As I was thinking a little more about my last post I was reminded of my time in the Church of the Nazarene. One of the biggest doctrinal issues for Nazarenes is the idea of entire sanctification or Christian perfection. As I was approaching ordination this was one of the biggest doctrines I had to deal with; the idea that somewhere along the way I was filled with the Holy Spirit to the point that I was made perfect with Christ.

In most of the discussions I had about the issues I became to believe that I had to become, to use the imagery from my last post, free of cracks. The problem I wrestled with was that I could not free myself from my human side, that side that kept messing up. This made me feel inferior or in some way undeserving. I also struggled because I saw pastors and people who were supposedly sanctified acting in ways that were anything but perfect. They took advantage of the generosity of churches and turned people away from the church because of their lack of care and concern for people other than themselves.

In time I came to realize that too many people has distorted the idea of entire sanctification. I now believe that it’s not about a person being entirely perfect, or free of cracks, but rather is about us being able to love God above all else and loving others regardless of their cracks.

In Matthew 22:36-40 Jesus is “tested” by one of the leaders of the law when he asks: “‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'”

“Perfect love” requires us to put God first. This means spending time with Him, reading the Bible, going to church, praying and listening. It means valuing His will for us above our own. It means making His priorities our priorities.

It also means learning to love everyone, even ourselves. This is a difficult concept for us to grasp and deal with. Loving others means we have to begin to look out for their needs in addition to our own. It means putting a part of our selfishness aside and begin to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. It means loving those who our society often deem as unlovable.

Instead we often find it easier to just write others off and avoid all contact with them. This is why our world is full of bigotry and hatred. People stereotype others so that they don’t have to have anything to do with them. But often if we would take a moment to get to know someone, we’ll often find we have some common ground between us.

I know I can be self-centered at times. But I’ve found that when I put myself aside and God first, that is when my problems don’t seem so bad. When God’s priorities become mine, then I’m not so worried about what I don’t have and appreciate what I do have. I also find that I spend my day looking for ways for God to use me instead of wallowing in self-pity.

As for loving others, I know there are people in my life that I don’t like very much. Yet I’m called to love them as God loved me. This is easier said than done. But if God can love a broken person like me so much that He sent His Son to die for me, then the least I can do is make an effort to love others too.