The Spirit of Grace

A call to discernment, holiness and boundaries rooted in Scripture.

“Open doors, open hearts, open minds.”

There is a cultural misunderstanding these days that “openness” means acceptance without discernment. While the door is open to all, the path of righteousness still requires transformation, not tolerance.

Therefore, a balance between compassion and conviction is necessary in an effort to establish boundaries built on grace.

Everyone needs to understand, that the way is a narrow and a holy one.

Open Doors:

Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

This statement is given just after Jesus has assembled His disciples, and He has begun to upbraid the cities where John the Baptist spent time proclaiming Christ’s name, because the people had not repented.

“Open doors,” then must be centered on the idea that those who come into your church, will have the opportunity to lay down their burden and find rest. Not simply find a place of gossip or condemnation.

Secondly, the sinner that comes into your midst has a responsibility to personally know Jesus, and learn about Jesus. Because the rest of the verse hints to that.

Matthew 11:28–30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Remember the story of the bread I shared with you a few weeks ago? The multitudes had followed Jesus and wanted more miracles, more healing, and more to eat! And they said, “give us this bread!”

Jesus reminds them, that many of them had spent time in His midst, and believed not. Therefore, He was watchful for the people that the Father led to Him, and those he would not cast out.

Your doors are open. But many will come who have no desire to know Jesus, and no desire to believe on His name. Therefore, you must be willing to give every person that enters back to the Father, and ask the Father to reveal Himself to them.

The Father and the Son have a responsibility here but it is based on your ability to extend grace and the gospel first.

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

In the same manner as the verse prior. Those that come into your midst, must hear the knocking at the door, and “open the door.”

Bless you for having open doors! But note, an open door swings both directions. He or she that enters the doors of this church, must then be willing to open the doors to their hearts.

Open Hearts:

Paul tells us that in the same way the disciples opened their hearts to the Corinthians, they should do the same for others.

Peter tells us that by obeying the truth and purifying ourselves, we have the ability to love one another deeply from the heart.

We are to bear one another’s burden’s. We are to forgive one another.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Acts 2:46 “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,”

“Open Hearts,” is just as much the idea of loving others, as it is finding unity with those we worship with, those who are also believers.

The key to “open hearts,” is it is a purified heart, that knows truth, and is of one accord with Christ.

Secondly, the heart must be protected. You must Preserve and guard your heart.

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.”

Thirdly, your heart must operate from a place of holiness.

1 Peter 1:15–16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Lastly, an open heart is already in the process of seeking Christ.

Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, And that seek him with the whole heart.”

Thus the “open heart,” has three directions to which it must be focused.

Upward - to God through worship, repentance and trust

Inward - self examination and purity

Outward - toward others through love, honesty and compassion

Our hearts are moved to love others, but only when it is founded on the full assurance of faith, free from sin, guilt and shame.

Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Open Minds:

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

My guess is “open minds,” is being used in the wrong context as it is presented on the sign out front.

I think what you’re saying is you have an open mind to whatever people think, say or do when it comes to your church and those who come in and out of its doors.

But what “open minds” should be a representation of, is as believers, your minds are open to the acknowledging your limitations, pride, sin, and self, and your desire to allow God to reveal in your mind, His truth, so He can lead you into a deeper relationship with him.

If you approach “open doors,” as a reflexive pronoun, you become the object of the sentence, not the person visiting your church.

The subject is, “open doors,” the object is you! The object, or action is reflected back onto the subject.

So hat happens when your mind is renewed?

Philippians 4:7 “ the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The last thing I’ll caution you about open doors is this.

Jude 4 “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There will always be people in your midst who are not true believers, and who have denied God and Jesus Christ.

There is nothing in scripture that says you are to extend to them an “open door” policy.

We welcome the sinner, but the sinner has a responsibility. Just as Christ didn’t condemn the prostitute, but said to her…”go, and sin no more.”

The Mission:

Therefore, may I suggest you create a sort of mission for your tagline, ‘Open doors, open hearts, open minds.”

The mission is:

grace without compromise, welcome without worldliness.

In other words, your tagline should be a call of discernment, holiness and boundaries rooted in Scripture.

Simply put:

What must we you do internally, in this building, to extend grace to others…

but more importantly, what must happen in your hearts to fulfill the biblical mission of “Open doors, open hearts, open minds.”