Work In Progress

      This morning as I drove into work they were talking on the radio about an actor who said recently in an interview that he made the decision to give his life to Christ, but then in the same interview swore, from my understanding just once. The amount of the profanity isn't my point though, what is, is the backlash this actor has received from the Christian  community! I was really upset to hear this, really disappointed to know that instead of giving him forgiveness for the slip of the tongue people have been publicly calling into question whether he's a real Christian or not.  For some reason they seem to think that all of sudden he needs to be perfect, and I'm sorry that's not the way it works! I don't think I know one Christian who is perfect all the time, most especially one that is new to the faith.
       To be quite honest, I still sin most days in one way or the other, I try not to, I try to stay in the Spirit, but sometimes I still let my flesh get the better of me because I am still a work in progress, God is still teaching me, refining me, transforming me, just as He is you!  This actor is new to the faith, he just accepted Jesus, there is still work to be done in him. Just because he cursed in an interview does not mean that he wasn't sincere in his acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savor; it means he is in need of prayer to grow in faith and understanding! This should be the only judging we as Christians do, judging what to pray for someone else and ourselves and how we can best serve them so they can grow.
       While I do agree that a Christian should avoid using profanity, we are all going to screw up at some point. We all make mistakes as we learn and grow, and I am not willing to throw stones at someone for that, especially when I used to curse like a sailor and drink like one too, even after I said the prayer of salvation. It has taken years to unlearn the bad habit of cursing, and I still slip up from time to time; get me angry and I'll probably still swear like a sailor, I'm not perfect and neither are you. As long as we are breathing God is teaching us, we will always be a work in progress, and if you feel you have surpassed that point then maybe you need to ask God if pride and religion are a problem in your life, then ask forgiveness for the sins, because no man is or ever was perfect, except Yeshua (Jesus).

Matthew 7:1-5       
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

 Luke 6:37    
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven

Romans 3:23        
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Mark 11:25        
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”