One of the biggest criticisms of Christianity is that its followers are hypocrites – their lives don’t reflect the Gospel message. Now and again, a church leader makes the news for all the wrong reasons. But I don’t need to read the headlines to know that something is wrong. It’s enough to look at my heart. All this leads me to ask: does the moral failure of Christians mean Jesus failed in his mission?
If God had sent Jesus to make us perfect while we’re living on earth, then it would be fair to say he fell short. But that was never his plan. He never intended to make believers sinless during their lifetime because the introduction of sin and death into our world made it impossible. Sin doesn’t negate Jesus’ actions, because God never expected his followers to be sinless while still in their present bodies.
So, what was God’s plan? Remember that his perspective isn’t limited by time. Christ’s death on the cross has an impact that extends into eternity. So God’s plan is twofold. When it comes to the present, his goal is to reconcile people to himself, free them from sin’s condemnation, and begin transforming their lives. Those who repent of their sins and trust Jesus enjoy a new relationship with God.
Though Christ’s followers can never become perfect in this life, that doesn’t mean they can sit back and sin to their hearts’ content. God hates sin; he has given believers every tool necessary to resist temptation, and he disciplines his disobedient children. I would go so far as to say that if someone is indifferent to God’s moral standard, that person should evaluate whether they know the Lord at all. A relationship with God should produce a desire for righteousness. The Lord can help his followers enjoy many victories over temptation, but it’s unrealistic to expect a sinless life.
But the story doesn’t end here. God does intend to make Christians sinless. This will happen when Christ returns. He will raise his people from the dead and transform them, giving them a new, perfect body. On that day, sin and evil will be no more.
What conclusion can we draw from this? Let’s never doubt the victory over sin that Jesus has accomplished on the cross. It may not be totally evident yet, but someday we will fully witness Christ’s triumph over all wickedness.