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goodbyesickan So I heard the old standby "love the sinner, hate the sin" the other day. I have to say it had been a while since I had heard that particular little gem. The idea behind it is that supposedly you can love a person without approving of what they do.
Like a lot of society sanctioned lies, its deception does not lie in what is says or literally means, but in how it is used to make an unacceptable desire acceptable -in this case, hatred of homosexuals. The phrase is used as a rhetorical way of separating ourselves from those we don't like, those whose exile we feel we need to rationalize. If we truly "hate the sin, love the sinner," we should treat the "sin" of homosexual actions the same way we treat every other thing we regard as sin.
But of course we don't treat every sin the same way. Do we hold rallies against illegal music downloads? Do we protest that the military has no rules against enlisting greedy people? Do we march in front of city hall demanding an end to envy? Do we teach our children to hold up signs reading "I Cor 6:19 -- GOD HATES FATTIES!"? No, we don't. Why not? Because, for the most part, we understand that sharing the love of God is far more important than pointing out every little detail we perceive to be a flaw. We know from our own walk with God that as we learn to know His will, we increase our ability to discern FOR OURSELVES how He would have us live.
No, we do not protest every sin. We choose to protest not based on the will of God, but based on our emotional reactions. We protest those things that disgust us on an emotional, subjective level -not always on a spiritual or righteous level.
"But THEY flaunt it!" You say. Do they? Or, because it weirds you out so much, is it the thing you go out of your way to notice? Even if someone does "flaunt" the way they live, who are you to make judgment? Why do you think you can control others?
If you blow your top because someone is not living as you want them to, you should thank them. That's right, thank them -because God has used them to reveal the sin of pride in your heart. Pride for thinking that somehow you have the right to stand between another person and God.
"It is not my opinion, God says it is sin!" You might say. Well, let me remind you again that you do not have this visceral reaction to every little sin you ever see, so there is something else going on here besides just righteous anger.
When Jesus came across a group ready to pass judgment on a certain young woman, Christ declared "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." Once the accusers were gone, Christ spoke to the woman in private. It is between God and the individual -and if Christ Himself did not condemn her, what right do you have to EVER condemn anyone?
God is love. Jesus is the Truth. Truth and love can be a tricky balance, especially when you believe that someone is heading down a path that will hurt them. But as important as truth is, LOVE COMES FIRST. The greatest commandments are about love. Without love, truth is worthless -a clanging cymbol. Work on love. As you do, you will be humbled by how much you did not understand about the people you previously judged.
God did not win us over by shouting at us, but through love. If you want to change someone's life, show them pure love. Leave the chastising up to God. Nothing you say is going to work anyway. Only God can change a heart. You are powerless to change anyone's life but your own. You are not loving someone if you are trying to control them. Not even God does that.
Do you agree with the phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin"? How do you try to love people, despite feeling they are in the wrong?
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Comments (203)
Very true as long as we don't make the mistake of doing nothing at all. We can not judge or condemn, but many people say nothing at all because they don't want to come off as being condemning. just like with every sin to do nothing doesn't speak love either. Very good point though...sometimes we place so much emphasis on this one sin and completely ignore other sins that people are struggling with. There is a balance.
Nice entry.
Good Question.
God says to love everyone. Period. It doesn't matter if they're sinners or almost perfect. Also, Jesus loves everyone, doesn't He? Shouldn't we be trying to be more like him?
I'm not criticizing. And you are correct, we do put too much emphasis on certain sins. We just need to love everyone.honestly... i really have to note that this phrase was coined originally by Ghandi...
and yet... we see people who sin become the title of the sin... such as a person who commits murder (the sin of killing) is known as a MURDERER... or a person who fibs is called a LIAR...
so when did we adopt this ridiculous phrase???
Yea, we are to love... but love based on what definition? Hallmark? Sappy love?
Sometimes the harshness of absolute truth IS love... God yes is Love... but He is Holy just as well... and with sin, His Holiness plays more of a roll... reveal the holiness of God as Just and True, then tell the sinful sinner... The majesty of His love that sent Jesus to die for the sin committed by the sinner....
i really don't like this phrase at all... considering Ghandi never really knew Jesus... as far as I can say...
This is probably one of the best posts I have ever read on Revelife.
Thank you.
Wonderful post. Check out my profile pic.
@ccarothers@xanga - I have to disagree about balance. Why is it wrong to say nothing at all? I think that your best witness is how you live and how you treat others. I hate to see people looking for excuses to say their two cents worth about someone else's life. Your life is your concern, but somebody else's life is in their hands and God's.
I love this post and it reminds me of an interview once had with Billy Graham. He was asked if one of his sons were gay would he love that son less and he responded, "no, I would love that one more". It is only thru love that we can show the truth and what is good and right. While hating sin and loving the sinner is hard...we have to remind ourselves that we too are sinners equally as bad in God's eyes. Have you ever told a lie? Then you're a liar. It's as simple as that. We must love each other and not always condone the bad.
i wrote a post about this recently...
I almost never agree with the opinions put forth here on Revelife. This was different. Bravo. I've always wondered why Christian lobbyists and conservative Christian politicians believe that homosexuals shouldn't marry, but don't even consider trying to pass similar laws banning the marriage of convicted murderers and rapists.
