“There are two groups of people who should not be shocked to discover that a member of the Duggar family is a sinner,” says Todd Friel, writing for the CHRISTIAN POST, “Christians and non-Christians.” This, he says, is what makes the Josh Duggar story a disaster.
Christian Surprise
The subject line from an email sent by a popular Christian website stated: “Christian world rocked.” Really?
Based on his own admission, Josh sinned, repented and got saved. Why in the world would Christians be appalled to discover an unregenerate 14-year-old boy acted wickedly?…
Have we forgotten that the Apostle Paul was a murderer before God saved him?
Non-Christian Surprise
Here is the headline from the magazine that decided to go rooting though Josh’s closet: “Bombshell Duggar Police Report.”
This might be the bigger tragedy of the Josh Duggar story: unbelievers consider it a bombshell when it is discovered that a Christian has a shameful past. This ought not to be.
“If Christians were as loud about the Gospel as we are about being the moral majority,” he concludes, “I suspect there would be five results”:
1. Unbelievers would not see Josh Duggar as a hypocrite; they would see him as a typical born-again believer who is forgiven by an amazingly gracious God.
2. Unbelievers would not see Christians as a mere special interest group that seeks to impose values on other people.
3. The Gospel would be shining brightly.
4. Somebody might get saved.
5. Josh Duggar and his family would be going about their business today as a typical Christian family saved by grace alone.
Friel says he doesn’t blame the world. He blames us — Christians!
Is it possible we have become so obsessed with imposing our values on unbelievers that the world sees us as self-righteous Pharisees and not as blood-washed sinners? … I would have shouted from the rooftops, “If you think Josh is wicked, you should meet the rest of us! That is why we are Christians! We need forgiveness for being wretched, vile, wicked rebels. If you are a rebel too, Jesus died for you! Run to Jesus! Join the wretched club.”
With this shout, Friel encourages all of us, too, to turn this apparent “tragedy” into an “opportunity” to share the GREAT news that Christ died for “perverts, liars, thieves, drunkards, abortionists, Wall Street fat cats, skid row bums, suburban housewives, blue collar workers” and everyone else!
“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
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Source: “The Duggar Disaster” by Todd Friel, posted CHRISTIAN POST/Christian Post Blog, 5/22/15.