When we think about God's message of grace and forgiveness through Jesus, we see that God intends for this gift to be inclusive. God wants all people to have access to their forgiveness in Jesus and to eternal life. God wants all people to be included in offering their prayers and praise, as they receive His grace and goodness. God is inclusive in this sense. He wants all people to be part of His eternal, enduring kingdom.
Yet, we find that which may, in some ways, seem contradictory. God tells us that those who make up His kingdom are indeed an exclusive group. They are those who believe in what Jesus has accomplished for them, and who make that the center and anchor of what they believe and how they live. God is exclusive in that, not all roads lead to God. Only the road that goes through the cross and resurrection of Jesus leads to God.
That impacts how we go about our lives together as God's people. In a way, we strive to be like God in this. We want all people to hear the message. We want to be an inclusive group, reaching out with that message to let all people groups know that God has redeemed them and made them His own. And sometimes, that means that we also bring them alongside with us to learn about this one named Jesus, and what He has done, and how that impacts our lives lived together in faith.
That's what it means to be inclusive. It means that we tell all people that this message is for them, and we walk along with them as they explore this message, as they ask questions about this message, and as they work with what that means for how they live their lives. Sometimes it means that we ask them to work alongside us, learning how our God would have us live as forgiven people with an enduring message for the people of the world, sharing God's compassion with others.
In one sense, that means that we should probably look more at ways, as Christians and as congregations, in which we can include people rather than exclude them. Yes, there are elements of our faith in which God calls for some level of exclusivity, and we honor those, even as we explain them to those who do not yet know of them, seeking to bring them to a point where they are welcomed with us in those. Yet, when it comes to such matters as feeding the poor, working on compassionate ministries, and the like, including them to work with us will likely provide more avenues for God's Spirit to work in their hearts than if we were to exclude them.
As I would explain it, inclusive means that we invite them to walk along with us as we all learn more about this God who has seen fit to forgive us in Jesus, and who wants all people to know of this forgiveness for them.
Yet, we find that which may, in some ways, seem contradictory. God tells us that those who make up His kingdom are indeed an exclusive group. They are those who believe in what Jesus has accomplished for them, and who make that the center and anchor of what they believe and how they live. God is exclusive in that, not all roads lead to God. Only the road that goes through the cross and resurrection of Jesus leads to God.
That impacts how we go about our lives together as God's people. In a way, we strive to be like God in this. We want all people to hear the message. We want to be an inclusive group, reaching out with that message to let all people groups know that God has redeemed them and made them His own. And sometimes, that means that we also bring them alongside with us to learn about this one named Jesus, and what He has done, and how that impacts our lives lived together in faith.
That's what it means to be inclusive. It means that we tell all people that this message is for them, and we walk along with them as they explore this message, as they ask questions about this message, and as they work with what that means for how they live their lives. Sometimes it means that we ask them to work alongside us, learning how our God would have us live as forgiven people with an enduring message for the people of the world, sharing God's compassion with others.
In one sense, that means that we should probably look more at ways, as Christians and as congregations, in which we can include people rather than exclude them. Yes, there are elements of our faith in which God calls for some level of exclusivity, and we honor those, even as we explain them to those who do not yet know of them, seeking to bring them to a point where they are welcomed with us in those. Yet, when it comes to such matters as feeding the poor, working on compassionate ministries, and the like, including them to work with us will likely provide more avenues for God's Spirit to work in their hearts than if we were to exclude them.
As I would explain it, inclusive means that we invite them to walk along with us as we all learn more about this God who has seen fit to forgive us in Jesus, and who wants all people to know of this forgiveness for them.
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