Agree with @bittersunday@xanga best thing I've read on Revelife. Hands down.
I always heard that saying as to mean: "You have to love the person, even if they cling to a repugnant sinful lifestyle decision." That we are required to separate the repugnance of sin from the sinner that God still loves and wants to rescue. I still think that's what it means. Nothing less. It's a good thing to keep in mind.
@leadworshipper82 - there are many good life lessons that can be obtained from persons who eschew God in their lives. We can learn from them because they are still creations of our Creator. I guess I'm saying just because Ghandi never professed to bow before Christ as his Savior, we don't need to "toss the baby out with the bathwater".
This is beautiful!
No of course we should all just believe and vote as we are told to. Told to by the more "enlighten and progressive" otherwise we will be called hateful, and those how are really embarrassed by what they are, will agree with those so "enlightened" and make long well written excuse and condemnations. All attacking a creature that they very likely have ever met.
And yes the phrase is not a Christian one. It is from Gandi though hating a rather noble concept makes me wonder about you. And t
What a great post. I have often entertained these thoughts that you presented, but couldn't quite put into words as you did. It can be so hard for Christians to not judge people, but we always have to remember that no matter how much we think we know what God wants from Man, ultimately it is God's job to judge us, never ours. I totally agree. Thanks for sharing =)
This was fantastic. Thank you.
did you write this for me? no? well i will have it anyways. ~sarina
Sorry but i don't agree with most of what you have written here ..God hating the sin but loving the sinner is not found in scripture ....However we are told that God is angry with the wicked every day in Psalm 7:11
I would be one of those people you are condemningfor shouting at people in the streets to repent and turn from sin...now and again i mention homosexuallity ..Why?...Because we are called to be salt and light in this world Matt 5:13 ...So just remember when you are busily trying to love people into heaven ...Just rememeber that God has commanded us to talk about sin and not avoid the issue like so many proffessing Christians like to do these days.
Jesus warned people about their sins and was pesecuted ...Paul warned people about their sins and was persecuted....Great men of God like CH Spurgeon and Whitfield also shouted at people about their sin ...Did they decide " there must be a better,more loving way" ?....Of course not ..Jesus warned us they hated Him they will hate us also ....Enough of this pathetic man centred Gospel ....Lets preach the Word in season and out of season.
- dale
One problem that is not mentioned here or in any other aurguemet is the problem of social change and political leverage. It is not so much a matter of tolerance of an other's sin as an other's sin becoming no sin at all through social consensous.
Social consensous is not the mind of God. But we must treat it as such if it wins in our courts of law and demands acceptance or consequences.
That is the subliminal underlying root that will choke out the correct response to sin in peoples lives. If we forget sin is really sin, we don't love the sinner as much as we think we do.
@PerilousTimes@xanga - you can recognize sin for what it is, and still not have to apply a legalistic spin on it. I see no tears in your eyes...God have mercy on you where you feel none, brother.
The problem isn't the phrase, it's the fact that people forget the first half of it.
@IMChurchmouse@xanga - is it tossing the baby out with the bathwater or is it the idea of eating the brownie even if it has a little bit of dogpile in it... I mean granted Ghandi may have had some good points in it... but strict Biblical ideal states that one who sin BECOMES the sin rather than anything else... and the only way that identity changes is when Christ is bowed to and His Cross and blood shadows and covers the sinner...
but the love that we are called to exhibit is like a doctor telling a person they have cancer and giving them an opportunity to do something about it...
the love Christians can show is the sinfulness of a person regardless of how mortally wrong the person is... showing sin is love because therein lies the rescue needed from the Savior...
we were told of our much our sin will cast us into hell... were we not grateful someone told us??? in the same way... i think we overused this statement and ran with it so much that we really don't even know what it means anymore... we just hear the phoentics of the phrase and w/o thought translate it to fit our ideals or lack thereof...
@IMChurchmouse@xanga - Pointing out other peoples sin and warning them of a day of judgement is not legalism....Its the most loving thing anyone can do.
Paul said
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
See that ?...Paul said if he had not heard about the law (10 commandments) he would not known about his sin...
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
The biggest danger to the truth today is so called Christians that think they know better than Gods Word and go around judging people that are obedient to God by faithfully preaching with words the truth....God did not say love everyone into heaven ...this is what His Word says :
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Waken up you are in deception.
dale
@leadworshipper82 - you seem to forget this scripture:
Mat 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Mat 23:24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Mat 23:25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
I say it again, you spit your venom of law without tears....I pity you because God will have to break your heart of stone, eventually. Just like he broke mine when I needed it...
You make a very valid point. God says that all sins are equal, so who are we to condemn some sinners and not others? And let's not forget that us Christians are sinners too! We are not called to judge non-Christians, that is God's job. Besides that, when has shouting and hate ever won anyone over?
@leadworshipper82 - yeah, Paul points out that the Holy Spirit uses the Law to reveal our sinful state...we don't need muddy people slinging mud to stand in for God that way. You are just trying to do God's job and finding Scriptural slants for your rants. God won't let it last...trust me.
@point_of_no_R3turn@xanga - good for you! You're learning the lessons of love and not hate.