OK, just to forewarn you, this post is going to stretch our concept of grace a little…

Sex Offenders.  Just think about the term for a few moments.  What does it stir in you? Fear? Hatred? Past memories of awful abuse? Shame?

There’s an article in this month’s Christianity Today about sex offenders who have served their sentences and are now sitting in our churches.  A young man who was a convicted sex offender was asked if he wanted to accept Christ as his savior.  His response: “Will Christ accept me?”

I guess that’s the question now isn’t it? It’s the question we all have to ask for ourselves.  Is Christ’s acceptance of me conditioned upon whether or not I committed an unpardonable sin or is it based on something else, like his love for me despite my sin.  And if Christ has accepted me with all my sin, maybe he has accepted that sex offender as well.  And here’s the part where we get stretched a little: If Christ has accepted that man or woman who is a sex offender, am I not called to accept that person as well?

Please hear my heart on this.  We are not called to ignore abuse.  Hurt a child, go to jail.  I’m pretty basic that way.  God also uses consequences to wake us up concerning our sin, so I’m convinced God uses incarceration as an instrument of change.  My concern is with how I respond to that sex offender who takes responsibility and repents (changes).  2 Cor. 5:17 says that anyone who has accepted Christ is a new creation.  The old has gone and the new has come.  Do I believe that about sex offenders?  Yea, I know, the “A” answer we are supposed to give is yes. My question is, do we really believe that.

My and Bob’s hearts are that no one is beyond the love and redemption of Christ Jesus.  Even sex offenders.  Even us.

Grace & Peace.

Jim