Grace killers

We all know them. They are family members, church family and even friends. They can be found  anywhere.

Grace killers squash the work done on the cross. They stomp on the gospel. They turn people away from Christ.

I love the way in which Charles Swindoll speaks to this topic. What or whom does our self righteous attitude truly reflect?

Swindoll states that grace killers...

"leave no room for any gray areas. Everything is either black or white, right or wrong. And as a result, the leader maintains strict control over the followers. Fellowship is based on whether there is full agreement. Herein lies the tragedy. This self-righteous, rigid standard becomes more important than relationships with individuals. We first check out where people stand on the issues, and then we determine whether we will spend much time with them. The bottom line is this: We want to be right (as we see it, of course) more than we want to love our neighbors as ourselves. At that point our personal preferences eclipse any evidence of love. I am of the firm conviction that where grace exists, so must various areas of gray.

I can cultivate a judgmental attitude toward those who may not agree or cooperate with my plan. Grace killers are notorious for a judgmental attitude. It is perhaps the single most un-Christlike characteristic in evangelical circles today."

Charles Swindoll
The Grace Awakening Devotional