But, this good news, we in the church have somehow converted into bad news. I guess it's because though God is full of mercy, we are not. Because the church has taken a message about the gracious action of God and made it a way to judge others. Why are we so invested in defining people as outsiders? I don't really know. Instead of being glad and sharing that gladness about God with others, the church has thought of itself as some kind of gatekeeper entitled to define the terms of admission to salvation and grace. Once that is done, the liberating message is lost. Once that is lost, I'd rather go fishing than go to church.
God chooses who receives grace and mercy and life, and God has chosen all people in Jesus Christ. See Romans 5. Now, whether some people will ultimately resist this gracious election in the end, that is an open question. God isn't a God of force. God won't drag people kicking and screaming into the kingdom (By the way, Jesus never utilized any evangelistic tricks to get people to follow him. No, he warned them it would be hard and that they might want to think twice before going with him).
God is not a God of force, but the God of the gracious invitation. God invites all to a kingdom of mercy. Something deep down tells me it will be like this:
The doors of the kingdom will be open, wide open, but everyone will come to the door and be asked a question: "Do you want to live in a world where every person is treated with dignity? Do you want to live in a world where God's mercy for all is the rule of life? Do you want to live in world where truth replaces falsehood? Do you want to live in a world where there are no rich or poor? Do you want to live in a world where there is no abuse of authority, and where freedom really rings in every corner? Do you want to live in a world where children are not abused, where women are not raped, where people don't die because there is no food, or because they can't afford health care?" And, each person will answer from that person's heart if that is what they have really desired in life. But, the point is this: what you really desired and lived for in this life will determine how you answer that question. You will not be able to give an answer that does not come from the depths of your heart. If you have lived and desired these things in life, then your heart will cry out: "YES!" If you have not, then your heart will answer: "NO, I don't really want those things. I would rather be more important than someone else. I really think living life without a superior status to others would be terrible. I really don't think everyone deserves mercy. I really would rather not be in a world where people are treated equally. Everybody gets what they deserve anyway!"
Jesus said it very plainly: "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." Maybe in the end everybody does get what they deserve.
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