I am glad you wrote on this topic, and I agree their is certainly an art to speaking the truth. We must show charity when helping ourselves and our brothers and sisters who error. God Bless.
Wow!!! Very well said! I wish this would be read and meditated on by everyone. It’s so hard not to condemn. And even when we clearly differentiate between the person and the act it is often received as condemnation of the person. I’m especially mindful of how we treat people who suffer from same sex attraction, gender identity issues, or are pro abortion. It’s almost impossible to have any kind of discussion about these disorders because of the defensive walls put up by people who rightly feel they are being attacked. They are suffering horribly and we make it worse by our sinful conduct. Then we hide behind the “love the sinner, hate the sin” defense of our actions which seems to me in many instances to be a lie. I’ve never led anyone to Christ by condemning them and neither did Christ Himself. “Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again" (John 8:10-11). He didn’t judge and condemn, He loved, and so should we.
This is an important thing to get right. Judgement is not so cut and dry as we try to make it in our culture and society. We must stand up for the truth while realizing the truth applies to us, too.
Hey Dave,
I am glad you wrote on this topic, and I agree their is certainly an art to speaking the truth. We must show charity when helping ourselves and our brothers and sisters who error. God Bless.
Wow!!! Very well said! I wish this would be read and meditated on by everyone. It’s so hard not to condemn. And even when we clearly differentiate between the person and the act it is often received as condemnation of the person. I’m especially mindful of how we treat people who suffer from same sex attraction, gender identity issues, or are pro abortion. It’s almost impossible to have any kind of discussion about these disorders because of the defensive walls put up by people who rightly feel they are being attacked. They are suffering horribly and we make it worse by our sinful conduct. Then we hide behind the “love the sinner, hate the sin” defense of our actions which seems to me in many instances to be a lie. I’ve never led anyone to Christ by condemning them and neither did Christ Himself. “Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again" (John 8:10-11). He didn’t judge and condemn, He loved, and so should we.
Please excuse my rambling.
Excellent! I need to read this again and probably yet again!
This is an important thing to get right. Judgement is not so cut and dry as we try to make it in our culture and society. We must stand up for the truth while realizing the truth applies to us, too.