Hate the Sinner, Pt. 2

I realize that my last post created some confusion.  I got some feedback asking me if I meant the title to be Love the Sin, Hate the Sinner, or if I inadvertently transposed Love and Hate?  Just to clear it up, that title is exactly what I wanted to say.  I did begin the post by stating the old phrase “Hate the sin, love the sinner.”  However, that was just to set things up.  In the second paragraph, I said that it seems that the phrase has gone backwards recently.  But, if not backwards, “love the sinner” has changed.  What I meant was that recently, we have switched the love and hate.  The phrase has gone from “Hate the sin, love the sinner” to “Love the sin, hate the sinner.”  But, even if it hasn’t fully swapped, at least the “Love the sinner” has changed.

I spent that last post explaining how we “Hate the sinner”.  I wanted to discuss love and acceptance of sinners this time.

I have said that we should show the love of Christ to everyone, while not condoning their sins.  This would be “Hate the sin, love the sinner.”  Comedian John Branyan recently wrote that “Love and Acceptance Aren’t The Same.”  Read his blog to get the details, but I wholeheartedly agree.  While you are busy “loving the sinner”, you cannot accept the sin.  Sometimes, that means not accepting the sinner.

If an atheist came into the church one Sunday morning, sat down on the front row, and proceeded to loudly state his opinion of what the preacher was saying throughout the sermon, you can’t accept him.  If protesters come to your church and block the parking lot, you can’t accept them.  You can love people without accepting them.  Christians allow behaviors of the heathen because they don’t want to push someone away from God.  However, in the process, they are allowing the sinner to walk right over them while disrupting what you are trying to do for God.

As Christians, we are called to be “like Christ”.

But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.  (1 John 2:5-6 NLT)

Jesus did not accept the ways of sinners.  Sure, He had meals with them, but He also called sin for what it is:  SIN.

We often say that the grace of God is free.  That we don’t have to do anything to earn it.  That is all true.  Christ died on the cross and rose again in order that our sin would be absolved.  But, you do have a role to play in your salvation.

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  (Rom. 10:9-13 HCSB)

Jesus’ provided the opportunity for all to be saved.  However, the gift of salvation must be received for someone to actually be saved.  A man goes to a jewelry store and buys an engagement ring, then presents it to a woman, pledging his undying love for her.  Then he asks her to be his wife.  Unless she accepts the proposal, they will never get married.  The same is true for salvation.  Jesus made the way, but His act must be accepted for salvation to occur.

This is why you cannot accept the sinner.  We can show love to them, but not condone their sin.  Acceptance comes when they accept Christ, then you can accept them.