It is not kindness to comfort and affirm someone in a sinful, self-destructive (self-destructive from an eternal point of view) lifestyle or behavior. We will be held accountable for such things.
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)
“Rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” (Proverbs 9:8)
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” (Galatians 6:1)
“Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thessalonians 3:15)
“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)
Too many of our friends wander from God because we don’t love them enough to come along side of them and help them.
As C. S. Lewis said: What would really satisfy us would be a God who said of anything we happened to like, “What does it matter so long as they are contented?” We want, in fact, not so much a Father in Heaven as a Grandfather in Heaven — a senile benevolence who, as they say, “liked to see young people enjoying themselves” and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, “a good time was had by all”.
It has been said that this present generation is a fatherless generation and suffers greatly from a lack of fathers. And that is very true — tragically true. Many men have abandoned their wives and children and fled from their responsibilities as fathers.
But there is another, less-talked about reason that the father/child relationship in our culture is so dysfunctional. And that reason is that many of us do not really want to be fathered — we want to be grandfathered — and because of this, many have chosen to reject a true, biblical, father/child relationship. And until we embrace ALL the fatherly aspects of God, we will be greatly handicapped — in the spiritual realm as well as in the natural — and suffer from all types of confusion and dissipation that can only be corrected by a firm, loving, wise Father.
“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12)
“If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:8,11)
“One that loved not wisely but too well.” (William Shakespeare)
The test and defining reality of true Love and true Wisdom is Eternity. It is good to comfort people with God’s comfort. But when we see someone struggling in sin and only give their life a hug and never dare to share the Truth, then we are actually enabling them in their bondage. I call this “unsanctified mercy.”
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” (Proverbs 27:6)
“And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
I am not saying that we should aggressively confront people or start out a conversation with the issue of sin. The apostle Paul said that he wanted to be “all things to all men, that some might be saved.” It is so important to meet people where they are, and to come along side them in their struggle. But that is never enough. At some point, we need to be God’s vessel for helping them move from where they are, past their sin, into the life and freedom God is calling them to.
“Instead, speaking the Truth in Love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)
“Rebuke a wise man and he will love you.”
(Proverbs 9:8)
God used a donkey to rebuke a man and save his life!
TRUE FREEDOM is being able to receive correction from anyone,
even those we esteem least.
Just sayin’…
Love is a huge thing with God. And so is truth. It is really impossible (from Heaven’s point of view) to separate the two. And it is clear that real Christian community and unity cannot happen without both…
“Instead, speaking the TRUTH in LOVE, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)
But we humans often do very “artful” things with truth and love:
–We will avoid all confrontation or correction with those in our community or peer group and call it love (but it is really just the fear of man or “unsanctified mercy”). This is a form of passive abuse, and it is as destructive (spiritually) as aggressive, verbal abuse. (“Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” ~James 5:20)
–Or we will use words and bible verses and confrontation (often fueled by mere annoyance or laziness), to “set things right” and call it truth. This is particularly pandemic on the Internet — supposed Christians blasting each other in the name of veracity. But the goal is never supposed to be mere correction — but rather, restoration. (“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” ~Galatians 6:1)
And the real Heavenly thing — speaking the truth in love — is a costly, trying thing — it takes time and it takes sacrifice — and it is the only thing that can establish true Kingdom culture. Anything else is just destructive, religious game playing. And if we are really serious about this “Jesus Kingdom thang”, then we will, by God’s grace, pay the price to see it happen.
loon watchman 