Barneyisfat

I love the movie "Saved!" It's been one of my favorite movies since I came to college. My first RA wouldn't approve the movie because it was rated PG-13 (for teenage pregnancy, smoking, and sexual dialogue?), but honestly, I watched it anyway.

The plot follows the popular crowd at a Christian high school and watches the demise of Mary after she gets knocked up trying to "straighten out" her gay boyfriend. Hilarity ensues. The ending is theologically "iffy," but it isn't a forced agenda ... it just kind of happens.

Since the first time I watched it I have felt that it needed a stronger Christian character. I have some suggestions.

Mary could have come back to her Christian faith re-invigorated and removed from her previous hypocrisy.

Pastor Skip could have openly cofessed his sins and experienced forgiveness.

Pastor's Skip's son could have had a missionary zeal and could have lovingly confronted his father for his sin.

Tia could have risen above the "christian jewel" moniker and set herself apart by truly following Jesus.

Roland could have offered the grace and forgiveness that Cassandra needed.

Cassandra could have accepted Christ and still maintained her empathetic humanity.

But, I guess that's the point. Christians are often just a small step away from truly following Christ. We are all so exceedingly human. There isn't a "good Christian" in the movie because there's no such thing as a "good Christian." You're either a Christian or your not. Attaining some level of proficiency within the Christian faith is a mirage - and not created by the teachings of Christ.

There's a disconnect when our teaching is both that God's Grace is sufficient to cover all sins and that we should therefore avoid all sin at any cost - including, however not limited to, running in terror of the sin that is daily trying to get into our lives.

I've heard the saying that "a bird can fly over your head - but you shouldn't let him make his nest there." It's a good saying, and probably pretty darn true. I'm not saying we should all go embrace a sinful lifestyle and see what sticks. My point complex (so bear with me):

Sin is fun. But, it's not fun enough. I'm no longer morally opposed to sin. God is opposed to sin. His opposition, and not mine, is what makes sin wrong. God has given us freewill to go and sin up a storm if we so desire. Christians often try and stop sin from occuring. We try and remove the freewill that God has given. Christian's think it is unloving to allow people to continue in sin - I strongly disagree ... unless you consider God unloving. If He guides and directs me to call a brother out on a sin, I will. If he makes it clear to me that a sin in my life is keeping me from following Him I hope I would have victory over that sin.

I know this might fly in the face of some scripture, but ... I don't think sin stops us from Christian ministry. I think that as a Christian I can still sin and live in communion with God. I think that sin will grow less appealing to me, but I don't believe I am less of a Christian for openly admitting my sin without immediate self-seperation from it.

I haven't seen a Christian yet who is free from sin. I've seen few who live without sin even most of the time who are truly at peace with God. I'm a sinner and I find myself at peace God more now than ever before.

I watched a new favorite movie today. Sophie Scholl: The Final Days. It's amazing. She is a Christian, communist who is executed for distributing leaflets against the Nazis. It's a beautiful movie. She smokes and drinks and loves God fiercely. She stands up against her country even though many around her think that what she is doing is morally reprehnsible. I wept.

She was brave and courageous. She didn't spend her days in a monastic pursuit of purity or cowaring in her room afraid that she might encounter sin. She embraced God's leading and died for her faith.

That's the point. She was a Christian. Her life and death flowed out of her love for the Creator. Sophie's are rare. There are a lot more people who are just one step away from truly following Christ than there are people who honestly follow Him.