Understanding "Christian" attitudes

For once in my life, I would love to be in a church that has people who will live like Christians in the whole meaning of the word...See, since I can remember, there have been people in the churches I've been that simply are at odds with what they "preach"!!! Do you know any of those people? You know, the ones that speak of Christ's grace, yet when they speak about others they spew fire that hurts everyone around!!! The ones who when in front of people seem very kind and generous, smiling at everyone yet when you turn around you hear about how unworthy everyone is and how they are the only ones who are keeping up with the "Christian requirements and lifestyle"...

I would love to be in a church that just loves people and looks for redemption, not through our own ideas and strength, but through the understanding that Christ is the one who can redeem us, each and everyone of us...One that even though there are problems, people help one another and care for the situations that others face without condemning them and leaving them out because, "they are not worthy"...

Of course, that sounds like an utopia, for I know that a church like that in this world will never completely exist. I know that even though there might be some churches that have some of those traits (praise the Lord for you), I can assure you that no church is perfect...The church is full of people and when that happens, you will have problems, for we are not even close to be perfect...

There's people who think and try to be perfect, "just like your Father who is in heaven is perfect" Matt. 5:48, but in retrospect, and linguistically that word for perfection in the greek does not mean what people understand it means. The word in greek is teleo, which in this context means to be complete, to be compassionate, to be mature (according to Verlyn Verbugge in the Dictionary for New Testament Theology), and specifically, it calls us to be just like our Heavenly Father, to care for the ones who have nothing, to help others and to supply needs...

In light of that, the word perfection takes another meaning and leaves assurance that perfection by our own cannot be achieved. Throughout the Bible, we understand that we are sinners, that we cannot do anything apart from Christ and only through Him (Phil. 4:13). We know that everything we have are "filthy rags", and that no matter how hard we try, we will not be perfect... But in all this, I see hope...

No matter how your church is, if its filled with people who throw stones at the first mistake from other people, if you have church members looking at the others specks and forgetting that they have big planks in their lives...if you have "righteous living" people who behind close doors are completely desperate and do crazy things, there is still hope...

I know, I know...I started complaining about that, but after a few moments I once again realize that the only hope for me, for every person in church is not in how we live life, but in who gave His life so that we could have a chance for a different life...there is hope even though our lives are twisted and seem going down, because of One who gave His life so that we could go up when He comes for us...

So, even though I long for a "perfect" church, I am happy and content with what I have and accept the fact that God has given us a purpose wherever we are...the matter is if we take it or we complain and give up on it...