Tuesday, 18 September 2012
-
It's Wrong to Hate the Sinner
Although I could be setting myself up for an argument, I feel the need to say that what most Christians who hate a certain people group or sexuality forget is that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and yes, that includes every do-good religious Christian out there. The very root of our faith is to admit we are as imperfect as the next person (literally) and that we, like all, need Jesus as our Savior. And although we believe as a part of our faith in God that homosexuality is a sin -- the bible tells us so, and if you don’t think so, you need to consider if you really believe the Bible, or just the parts that makes you happy -- Jesus didn’t come to save those who already had their act together. He came to love and save those who are sinners.
And if we were really acting like Jesus, we would love everybody. And when we encounter those who are not Christians, we would come to them in humility, saying, “You know what? The reason I am a Christian is because I have messed up and I am not worthy of life in unity with a perfect God; but Jesus bridged the gap between sinners and God by taking the punishment of death that I deserve. I deserve death because every act of sin, lack of right-doing, and wrong thought I think, is an act of rebellion against a Holy God who made me. ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23). So I want you to know that Jesus loves you, even if you are sinning and imperfect, and I know this is true because He loves and forgives me daily.”
So to every person who a Christian has wrongfully, and sinfully, hated, I want to let you know that they are wrong for doing so, and they need the forgiveness of God for acting so wrongfully against you in His Name. And I also want to let you know, that Jesus loves you, He is God, and He is pursuing a relationship with you.
And to every Christian who has hated someone for sinning, realize that we have all sinned, and every sin is equal. There’s no such thing as “less of a sinner than…”. We ALL, and yes I mean ALL, need Jesus’ love and salvation. And you need to consider where you would be if Jesus hated you because you were in sin? Remember, we are ambassadors of Christ when we became a Christian, and you need to seriously pray and repent to our Loving God if you haven’t been showing Jesus to the world.
When has someone responded hatefully toward you because of the sin in your life? How did it make you feel? How can we as Christians be less hateful toward groups of people who disagree with us and who, in our opinion, are leading sinful lifestyles?
RecommendRelated Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to revelife's Revelife Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in revelife's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
About the Author
-
- From: michaela_noel@xanga
- Name: Michaela
Stats: This Week All Time Posts: 0 2 Views: 0 5434 Comments: 0 102 View all posts by michaela_noel@xanga
Comments (77)
I am unsure whether "hate" is the same as telling someone is wrong? I perhaps don't understand what you mean by "hate". I don't understand what you mean by "love" either. :S
I feel as if there are some deeper things coming out behind this post.
Christians don't hate anyone. Christians are commanded to love. What I hate is all the lying that goes on about Christians. And then the liars preach to Christians about being better people.
Actually, Jesus didn't ever say "love the sinner hate the sin". It's what we infer from the Gospels and the New Testament epistles. @ellie1945@xanga -
Love: seeing a person as inherently valuable, because they bear the image of the God who created them. Hate: attempting to destroy the value of a human being. Pretty simple.@llamalima@xanga -
@Amythist_Malaise@xanga - "It's what we infer from the Gospels and the New Testament epistles."
How do you infer that?
==
Honestly, loving your neighbour is one of the biggest difficulties for me. How do you show that an individual is valuable without beng disingenuous? Perhaps it's not a theological question, but a pragmatic question.
I would also argue that we have a broken image of God within us. That is, we once were in the Garden of Eden and by Adam's sin, we have damaged irrepairably the image of God--that is, our spiritual purity, only when we are reconciled to God can it be repaired.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - the biggest lie in the history of mankind in the lie about the christian god and his magical son baby jesus. christians have used this mythology for thousands of years to enslave, control and KILL anyone who does not believe in their imaginary friend. They have hindered discovery - marginalized scientific knowledge and even in - arguably - the most advanced country in the world still deny the facts of science while at the same time hypocritically accepting all of the good things that science brings to our lives - modern medicine - automobiles and airplanes - electricity - telephones -computers and internet technology- just to name a couple.
@Amythist_Malaise@xanga - Yes, you are right, it's something that we have come to realize through the verses, that Jesus wants us to love the sinner, but hate the sin.....
