While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
—Romans 5:8
A church in Southampton, England, hands out a Welcome Card saying: “If you are a saint, sinner, loser, winner . . .” —and continues with other terms, such as liar, hypocrite, alcoholic, divorced, cheater, success, rejected, pierced, or just a misfit—“you are welcome here.”
Many churches could post a message saying: “Only the good, righteous, and clean are welcome here.”
Paul jotted this assessment of us all: “Christ died for the ungodly . . . God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Rom 5:6, 8).
Which reminds me of a sign I saw on a church property yesterday: “Imperfect people welcome here. You’ll be in good company.”
Refusing to extend grace is a disgrace.