I guess the question that would be asked of John is, How do we account for people who say they are trusting God's gracious reconciliation, but don't appear (that necessarily means, "don't appear to us") to be interested in living in that reconciliation at all? Answering for myself, I now look to them with a degree of the same passion God has for them. The "fact of reconciliation," if viewed as the result of the reconciliation of all things in Christ (Godhead, creation, humanity), is relational in nature and ontological in effect. It is NOT the result of a decision so much as it is a result of a recapitulation of all things (Eph 1:10 "summing up" is the same word). So then, the "purpose" is without law as well (Gal 5:18). The purpose, holiness of those involved in the reconciliation of all things, is first and foremost, an assumption (a consideration) on the part of God. He sees our connection to the faith of Christ, our inclusion IN Christ, and sees nothing but our victory. We cannot discontinue that relational benefit without doing ourselves great harm. Self destruction is the ultimate result. But who really knows what is going on the life of an individual? My sharing in God's great Assumption does not mean that are all going "to heaven." But there is no good accomplished in my decision to exclude them in an ultimate and final sense. We are God's manifestation to the world -- not the only manifestation, but we are included. "Forgiveness" is a jargon word to me -- patient acceptance without compromise is the down and dirty. Those who are not (apparently) living out the purpose of God for themselves NEED relationships with others that find them thoroughly accepted but without compromise. Often, this is no easy task -- but Christ died for all of us IN OUR SINS (while we yet sinners). The Legal Church screams "Repent or perish" and isolates these persons from all that is profound, having "no fellowship with darkness" as it's guide. The Redemptive Church, must counter this with arms open wide, patient association, acceptance that is real and full of love, a stand for what is right as a matter of spiritual health and preach (share) the word of reconciliation. This "failure" you have in your arms, for the most part, already knows of his distress !!!! He needs help and time. I am sure that nobody on TT is really (non-rhetorically) accusing John of being such a person.
I said what my own answer would be if I were challenged as being such a person: I do not concern myself with [other people's] (or my own) judgment. I trust God to complete the work begun in me; he has until the Day of Jesus Christ (and may well do a hefty passel of it right then!). But that's because I am confident of my own relationship to Christ and my desire to live it out. What do we say about other people? Do we just decline to make a judgment? Is that a cop-out? Do we stoutly trust that they are in a process of growth whose germ we cannot yet see? Or do we conclude that they are in defiance of the ground of their own existence and therefore self-destructing? Perhaps I have answered all this in the above. And if so, can a similarity be acknowledged between that and David's position?
Debbie