The epistles are viewed as Christ's instructions to the Church regarding how we should live. Much attention is paid to the fact that we are to love each other and forgive each other in the same way Christ did for us. Thus, the actual phrase "love the sinner but hate the sin" is not in the Bible specifically, but the teachings in the epistles fleshes out just that way of thinking. We are admonished about sin, as well, being taught that we are to live out the fruits of the Spirit, and we are to confess our sins to the Lord. How do you love your neighbor? You keep in mind how much God loves him, and you treat him with respect and kindness. That is real love. Love is action, doing good to others even when you don't feel like it. Hope this helps. @llamalima@xanga -
This is a site for those of us who believe in Jesus as the Son of God. There are plenty of other sites around which share your views. If you think you'll persuade anyone around here, sorry, we love Jesus. I'm sure you will feel less anger if you stay away from Christian sites. Just sayin'. If you have honest questions about why we are Christians, ask away, but to come on here and blast sincere people for what they believe probably won't help you very much. @Captric@xanga -
@llamalima@xanga - Actually I think it's more a level of volume. If you are shouting in their face, "Sinner !" there's a good chance that it might be hate.
If instead they put a hand a supportive hand on your shoulder and say, "I'm here for you if you want to talk." - well, that is a little different.
I've experienced both since I've been in Xanga. Φ ≡
@llamalima@xanga - Those are really good q's...I've asked them a lot in recent years (and feel I understand only a little more in all the years I've wondered).
I love this MLK quote and think it's helpful for this discussion: People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other. - Martin Luther King, Jr.
...and further its difficult (or impossible) to have genuine relationship if there is judgment...whether my spouse, a friend, or some random person. On my best day I can see the good creature that God has made another to be (and that's been my prayer...to see others as God sees them). In my experience genuine connection is based on communication and positive experience of another's good gifts...and that gives me motivation to stay in relationship.
I can choose to be in genuine relationship by offering a hand up...with effective boundaries (and I've found long-lasting friendships that started this way, with me both giving and receiving the hand-up), but I've never been able to be in genuine relationship with the goal of seeing transformation in the other (conversion...or changed behavior). As I understand the Bible that's not my job anyway...its too big a burden. And psychologists I think will tell you it doesn't work...no one can change another's behavior (that's one of the painful lessons most people learn in marriage).
So great questions...what does love and hate look like.
@Amythist_Malaise@xanga - If so called christians were to mind their own business and not try to convert he world in to their cult of ignorance than there would be no counter reaction from people like me. The cult of christianity also cover up horrendous crimes against children and women and hide the criminals perverting the laws of extradition. They constantly strive to bring us back to a mideveal standard of reasoning and education where disease is thought to be the result of sin and the scientific facts of evolution - the basis of all we know about this planet and its inhabitants - are simply a conspiracy against christianity.
So here are some questions for you.How do you explain the magical attributes that are attributed to the mythical jesus being pliagerized from ancient pagan religions and why would you assert that only YOUR version of a mythical god is real?<table><tbody><tr><td>Deity<td>Role<tr><td>Adad, Ishkur, Addu, Hadad<td>Assyrian and Babylonian god of storms and weather<tr><td>Allah<td>single, all-powerful God of Islam<tr><td>Anat<td>Canaanite goddess of fertility, love, and war<tr><td>Anu, An<td>chief creator and sky god<tr><td>Ashur<td>main god of Assyria, warrior god<tr><td>Baal<td>Canaanite god associated with rain and fertility<tr><td>Dagon, Dagan<td>god associated with fertility, vegetation, and military strength<tr><td>El, Elohim<td>Canaanite father of the gods, most high judge, creator god<tr><td>Enki, Ea<td>creator god associated with water, storms, and wisdom<tr><td>Enlil<td>god of creation, wind, land, and the sea<tr><td>Ishtar, Inanna, Astarte<td>mother goddess of light, life, fertility, and love<tr><td>Marduk<td>chief god of the Babylonians<tr><td>Shamash<td>sun god<tr><td>Yahweh<td>single, all-powerful God of JudaismSuch tales grew out of ancient social tensions between settled agricultural communities and roving groups of livestock herders.
@Captric@xanga - It is atheists who deny the facts of science. Science has proven that the cosmos had a beginning.
So atheists must answer how there was nothing, nothing, nothing...and then all of a sudden...BIG BANG!...and then there was everything.How does everything come from nothing? If you are great at science like you claim, please give a scientific explanation for how everything can come from nothing.
I love this post.
I'm glad to hear someone exhorting Christians to humility. However, I'm not entirely sure what exactly this article is actionably suggesting? I agree, as you plainly stated, that homosexuality is a sin and each of us needs to humble ourselves as a servant of all people when we are reaching out. But I couldn't tell if you were also suggesting that Christians need to back off from addressing this issue more, or perhaps that we need to back off from certain realms of life (like the political realm).
But there is one thing we need to add; preaching the gospel is not a matter of a few sentences and nicely formulated eloquent sentences. We've been commissioned by our Lord for a message that teaches repentance and discipleship in our Lord Jesus.
