Should Christians Apologize For Other Christians?

We had a healthy debate about this a few days ago over at Jason's , and the thought has still been bouncing around in my head.

Christianity has existed for about 1972 years, give or take a decade or so. In that time there have been all manner of folks claiming the Cross as their standard and using it to justify their worldly behaviour. In all these years there have been many more attributing all manner of illsto Christians.

As a believer I am firmly rooted in the opinion that I must apologize profusely for any wrongs I committ, knowingly or unknowingly. Matthew 7:16 emphasizes that we are known by the fruit of our actions, and I've had many a rotting fig dangling.

I still can't shake the idea, though, that it's judgmental and kind of gossipy to apologize for other Christians' malfeasance. "Hey you, I'm sorry that Johnny McSaved and his uncontrolled lust for goats gives The Faith a bad name!"

To me, that just looks like telling tales out of school. In some cases, it even means that people end up showing their ignorance about historical events as they fall over themselves to make nice for Christ.

he did apologize for “the missionaries who landed in Mexico and came up through the West slaughtering Indians in the name of Christ.”

which missionaries were those? the conquistadors did that, but the missionaries... did a great job of actually reaching people where they were

For the most part, we're enthusiastic about our Saviour and ourGreat Commission duties. That's a good thing. But are we so busy mote-busting our brethren that we carry the wrong message? You tell me.

Ultimately, these folk said it best: The CHURCH is not our model...Jesus is.