Transparency and Vulnerability - Rev Dr Andrew Peh

𝐒𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐝 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Sin is when we displace God and put ourselves at the center of our lives. It leads to alienation, withdrawal, and isolation. We do not grow in our relationship with God or in holiness by ourselves. We need a community to grow.

In the Methodist tradition, this is expressed through the idea of social holiness. John Wesley wrote about this in 1739:

“Directly opposite to this is the gospel of Christ. Solitary religion is not to be found there. ‘Holy solitaries’ is a phrase no more consistent with the gospel than holy adulterers. The gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.”

Wesley was making the point that we grow in holiness as we connect with one another. We must be in relationship with other Christians in order to be holy and to love them. Our reaching out to help others must be grounded in faith in Jesus Christ. We are to watch over one another in love and to encourage each other to grow in holiness — where good works are an essential expression of that faith.

A Christian community is needed to keep each other accountable for sin. It helps us recognize when we have gone off track and helps us see the gravity of sin in our lives. Through this, true repentance can take place. Yet, forgiveness and restoration are entirely God’s work — His redemption and recreation in our lives.

So when you fall into sin, who is the person who helps you get back onto the right path? Or are you that person for someone else — helping them return to a right relationship with God?