That is part of the humbling part of our heart; to do these things we need to become the servant of those we would wish to minister to.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - christians really are the gift that keep on giving. So tell me where exactly that science in peer reviewed research state that "everything comes from nothing". Or is this simply the interpretation of a science illiterate christian radical ignorance? Like I have said before - too stupid to understand science? Try religion!
@Captric@xanga - I presented you with facts from science and asked you for a scientific proof of your position.
And you change the subject.Until you can scientifically prove your own position, you have no credibility.
I just told you that science has proven the existence of God. Any you respond with total nonsense.
Please give a scientific proof of how nothing can suddenly become everything.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - Gotta love it!!! Arguing with you is like arguing with a 10 year old. You know just enough to make yourself look foolish! LOL
So since "science has proven the existence of God" maybe you could run that proof by me one more time. I am not counting your ignorant opinion since you do not have a clue what science is - I m talking about REAL scientific proof. Links to redundant peer reviewed studies by REAL scientists - not christian evangelists - that show detailed studies proving ANYTHING you have asserted.
Just have your omnipotent god - who cant even save babies who bleed to death after birth for lack of a simple vitamin K shot - show us what is so intelligent about his design. Explain why he gave us a spine designed for walking on four legs - CERTAIN to fail with increasing age. Why he have us a tail - not at all useful in a human unless you consider falling and breaking it somehow an advantage. Tell us why he gave us an appendix closely resembling the attachment designed for lower level animals that does nothing but infect and kill humans. Have him tell us why he put hip bones in a whale which are completely useless to a mammal who swims.
Where is that piece of wood from Noah's arc that was recently claimed to have been discovered by christians for the umpteenth time? They discovered the biggest and most advanced ship in the world - made out of wood - but they didn't bring back a SINGLE picture? No sliver of wood?? Could it POSSIBLY be that christians are nothing more than crafty liars and cheats who will go to ANY length to keep their wacko myth alive????
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - What do you say about your gods prediction of the destruction of Israel??
Hosea 9:1 Do not rejoice, O Israel; do not be jubilant like the other nations. For you have been unfaithful to your God; ...
7 The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Let Israel know this. Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired man a maniac.
8 The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.
9 They have sunk deep into corruption, as in the days of Gibeah. God will remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.
10 'When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim's glory will fly away like a bird—no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.
12 Even if they rear children, I will bereave them of every one. Woe to them when I turn away from them!
13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place. But Ephraim will bring out their children to the slayer."
14 Give them, O LORD—what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that are dry.
15 "Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal, I hated them there. Because of their sinful deeds, I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.
16 Ephraim is blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring.'
17 My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him;
@Captric@xanga - Your comment was not a scientific proof of how nothing can produce everything.
That means you have no credibility and everything you say is nonsense.Don't plague people with your nonsense. It isn't civil.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - you are asking me to "prove" something that I never said. You are the one that said science posits that everything was made from nothing - not me. Anyone who reads your responses will realize your lack of credibility. Speaking of something from nothing -- where did your "god" come from? Or is your christian god - just like zeus- apollo - venus and manthra nothing but the figment of mans imagination. Your god was created in the image of man.
@Captric@xanga - We're talking science. And science has proven the Big Bang. That means that the Cosmos had a beginning, which agrees with the Bible.
I am asking you, the great champion of science to explain the cause of the Big Bang.How did nothing all of a sudden become everything? After all, that is what happened at the instant of the Big Bang -> nothing became everything.
Give scientific proof showing how nothing can become everything.
That's what I thought: crickets...then excuses...then change the subject...then start ranting and raving like a lunatic.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - actually - and as usual - you are so far behind in your science as to be laughable. It was not that long ago that the so called "church" called the idea of atoms heresy and called for a stop to the further study of the origins of the Universe. A perfect example of if you cannot understand science then try religion!
The "Big Bang" theory has NOTHING to do with evolution - you got that????? In addition the "big bang" theory is more a funny TV show than a scientific theory! Our Universe probably started with more of a big bounce - where an implosion triggered an explosion and it was all driven and can be explained by quantum-gravitational effects. I assume you DO believe in the "Theory of Gravity". At any rate - matter has ALWAYS existed - in the same way you imagine your fake and mythical "god" has always existed. Mass just changes states in accordance with the laws of physics. I do not have the time nor the space to give give someone who does not want to learn a beginners lesson in Quantum physics. Go do that on your own and I TRUST you wont because it might just prove you dead wrong about everything you believe to be true!@Captric@xanga - I predicted exactly what you would do and you did it:
...crickets...then excuses...then change the subject...then start ranting and raving like a lunatic.Get back to me when you're ready to be rational and when you are willing to give a scientific explanation for how nothing can suddenly become everything.