Even saints are sinners.
Indeed.I am inclined to say that church is neither of those things...at least not as the statement stands.
For sure”saintlike” creatures fall into the sins of gluttony, bitterness, hateful thoughts, anger, pride, unforgiveness, resentment, greed, jolly, foolishness, stubborness, unwilling to reach out to people that are dying in their sins, fear of rejection, lukewarmness, speaking up when they should not and being quiet when they should speak up, minding their own business, putting the blinds on, making sure noone sees how little money or time they donate but talking about how important it is that we all give. Dressing like a detective or insuranceagent.
We are sinners all the time. It is not an occasional thing. In thought, word and deed. I am sinning now in my thoughts.Indeed.
Those who are not believers yet are by definition not part of the Church. And those who are believers cannot properly be called "sinners;" even though we all do sin - at least occasionally. We are new creatures, not sinners.
And as for the saints, (those set apart) there is only occasional rest as we are in a constant battle with the unholy trinity: the flesh, the world and the devil.
Can I ask where the quote is from?
Augustine. The original version was "The church is not a hotel for saints, it is a hospital for sinners."
I must admit I find the idea of a hospital resonates more deeply than a school. We need to learn, sure, but more deeply than that we need healing and wholeness.
I imagine that hospital didn’t have the same meaning to Augustine as it does to us.Augustine. The original version was "The church is not a hotel for saints, it is a hospital for sinners."
I must admit I find the idea of a hospital resonates more deeply than a school. We need to learn, sure, but more deeply than that we need healing and wholeness.
I imagine that hospital didn’t have the same meaning to Augustine as it does to us.