The Church : Hospital for Sinners
The Christian church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum of Saints. It’s a common misconception for a secular view of a religious establishment to be a place where a bunch of people who think they're good get together to be with other good people. Yet one of the central tenants of Christianity is that everyone is a completely, corrupt, depraved sinner. Anything and everything that has any moral value or of intrinsic good comes down from above. James 1:17 says "Every good and perfect gift comes down from above ... from the father of lights." This is what we in Christ call common grace. All abilities and moral intuition, all true love and beauty is given to everyone and everything for the preservation and enjoyment of the world, pointing back to the creator. All true Christian churches believe that man is evil. Therefore the transforming of Christians into being more Christ-like is a gradual process that begins at the worst and most broken point. By God's grace Christians are transformed from one aspect of glory to another, slowly changing the pattern of their lives to become more Christ-like by a work that is not of their own.
So when society see's the glaring character flaws that exist within the Church, they see rightly, that Christians are completely messed up, jacked up, and fouled up. Just like society is. It's the misconception that the Church should be a museum of Saints, when in reality it is God's hospital for sinners, that causes them to scoff.
Josh, I very much like your clear insightful reminder. I often get a startled look from my patients when I tell them only sinners go to church. I try to encourage my drug addicts by telling them that I am also in recovery from the sin in my life. Your Uncle Gary