From the Pulpit: Utopia

Utopia is defined as an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. Today it feels like the world thinks this is achievable. If we just simply never say anything that offends someone else, we can live in a picture-perfect world. The problem is that what offends is different for everyone. Believing that we can root out all hurtful speech and actions out of society is not realistic. Even if we could make a law for all offenses, it would change daily, maybe hourly, making it impossible to follow. I am not saying that we should go around offending people on purpose, but it is really easy to be offended even by misunderstandings or poor communication.

We live in a world full of sin and even if people tried their best, they are still going to make mistakes. As it says in 1 John 1:8, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we constantly make mistakes. So, the better approach is to try to stop the words and actions that hurt other people but when we make a mistake to say, “I’m sorry.” Repentance is a difficult practice because we have to admit that we did something wrong. We have to be vulnerable with another person and hope that they respond with, “I forgive you.”

The good news is that God has already said, “I forgive you.” The verse that follows in 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Repentance is God turning us away from our sin and back to focusing on Him. When we admit that we fall short we also have the assurance of His forgiveness because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This is already done for all of us. We are forgiven because of Jesus.

Notice how the definition of “utopia” says “imagined”. We will never experience a world with no offenses or hurt until Jesus comes again and takes us to the new Jerusalem. Until that day, let’s practice, “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you.”