One of the most common traits I find in Churches is grace. Most people are kind to others’ weaknesses. They are willing to forgive sins and shortcomings when they encounter them in other believers. It is truly a safe place for people who have failed or are failing.

The problem arises when grace is used as a mask for an unwillingness to confront sin and push people toward spiritual maturity.

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Church in the city of Corinth, he writes about a man living in sin. A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). And what makes matters worse is that the Church is proud of this. That might initially sound shocking to some Christians, but the reason they were proud is understandable. They boasted that they were full of grace toward people struggling with sin. Unfortunately, in their grace, they were unwilling to confront anything.

Paul has to write the Church and tell them to “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” In other words, “Throw him out of your Church community so that he sees you will not tolerate sin, and he might change his ways.” The end goal is that “his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.”

The good news of the story is that in his second letter, Paul tells them to “forgive and comfort” this man. (2 Corinthians 2:5-11) The Church had done as Paul instructed, and the man changed his life and now pleaded for forgiveness. Paul tells the believers in that Church to show grace now that he has changed.

I fear that many times, Christians offer grace simply because they are non-confrontational and not because they want the best for the other person. Grace must walk hand in hand with repentance. Otherwise, it is not really grace but a mask for our unwillingness to be confrontational.