Are We Saved Snobs?

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Think this slipped through a *hole* in the priarienet system (get it,
*hole* in the net, hehe), so I thought I'd repost.......

Hello all!  Had a thought, and a heavy burden, on my mind, and thought 
I would share it with you......

We recently purchased a tape by one Bro. Greg McCool from Herrin, 
Illinois.  On it there was a song entitled "The Loser".  Some may have 
already heard it, but for those who have not, the lyrics are as 
follows.....

	He sat way in the back,
	and he showed up every time...
	the revival doors were open...
	and he didn't seem to mind...
	the stares of the saints...
	as they came walking by...
	"He's just a dirty, old loser...
	couldn't win him if we tried."

	Every night, he showed in ragged clothes,
	to hear the pastor preach...
	some folks showed up early...
	to sit a little out of reach...
	"Just look at him sitting there...
	with that old long hair...
	and a beard upon his face...
	no self respect...no dignity...
	why there's nothing there to save."

	Well he sat through all the singing,
	and he listened to God's word...
	but he seemed unaffected...
	as if he hadn't heard...
	when they bid them all to altar call...
	no one stopped to share...
	the miracle of God's mercy...
	that was waiting for him there...
	
	Now with a heavy heart, he walked outside,
	this broken, ragged man...
	and he slowly brushed the tears away..
	with gentle nail-scarred hands..
	the saint's had failed to look beyond...
	his faults to find the need...
	and he cried to think ...
	"How things haven't changed"...
	since they nailed Him to a tree...

	Now the story, it goes on and on,
	but the names of the churches change...
	we gather there in one accord...
	to save in Jesus name...
	a world that's lost and hungry...
	for God's salvation plan...
	but if they don't "look"  "just like me"....
	they can't touch the Master's hand....

It saddens me to think that this actually happens in some of our
churches..........or that one church/pastor judges another by the
"saints" at that church....One factual example...a man was talking to his
son (both are pastor of a church), and told him that it looked like his
"saints" were not upholding biblical standards (to paraphrase, Chris S.
:-) This father was basing his judgement on the fact that there were many

new converts...who, as yet, had not fully applied all standards to their
lives....his son gently reminded him that if all the "saints" in the
church "look" right, the church is not growing as it should....

Why is it that we are so quick to judge others based on their looks? Or
color of skin?  Or wholeness of body?  So our churches can * look* right?
 Did we become saved so that we could relax and fellowship  with others
who are also saved?  Jesus stated in Matthew 9:12-13...

	12 .....They that be whole need not a physician, but they that
are sick.
	13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and
not 		sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.

We, oneness apostolics, need to understand that He is "...... not willing
that any should perish, but that *all* should come to repentance." (2
Peter 3:9)  We should "...be ready always to give an answer to *every
man* that asketh you the reason of the hope that is in you with meekness
and fear:" (1 Peter 3:15).  *Every man*....not 
just those we would pick if we had a choice....but the *gansta* kid that
we are afraid to look in the eye....the homeless man or woman that we
cross the street to avoid....those who haven't been blessed with
*perfect* bodies....the ones who can't afford to eat out after every
service, and come from *bad* parts of town.....

To look at my 20 yr old brother, most would see a too-skinny kid with
earrings, wearing baggy clothes, a loser with no hope.......but  look
deep into his eyes....there is a pain there....a hungry heart that is
crying out  "Don't give up on me yet, sis...."  He is running from the
power of God.  In fact, I believe that is the reason that he resists 
visiting church....the conviction while there is too strong for him to
bear.... 

Bro. Kenneth Maurey(sp?) was at our church tonight, and he made a very
true statement about backsliders.  He said that it is not true that it is
harder for a backslider to come back , than for a new convert to be
saved.......but that *we* make it harder for the backslider to come
back....

Oh that the Lord would give us eyes "to look beyond the faults of
man"........and to see the need that is there....

Kathy Barnett
kathrynsbarnett@juno.com


***********If God has called you to be a mother....Don't stoop to be a
queen!***********