking and then onto metacognition (actively monitoring and regulating thoughts). With a young teen the ultimate goal of consequences is rehabilitation and restoration, and not just for punishment sake. 

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. Ecclesiastes 7:20 

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 

2) Christ death, burial, and resurrection was sufficient for all sins. The more wretched the sin, the more there is a need for a Savior, and the more need for a Savior, the more amazing is His saving grace!! Christ death on the cross was horrible, awful, terrible, painful, hurtful, and violent, because our sin is horrible, awful, terrible, painful, hurtful, and violent. He took all the punishment for our wretched sins! The payment or punishment is equal to the crime. If you need to know how horrible all of our sin is, then look no further than at the punishment Christ took for our sin! That is the punishment that we all deserve. For Grace to truly be amazing than it has to have atoned for something really bad. The foot of the cross is level ground, and we are all in equal need of redemption!!

3) God is love, but He's also just. He is the only one that can judge a repentant heart. I can't tell you if Josh is truly repentant, as I can only judge his behaviors. God is ultimately the one that can heal the ones who have been hurt by this, and judge the heart of Josh. All I know is I can not say I'm better than Josh or any other sinner out there, including all the holy grails of sins in the Christian community of abortion and homosexuality. God's Word says that with the same measuring stick we measure others it will be measured unto us. Those who measure homosexuality, child molesting, or abortion with a greater measuring stick than you measure your own sin should watch out as that is the same measure your sin will be measured! I've heard all kinds of man's ideas of the justice that Josh deserves. What does a judge need in order to judge? A judge needs the truth, and I can't judge what is right in this situation as I don't have all the facts. Only those who were there, and God know the truth. All I can do is to pray that God's justice is done, and I can pray for healing for those who have been hurt through his actions. 

Now that I've had time to really think about the situation I'm ultimately shocked that churches are no longer the hospital for the sick, dying, and wretched. I'm shocked that we sing the song in our churches every week, but we don't really know that God's grace truly is amazing!! Why? Because it saved a wretch like me!!