If you have to justify your acts, then you are likely wrong.

       As humans we seem to be able to justify almost any action. Perhaps worst of all, we are able to do the mental gymnastics to contort Scripture and say it is God's will or say that it is actually God doing the justifying. 'I don't want to do this but God says so, it's right here in Vincent 1:23-45'.  How many wars have been justified, the Crusades, burnings, hate and errant thought.

       Many years ago, on a much smaller scale, there was a new car I wanted. Not a car, a van. It was the van of vans. Plush seats, buckets for everyone, all wheel drive, every convenience for it's time. I wanted it.  If I did half the exercise today than the mental exercises I went through to justify purchasing that van, I'd be a much skinnier man.  So, I bought the van of course, paid for with a loan the size of Kilimanjaro for my time. The payments were astronomical for my salary and responsibilities. It was the height of living beyond one's means, a real testament to living to the secular worlds standards.  I was the envy of many. Gas crunches and high payments translated to one huge net effect - I could sometimes not afford o drive the darn thing. The idea that I would use it to drive my bed ridden mother to my home from her nursing home vanished like a wisp. She was so ensconced in her digs she was traumatized when she was moved from her now cozy, comfortable and stable environment.  I quite rarely got to use this beautiful van in any way associated with what I had envisioned or how I justified it's purchase.

          Long story I suppose to note how we justify things in life. The passage from Matthew highlights this message for me and us this morning. The actions of so many evangelicals and Christians that support hate, tyranny and amoral behaviours is astounding. I am certainly not a saint by any means. It is almost entertaining though how whole groups of alleged holy people, religious leaders find justification. I have no way of knowing how one can support what is being done to the least of our brothers and sisters, the children at our borders.  I have no idea what passage it is that allows a philanderer, adulterer and serial liar to be justified by these evangelicals. 

        The message for us in how to act and live by Jesus was not based on the New Testament. It had not been written yet. The early church in it's exponential growth was not based on preaching of the Gospels - it was preaching of the Good News. Faith derived from the life and actions of Christ. It was the message of "The Way" that converted, not quotations and justifications. The Apostles spoke of how Jesus lived, they conveyed the stories of who Jesus spoke to, dined, with, welcomed and forgave. It was the actual life of Jesus and his willingness to die for his lived message that converted people.  It was NOT cute snippets of quoted scripture that justified a human agenda.

       Let it be said correctly, if you need to justify your actions, you are most probably wrong, on the wrong rack and far from what Jesus preached. We can justify anything and it is much worse and damming when we use the inspired words of God to promote an agenda or a set of myopic beliefs.  Just don't do it.

       For clear thought and love without justifications for evil acts, we pray

Matthew 21:23-32

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.