In the latest episode of CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD, I cowl the content material on this article by addressing how we, as Christians and as dad and mom, should mood the reality we converse in love. At some level, we’ve got all been advised to ‘converse the reality in love.’ Haven’t we? But how precisely can we try this? And why? Where in Scripture are we instructed to ‘converse the reality in love?‘ So typically we get this incorrect in social media, in our church buildings, and in our households. And the injury may be catastrophic. We need to get this proper if we wish to be efficient in conveying fact. To take heed to this podcast, click on HERE.
We had been pulling into the car parking zone of my church when the DJ talked about an issue surrounding a burgeoning Christian recording artist. Apparently, she had appeared on a preferred daytime discuss present and there was an uproar about it. I used to be ready to listen to what had occurred on the present that prompted such a stink. What did she do?
Then I noticed, with sinking dread, she didn’t do something. Nothing occurred. There was no incident, per say. Her crime was simply displaying up. Because, you see, the discuss present host is homosexual.
My coronary heart sank. Are we studying the identical Bible? I do know what Scripture says about that problem and let me be clear, I’m not right here to debate or deny that. But who did Jesus hang around with?
To love the misplaced like Jesus, we have to transfer in nearer.
Who did Jesus get criticized and killed for hanging out with? My Bible says prostitutes. My Bible says adulterers and tax collectors. Who did Jesus decide to start out the church? Peter—an ear-slasher and three-time Christ-deniar. Who did He select to jot down most of the New Testament? Paul—a terrorist.
In order for Mary Magdalene to obtain the life-changing grace of Jesus Christ, He needed to are available in contact together with her. He needed to converse to her. Jesus handled this demon-possessed lady with compassion and dignity, regardless of her life decisions. He handled her with love earlier than her coronary heart modified, whereas she was nonetheless residing in sin. When all of the spiritual leaders of His day walked by her without saying a phrase, afraid that they might be tainted by her immorality, Jesus didn’t. He embraced her. His love modified her. And He vowed to inform her story wherever His was advised.
But she by no means would have had a narrative to inform if He hadn’t first reached her with His love and kindness.
To converse fact without love is dangerous. To share fact by love offers life.
I might by no means counsel that we compromise appropriate theology and disrespect God’s commonplace. Jesus didn’t try this. But He knew that to ensure that folks to obtain what is correct, they first needed to expertise His radical love.
Consider this: Jesus didn’t deal with the truth that Zacchaeus was a thief first. First, He went to Zacchaeus’ home and had dinner with him when nobody else would (Luke 19).
Jesus didn’t deal with the truth that the girl on the nicely was in sexual sin first. First, He had a dialog with this foreigner—thought-about filthy by the Jews—and provided her residing water when nobody else would (John 4).
Jesus didn’t deal with the sin of the “woman caught in adultery’s” first. First, Jesus defended her towards the hypocrites clinging to the stipulations of the legislation when nobody else would (John 8).
It was the Pharisees who insisted on being appropriate first. Not Jesus. It is self-righteousness that insists on being proper first. Not love.
Love exhibits compassion first. It provides dignity first. It builds belief first. It genuinely cares first. It is affected person and humble and type—first. Then, and solely then, can love present what is absolutely true.
This is Jesus’ instance. It must be ours as nicely.
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV)
Gospel-filled love cares more about people than reputation.
What does a Christian accomplish by refusing to have a public conversation with a non-Christian? Certainly not the kind of faith our Lord exemplifies. Jesus cared nothing for His reputation. He cared about people—all people, of every race, nationality, gender, orientation, and sinful persuasion.
We don’t deny who God is by sitting down with sinners. We deny who God is when we avoid them out of dislike, a lack of mercy, or fear.
And let us not forget—we are sinners.
Saved by a God who could have stayed in heaven with the glorified and sanctified, but He didn’t. Instead, He chose to hang out with us. He chose to come down here and get dirty. He put our dirt all over Himself so that we could be clean.
How, then, can we insist on others being clean before we will honor them with our presence?
The Apostle Paul, a Christian-killing terrorist before he was met with the radical love of Jesus, made it clear that as Christ’s followers, we are not to judge the world (1 Corinthians 5:12). That is God’s job. Not ours. We do hold those within the church accountable and point them to God’s standard, but we are to LOVE those outside the church, as He does. We are to speak to them in public, like He did. We are to defend them against hypocritical attacks, like He did. We are to converse with them in their homes, like He did. And, dare I say, if the opportunity presents itself, we should talk to them on their talk shows.
We do this with the hope that their hearts will be softened enough to receive His Truth, to receive His salvation.
Just as God drew us near by his kindness, why do we try to draw others by His standard?
There is a term in journalism called “burying the lead.” It happens when the most important part of the story is hidden so deep that it might as well be six feet under. As Christians, if we ever want to reach the lost in our cultures, we’ve got to stop burying the lead.
Let’s be clear about this because Jesus certainly was—the lead of the Gospel is God’s overwhelming love—not His law. That is not to say that God’s standard isn’t important. It is. But it’s not the lead.
It is the kindness of God that draws us to repentance, not His standard. If God’s kindness drew us, why do we want to use His standard to draw others? That is not how His standard works.
His standard purifies those who have first been drawn by His kindness. His standard will injure those who have not.
Kindness doesn’t deny Truth. God’s love doesn’t deny a standard. God’s standard exists to protect us from what harms us. The standard is itself an act of love; it should never be used to harm those whom God loves.
Without His love, we couldn’t possibly live by His standard, nor would we want to. Without His love, His standard is nothing more than a weapon.
Love without truth is a lie, but truth without love is a weapon.
Hurling the law at someone who doesn’t have the grace to live by it will injure them and push them away from the God who loves them. This is precisely why Paul tells us not to judge the world. Preaching the law without first expressing genuine love shows a self-righteous concern for being right, not a true desire to foster righteousness.
We don’t reach the world from a distance with sandwich boards and megaphones. We reach the world by having real conversations and showing real concern. That doesn’t mean that we water down Truth, but it does mean that we offer Truth after expressing our genuine love, like Christ did. Christ went to Zacchaeus’ house, He spoke to the woman at the well, and He defended the woman caught in adultery first. He loved them before addressing the issue of their sin.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-2, NIV)
In this passage, Paul clearly tells us that we can be right theologically, and yet still be wrong if we do not love. He tells us not to weaponize the Gospel by presenting it without first showing compassion. He tells us not to bury the lead. If we do, we may be right onpaper, but wrong—oh-so-wrong—in practice.
The message of Scripture is clear: we must love people first. Then humbly lead them to the truth.
Like Christ did.
Listen to Catherine’s FREE podcast – Christian Parent, Crazy World, accessible now at LifeAudio.com!
Photo credit score: © Getty Images
