11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
As it relates to the word "were":
I don't think this verse is saying that even the people who Paul was referring to, had
less (or none) of a propensity to be
sinful, as much as it is saying that their spiritual condition (in Christ) is altered. Not that any person's sinful nature is eliminated, but that it is not regarded by God as a result of them being "justified".
IF being "Christian" actually meant that people only did right/good, the world would be a LOT different than it has been. Not to say that God has not done good through Christian people, but that they aren't likely the ONLY people He has done good through. In the real world, there are "Christians" who lie, steal, commit violent acts, are guilty of hatred, racism, adultery and greed. The list goes on, but that is what we have in "people" (even Christians).
If grace had not been the
most significant component of salvation, then no one would be saved. "Christian" is just a label; the essence of what a
Christian is comes from the spiritual fact that God has accepted them THROUGH Christ. One person may have a problem with
being "homosexual", and another may have a problem with
hating the homosexual rather than what they view as the "sin" of homosexual behavior; and without the same grace that covers "homosexual" people, those many Christians would (in the end) indeed be found guilty of sin (hatred) themselves. Without grace, no one "makes" or "achieves" a place in Heaven (biblically speaking).
There are many things which can be prohibited/condonned via biblical interpretation/s. If one doesn't believe that, just look at the many philosophies, policies and dogmas which spring from various (Christian) denominations and sects. And with all due respect to the Creator, I think we are obligated to admit that we do not know HIS
EXACT WILL (despite what we might "believe").
And this illustrates the problem with people
not promoting grace, but rather enforcing or compelling others to submit to a form of "Christianity" which they might deem "true" or "correct". Surely, something more universal must be applicable, than the narrow view/s of Christ and the Bible which many tend to propagate. There's nothing wrong with respecting the "faith" which another may hold (what they accept and/or believe), but it is another thing to
expect "
conformity" to our own spiritual or religious views. As important as the Bible may be to many (or any of us), I don't see any way that it can be or mean the same thing/s to all human beings. That is, what holds it all together (the essence of Jesus' gift) is "faith", "hope" and (most importantly) "love".
The religion of some, is viewed as a set of absolutes which MUST be adhered to, in order to meet some "standard". Though MANY apply the Bible in just that way, it is NOT the way that ALL people approach it. Despite how much it bothers some to think of it, there appears to be no absolutely perfect interpretation of all that it addresses; I personally believe (by faith) that was MEANT to be.
-Mel-
