Where We’ve Been Getting It Wrong
As we previously learned, when it comes to sin, our primary concern is those within the Church; not those of the world. God judges them (see 1 Corinthians 5:12-13). When it comes to Church discipline, the goal is repentance and restoration when repentance is necessary. Of course, we’ll always be repenting of things as Holy Spirit convicts us. That being said, in some ways we’ve done more harm than good in relation to those outside the Church. How so?
By judging them. How many have pointed out their sins and condemned them? Yes, we do stand against sin and injustice, but if we do not allow Holy Spirit to lead us, we can become very carnal in our approach. You might say self-righteous. Self-righteousness is a dangerous ground on which to tread, since it is based on pride.
There are times and places to expose sin, and call it out. However, condemning sinners for sinning is a different matter. You might recall, prior to receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you were in bondage to sin. We all were. When you were lost, did you need anyone to point out your sin? If someone pointed their self-righteous finger at you, did it draw you closer to Jesus, or push you away? If the person invited you to church, did you want to go? That’s how a person can do more harm than good.
“They are going to be sent to hell for that!” “You are going to go straight to hell for what you did!” Have you ever heard people say such things? Is that biblical? There is a plethora of sins mentioned in the Bible. Some acts of sin are quite heinous; however, sin is sin. Remember, there is only one unforgiveable sin, which is the blasphemy of Holy Spirit (see Mark 3:29). Why are people condemned according to Jesus?
John 3:17-19 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.
Ultimately, it is the rejection of Jesus Christ. As long as people have breath in their lungs, they can still be forgiven of everything by calling on the name of the Lord. Remember, God does not send anyone to hell. They are already on their way; unless, they repent. It’s up to them, because God provided the Way of Salvation. They decide whether they will receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Stop Calling Out Individual Sins
Again, there are times we have to address sin and injustice in order to protect society. We cannot allow child predators, rapists, murderers and such like to freely roam the streets. That has devastating consequences. As previously stated, we cannot afford to allow sin to go unchecked in the Church. Nonetheless, elevating certain sins above others is non-starter as well. It can have unintended consequences for non-Christians and Christians alike.
Jesus told us to love our enemies, which means we are to be enemies to none, except the devil and demons. Segments of society have felt ostracized by the Church at large, because Christians have treated them like enemies. At best they ignored them, in other instances they alright persecuted them, and everything in between. None of these lead to repentance. It was God’s kindness and goodness that led us to repentance (see Romans 2:4). Would that be the better approach on our part? To be kind, regardless of the person’s condition?
To be clear, this does not mean celebrating ungodly lifestyles. That does more harm than good. Why would we do anything to encourage someone to go farther down the path of destruction? Part of kindness is speaking the truth in love. Clearly, some will outright reject the truth, because they prefer to continue in their sin. That means they may even reject you, but that’s should not be surprising. Love does not fear that rejection. Likewise, it does mean no-compromise. This bears repeating, allow Holy Spirit to lead you in how you interact with others.
Romans 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Singling out particular sins can lead to self-righteousness. We can take on an attitude that says, “At least I don’t do that.” In our mind, it may dimmish our own shortcomings to the point where we fail to address them. It’s called rationalization, and it does not lead to repentance. Comparing ourselves to others is not wise. Self-righteousness makes us unapproachable. By the way, should a person be attacked for mistreating others out of self-righteousness, that would not be considered persecution for the sake of Christ. It would be considered retaliation for being a jerk.
Incidentally, elevating a particular sin above others, gives that thing a power over a person’s life that it should not have. That is another lesson in itself.
