tell the truth

Tuesday August 14^th, Ephesians 4:  25 We are part of the same body. Stop lying and start telling each other the truth. I remember a sermon by a local TV preacher.  Jerry Prevo from the Anchorage Baptist Temple, expounded on the story of the rich man and Lazarus.  His concern was that preachers do not tell the truth and preach about hell.  H then portrayed the horrors of hell and expounded on how all must be saved in a Bible Believing church, such as his, that teaches and warns about hell or else they will go to hell themselves.  He lamented that this was the case with his father, who although he claimed to be a Christian, was not a born again Christian and had never said the “believers prayer” and was therefore burning in hell.  I feel sorry for Pastor Prevo, and I feel sorry for his dearly departed father.  We are called to tell the truth about scripture.  For me the story of the rich man and Lazarus is about the breakdown of the family of God, our failure to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ and to seek the justice and the system changes that relationship fosters.  The rich man’s sin was that even in hell, he still saw Lazarus only as someone to be used and do his bidding.  Isn’t that one of the great human sins, that we are always putting asunder that which God has joined together? I agree with Pastor Prevo that we do need to start telling each other the truth, and the truth is that there is more said in the scriptures about the evils of social and economic separation than almost any other subject except the need for faith.  Believe and care, or as Christ put it, love God and love others.  We are all part of the same body, the Body of Christ.  We are all part of the creation God created and called good.  We are not called to be our brother’s keeper, with one on top and one on the bottom of a dysfunctional system, we are called to be our brother’s brother, our sister’s sister, in relationship with one another.  It is the very argument that is at the basis of most of our political arguments today.  Are we going to recognize one another as brothers and sisters and share with one another not only assets, but more importantly, opportunities?  Will we all, from top to bottom, and from bottom to top, act in accordance with what is best for all, rather than what is best for me?  There are no golden parachutes in the kingdom of God, nor are there deadbeats gaming the system.  Live your life as if you love God and love others this day, all the rest is window dressing.