Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

Recently I have been very challenged about my love walk.  God is Love and Jesus showed us the most amazing picture of what love is and what love does.  We are told that love:-

·         Covers a multitude of sins (James 5:20)

·         love sacrifices and gives (Jn 3:16)

·         love is not selfish, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; (1 Cor 13:4)

·         love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (1 Cor 13:4)

·         does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (1 Cor 13:5)

·         does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (1 Cor 13:6)

·         bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:7)

·         Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8)

I’m already in trouble! We so easily and so quickly stereotype people and in our presuppositions judge and cast them off.  Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. (1 Sam 16:7).  This is very challenging to me.

I looked with fresh eyes at the woman caught in “the very act” of adultery in John 8.  She was thrown by the Pharisees in front of Jesus as a trap to catch him out.  The Law of Moses was very clear.  Adultery was a punishable crime – death by stoning.  The smug Pharisees, well and truly aware of Christ’s compassion, were standing there demanding a verdict on this woman, or at least give his position on this sin.  Jesus stoops to write, not saying anything, so they keep on demanding.  He writes some more and then says the most profound thing – “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."  (Jn 8:7)  The Law comes up headlong against grace.  The letter of the Law had no mercy, no compassion but Jesus was love, grace and truth.  His love covered her sin in that moment and His love in action was so stark and striking against the accusation of the sinners who wanted to uphold that Law.  They quietly left, one after another, being convicted that they too were sinners.  Their knowledge of the scripture didn’t help their self-righteous spirit, or they conveniently forgot King David’s lament, “But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!”( Psa 14:3)  Their pride-filled hypocrisy only saw what she was and what she had done.  Jesus, the sinless one, saw beyond that, recognising the brokenness within her heart and His love and compassion met her amidst the accusations of the “righteous”.  His love extended mercy but his love didn’t excuse the behaviour either.  His love freed her but His love commanded that she go and sin no more.  Even still His love allowed her the freedom to make a choice but His Love would also grieve deeply if she returned to her adulterous lifestyle.  For His Love would want to lift her out of that miry clay to a better life free of guilt and condemnation and as a child of grace reconciled to her Creator.

For me the challenge is in knowing where the balance is.  We are to uphold righteousness and not allow the ancient boundaries to be moved as there is a dreadful and terrible consequence to living a sinful life.  When we speak the truth, even when we do so in love, we will offend.  When we say we cannot accept certain life-styles we offend and are called bigots, narrow-minded and judgemental.  Yet love desires something better which is why Jesus died for us even while we were still sinners (Roms 5:8) to lift us up, from sinners to saints.

We are called to love people.   All people!  Not those we choose who fit our comfortable little box.  The unlovely, the sinful!  We once were sinners too but we have been saved by grace and are in the life-long process of being made holy.  God saved us and is cleaning us up.  It was the touch of His Love that brought me to repentance.  Maybe it will be the touch of His love flowing through me that will help bring others to repentance too.  Hmmm! Thought-provoking!

Oh Father, may your perfect Love flow through me.  Help me see others through your eyes and believe the best for them.  Help me see beyond their physical appearance and beyond their sinful lifestyle to the man, woman or child created in your image, marred by hurts and brokenness, but able to be fully restored into your love and life in Jesus name.