Jordan Ellis
The church is often referred to as a hospital for sinners, with the idea that it is a place for healing and mending the wound of sin. However, this metaphor has been criticised for implying that the church is only valuable until one is healed and no longer in need of its services. The church is also not just a place for sinners to be fixed but a place for all, including non-goers, to be welcomed with open arms. Instead of a hospital, the church can be likened to a morgue where people arrive dead and leave alive, as Jesus came to kill us and raise us up.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Church is not a hospital for sinners | Church is a morgue for the dead |
| Church is a museum for saints | Jesus did not come to fix the world |
| Church is a courthouse | God is not a prosecuting attorney |
| Church is a toll house | Church is a community of sickos |
| Church is not a place for fixed-up, perfected saints | Church is a place for sinners |
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What You'll Learn
The church is a morgue for the dead, not a hospital for sinners
The church is often referred to as a hospital for sinners, a metaphor that has been used for years. This metaphor is drawn from Jesus' words to the Pharisees in Mark 2:16, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick". However, some argue that this metaphor is misleading and that the church is not a hospital for sinners but a morgue for the dead.
This perspective highlights that we are not simply sick or broken but dead in our sins. We are not victims but enemies of God, rebelling against our maker. Jesus did not come to fix us but to kill us and raise us to new life. This idea is supported by Paul in Romans 6, who writes about being "baptized into Christ Jesus [and] baptized into his death" so that we may live a new life.
The "church as a hospital" metaphor can be problematic as it implies that the church is a place for sick people to get better and that once they are healthy, they no longer need the church. This can lead to a mindset where Christians feel superior to those outside the church, seeing themselves as "fixed-up" and "perfected". It also dilutes the seriousness of sin, portraying it as an illness rather than personal guilt and depravity.
On the other hand, the "church as a morgue" metaphor emphasizes the transformative power of God's grace. People come to the church dead in their sins and leave as new creations. It is a place where the dead are raised to life through the power of the Gospel. This perspective aligns with the idea that Jesus came to call sinners to repentance and bring spiritual, emotional, and physical healing.
In conclusion, while the church is often referred to as a hospital for sinners, the alternative view of it being a morgue for the dead provides a stark reminder of our sinful nature and the need for a radical transformation through Christ. It shifts the focus from our own efforts to heal and improve to God's power to raise the dead to life, granting remission of sins and mending the wounds of sin.
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The church is a museum for saints, not a hospital for the broken
The phrase "the church is a museum for saints, not a hospital for the broken" has been used by many Christians to describe their experiences within the church. This phrase is often used to counter the idea that the church is a hospital for sinners.
The idea of the church as a hospital for sinners comes from Jesus' words to the Pharisees in Mark 2:16, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." However, this metaphor can be misleading. It can be abused to dilute the depravity of sins and lessen personal responsibility for error. The church is not a place for fixed-up, perfected saints who gather to retreat from the world of sick sinners.
Instead, the church is a place for sinners to be healed by the Great Physician, Jesus Christ. Jesus did not come to fix or heal the world or us. We are not simply sick or broken; we are dead. Jesus came to kill us and raise us up, to smash us apart and make us new. This is reflected in Romans 6, "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead...we too may live a new life."
The church is a community of sinners being drawn to the Good Doctor, Jesus Christ. It is a place for sinners to gather and be healed, not a place for saints to retreat from the world. The church is a field hospital, not a toll house, and God is the Great Healer who wants to mend the wounds of sin.
In conclusion, the church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for the broken. It is a place for sinners to find healing and forgiveness, not a place to retreat from the world but to be equipped to go out and share the Good News.
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The church is a courtroom, not a hospital
The metaphor of the church as a hospital implies that it is a place for sick people to go and get better, and once they are healthy, they no longer need to attend. This implies that the church is only valuable to those who are still struggling with sin and need fixing. However, this is not the case, as the church is a community of believers who are all equal in God's eyes, and no one is perfect.
The church is a place for sinners to gather and be in community with one another, but it is God who does the healing work in people's lives. The church is not a place for saints who have it all together but a place for sinners who need the Great Physician.
Furthermore, the church is not a place of judgement and condemnation. God is not a prosecuting attorney hungry for a conviction but is a healer who wants to mend the wounds of sin. The church is a place where people can find forgiveness and remission of sins, not a place where they are condemned for their sins.
While the church may play a role in helping people to heal and grow spiritually, it is not the primary function of the church to be like a hospital that fixes people. The church is a community of believers who are on a journey together, following Jesus and being transformed by His grace. It is a place of accountability, worship, and service, where people are called to turn and greet those they may not like, and it is a place where people can be challenged and held accountable by the community.
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The church is a toll house, not a hospital
The church is a toll house, and in it, the joyful sustain their joy.
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The church is a place for perfected saints, not a hospital
The metaphor of the church as a hospital is not drawn from Scripture but has become a popular way of discussing the church. While it is true that Jesus came to heal the sick and minister to the brokenhearted, it is important to recognize that the church is not a building full of healthy people getting paid to help the sick. Rather, it is a community of sinners who are being drawn to the Great Physician, Jesus Christ.
The church is a place for those who have been perfected in Christ, not a place for those who are still struggling with sin. This does not mean that the church is only for those who have it all together or who have achieved some sort of moral perfection. On the contrary, the church is a place for those who have been forgiven and set free by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a place where sinners can find forgiveness and healing in Christ and be equipped to live a new life.
The church is not a hospital, but it is also not a museum for saints. It is a dynamic community of believers who are on a journey of faith together. While the church may not be the perfect analogy for a hospital, it is also not a static place where people come to admire saints. It is a living, breathing community where people are welcomed with open arms and told that they are loved and valued.
In conclusion, while the church may be likened to a hospital in some respects, it is more accurately described as a place for perfected saints. It is a community of sinners who have been forgiven and set free by the grace of God, gathering to worship and serve the Lord. The church is not a place for those who are still struggling with sin but for those who have been made new in Christ and are seeking to live out their faith together.
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Frequently asked questions
The church is not a hospital for sinners, but rather a morgue for the dead. People arrive dead and leave alive.
The biblical basis for the idea that the church is a hospital for sinners can be found in Jesus' ministry and the apostles' teachings. Jesus ate with "publicans and sinners", and he came to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous. He healed the sick, ministered to the broken-hearted, and preached the gospel, demonstrating his role as the Great Physician.
The church is a community of sinners being drawn to the Good Doctor, Jesus. It is a place for the broken and sick to gather and seek healing from God, the ultimate healer. The church is not a place for perfected saints but a place of worship and accountability where Christians can turn to God and each other.
The metaphor of the church as a hospital implies that it is a place for sick people to go and get better, and once they are healthy, they no longer need to attend. This can lead to the idea that the church is only valuable until one is healed and no longer needs its services. It also suggests that the church employs a class of elite, healthy people who are paid to heal the sick, which is not accurate.
A more accurate metaphor for the church is a "field hospital", as described by Pope Francis. This implies that the church is a place for the wounded to find healing and that God, as the Great Healer, is actively seeking to mend the wounds of sin.
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