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A few weeks ago, I was driving my car and listening to the story of the lost sheep and lost coin from Luke’s Gospel. Suddenly the Holy Spirit placed the word duality on my heart. As I continued to drive, I pondered the word duality. What was the Holy Spirit trying to reveal to me? Over these past weeks He made it clear. In today’s message, I will share this insight with you because it impacts all of us.

Duality is a situation in which two opposite ideas or feelings exist at the same time. While reflecting on the word duality the Holy Spirit made it clear to me that I, like all Christians, am a lost sheep and at the same time, I am called to find other lost sheep. I was reminded that as Christians we are called to hold two seemingly paradoxical truths in tension: we are sinners in need of salvation and simultaneously we are called to bring others to that same salvation. This duality lies at the heart of our faith.

In the story found in 1 Kings 17:10-16 Elijah, who was starving, is sent to get help from the woman who herself was starving as a result of the drought and famine. God sent one who was in need, to seek help from someone else who was also in need.  As a result, Elijah, the woman and her son, and her whole household were fed. In other words, all were healed. All ships rose together. This exemplifies Christian duality.

In the story of the lost coin and the lost sheep in Luke’s Gospel, notice that the sheep was lost “outside,” and the coin was lost “inside.” Likewise, there are people lost both inside and outside of the walls of our churches. Although we ourselves are lost, we are simultaneously called to seek others who are lost. This is the duality the Lord revealed to me.

We are called both to continually repent of our sins and to participate actively in the mission of the Kingdom of God. In navigating these responsibilities, we sometimes overemphasize one side at the expense of the other.

The Bible is clear that every Christian remains a sinner, even after receiving salvation. This concept is articulated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:23, where he states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin is a universal condition, and acknowledging one’s shortcomings is a foundational aspect of our Christian faith. This recognition is humbling, yet it is also freeing, as it reminds us that our worth is not dependent on perfection but on God’s grace and mercy.

We must cultivate a daily awareness of our need for forgiveness. Through regular self-examination, prayer, and repentance, we are called to confront our own sinfulness honestly and to rely on God’s grace for transformation. However, this necessary focus on personal salvation can sometimes lead to a sense of inadequacy. When we become overly fixated on our shortcomings, we may feel unworthy of the call to bring Christ to others. This preoccupation with our sins can foster a form of spiritual paralysis, where we become so absorbed in our own failings that we lose sight of our purpose in God’s plan.

At the same time, we are also called to reach out to others, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and participating in the mission of the Kingdom of God. This call to evangelize and serve others is woven throughout the New Testament. Jesus Himself sent us forth in Matthew 28:19-20, saying, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”  Engaging in the mission of God is not a task reserved for the sinless or the righteous, rather, it is a mandate for all believers.

This outward focus can be energizing and fulfilling. When we are involved in ministry or evangelism, we may find ourselves strengthened in our faith and inspired by the transformative power of the gospel in others’ lives. However, if this focus on ministry and outreach becomes all-consuming, we may fall into the trap of “saving others” while neglecting our own need for ongoing repentance and spiritual growth. This imbalance can result in a form of spiritual burnout, if we become so absorbed in helping others that we neglect to cultivate our own relationship with God.

Navigating the duality of Christian life requires a delicate balance. To live out this tension in a healthy and effective way, we must embrace both aspects of our calling: to continually repent of our own sinfulness and to participate in God’s mission to reach others. This balance involves humility and dependence on God, as well as an openness to be used by Him even in the midst of personal struggles.

One way to embrace this duality is by recognizing that our shortcomings and need for salvation do not disqualify us from being effective witnesses. On the contrary, our honest acknowledgment of weakness can be a powerful testimony. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, The Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  This allowed Paul to understand and say, “for when I am weak, then I am strong.”  When we share our faith from a place of humility and transparency, acknowledging our own need for grace, we offer others a genuine glimpse of what it means to rely on God’s mercy. Our authenticity resonates with others, helping to make the Gospel more relatable and accessible.

Conversely, when we are actively involved in ministry we must also prioritize our own spiritual health. To avoid spiritual burnout, we should remain rooted in practices of personal devotion, such as prayer, scripture reading, and participation in the sacraments and our faith communities. These practices serve as reminders of our own need for grace and provide the spiritual nourishment needed to sustain our outreach efforts. Additionally, fostering an awareness of our own need for forgiveness and growth can prevent the kind of pride and self-righteousness that sometimes arise in the course of ministry. Remembering that we are both a sinner and a servant keeps us grounded and dependent on God rather than on our own abilities.

The Duality of Christian Life is an essential and dynamic aspect of our faith journey. We are called to live in the tension between being sinners in need of salvation and servants called to bring others to salvation. While it is easy to lean too heavily in one direction or the other, a balanced approach requires humility, self-awareness, and a reliance on God’s grace. When we embrace the duality of the Christian life, we can embody the gospel in a way that is both authentic and transformative, offering others a genuine reflection of the grace that sustains them.

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of salvation. I also acknowledge that you have called me by name, to bring the news of salvation through Jesus Christ to others. I recognize that you have called me even knowing I was broken. Grant me the courage to go forth proclaiming the good news! Amen!

AMDG 

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Brian Pusateri

Brian is a Christian author and speaker. Brian, a lifelong Catholic, felt his life was forever changed when God spoke to his heart while attending an eight day silent Christian retreat in November of 2011. Soon after that retreat Brian founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. With the God inspired message of mercy and unconditional love that was placed on his heart during that retreat, Brian has been impacting others all over the country and around the world with his weekly letters, his talks, and his all day Christian retreats. In June of 2014, Brian’s life was again impacted in a very dramatic way when his eyesight suddenly became permanently impaired. The initial diagnosis was Multiple Scleroses (MS) but in December of 2019 the diagnosis was corrected to MOG antibody disease, a rare neurological disease. This health challenge has only served to draw Brian closer to God and bolster the importance of this timely yet ageless message.

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