Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin
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1. Book Reference
1. Book Reference
One of the reasons we might agree with that statement is we don’t want to be judgmental. We know what it's like.
church experience: divorce; pregnant out of wedlock; strange looks because of appearance; small box; exclusion
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Look down upon someone because of their sin. The holier than thou attitude. We’ve all been the victim of that attitude.. It hurts. It makes us made.
eDon’t judge; don’t condemn; forgive;
Don’t look down upon someone because of their sin. The holier than thou attitude. We’ve all been the victim of that attitude.. It hurts. It makes us made.
Don’t think it doesn’t happen here; we never do this; Jesus wouldn’t warn us against things that could never happen at HUMC.
The abusive relative. The vindictive neighbor. That person in the church....hmmm. We somehow have to love them, while hating what they’ve done.
But if we’re not careful, we can swing to the other extreme. “I don’t judge.” Should we ever judge?
Look down upon someone because of their sin. The holier than thou attitude. We’ve all been the victim of that attitude.. It hurts. It makes us made.
One of the reasons we might agree with that statement is we don’t want to be judgmental. We know what it's like.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Look down upon someone because of their sin. The holier than thou attitude. We’ve all been the victim of that attitude.. It hurts. It makes us made.
Look down upon someone because of their sin. The holier than thou attitude. We’ve all been the victim of that attitude.. It hurts. It makes us made.
But if we’re not careful, we can swing to the other extreme. “I don’t judge.” Should we ever judge?
Jesus said don’t do this. Instead, don’t judge. Don’t condemn. Forgive, like you’ve been forgiven.
Jesus said don’t do this. Instead, don’t judge. Don’t condemn. Forgive, like you’ve been forgiven.
If this phrase is true, then we are to love the person who is fallen into sin, but at the same time hate their sin.
When I was reading the book and writing the sermon, I thought of the phrase, “I don’t judge.” Or, “We shouldn’t judge.” I think that falls in the same camp as “love the sinner, hate the sin.”
When I was reading the book and writing the sermon, I thought of the phrase, “I don’t judge.” Or, “We shouldn’t judge.” I think that falls in the same camp as “love the sinner, hate the sin.”
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
We may hate the sin, or disapprove of the sin, but we sometimes say, “I’m not supposed to judge.” “Only God can judge.”
We may hate the sin, or disapprove of the sin, but we sometimes say, “I’m not supposed to judge.” “Only God can judge.”
There’s a problem with that. Often what that means is that we’re not going to say anything. We’re not going to criticize. Or, we’re going to speak our peace, and let it go.
Should we never Judge? Is making a judgment ever right? YES not optional; must understand what it is and how to do it.
Should we never Judge? Is making a judgment ever right? YES not optional; must understand what it is and how to do it.
Alternative: Watch a person self destruct. Watch them embarrass themselves. Make a mockery of the faith. (e.g. fly down; disrespect me by watching me fail again and again) I won’t like it - if you do it out of love, I can and should accept it.
Is judgment ever right?
Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
The Bible is full of examples of dealing directly with sin. Jesus says to go to the person who has offended us before going to church. Jesus says we go to the person who sinned. If he doesn’t listen, take another person. Paul says the same thing - we confront the sinner. We identify sin as sin, and we approach the person. Feeling uncomfortable? How can that be a good thing?
Jesus is not saying that we should never make a judgment. He’s pointing how we can get this very wrong.
How do we get this right? (2 extremes)
How do we get this right? (2 extremes)
How do we do this in a way that shows that we love the sinner? Do it in a way that brings blessing. Brings joy. Brings deeper fellowship.
Alternative: Watch a person self destruct. Watch them embarrass themselves. Make a mockery of the faith. (e.g. fly down; disrespect me by watching me fail again and again) I won’t like it - if you do it out of love, I can and should accept it.
When it is wrong? Reasons why we judge improperly? Cause damage, brokenness. Push people away.
When it is wrong? Reasons why we judge improperly? Cause damage, brokenness. Push people away.
Love those who sin, including those that sin (against you).
Love those who sin, including those that sin (against you).
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
As long as there are preachers, there will always be sermons on forgiveness. Forgiveness is a central theme in the Bible, because people are continually sinning in the Bible. Another reason why I preach about it so many times it is because of so many reasons why we can’t do it.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
Here’s one reason why we have trouble with this: because we see forgiveness as inequity.
prison reform / death penalty; often the distinction is made between retributive justice and restorative justice; retributive justice is concerned with making sure the guilty is punished in proportion to their crime. Restorative justice concerned with proper punishment, but seeks to go beyond that and make sure the person is made whole.
Parable: landowner and migrant worker. Does not show justice or equality.
We struggle with forgiveness when we seek retribution more than restoration. Jesus does not seek our punishment, but our reconciliation.
to pass judgment in a way that glorifies Christ, we must be able to love and forgive the the person who sins - even against us. period. s.
if we can’t forgive
The faithful receives the same treatment as the unfaithful
why we have trouble with this.
Hate sin, starting with your own.
Hate sin, starting with your own.
Hate sin, starting with your own.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
False sense of holiness
Helping my kid with common core math when I finally realize I don’t understand it - blind leading the blind. A marriage counselor who can’t marriage is falling apart;
How can we properly assess someone else’s sin if we can’t acknowledge our own. We don’t have to be perfect. In fact, if we have wrestled with a sin it helps us notice when someone else is. “I struggle with my temper as well.”
a youth pastor once told me that one of the first steps to overcoming sin is not to acknowledge it, but to hate it. Develop a genuine anger and hatred towards your own sin - our battle is not against flesh and blood, but the spiritual powers of evil.
realize its destructiveness; realize it is an opposition to God; a barrier to God; if we do hate the sinner’s sin - hate it for the same reasons you hate your own: not just because it personally offends me
to pass judgment on a way that brings blessing and joy, we have to hate sin, starting with our own.
sometimes a disciple will seek out a master who is most like himself;
sometimes a disciple will seek out a master who is most like himself;
Once we are able to genuinely love and forgive the sinner, acknowledge at hate our own sin, can we pass a righteous judgment. Here’s the difference between righteous and unrighteous judgment. Good and bad, blessing and curse - our goal. Our goal is restoration.
to restore someone else; maintain the church’s witness
Our goal is to restore the sinner to Jesus.
Our goal is to restore the sinner to Jesus.
to restore someone else; maintain the church’s witness
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
Luke
Our goal is to restore the sinner to Jesus.
Our goal is to restore the sinner to Jesus.
Ask yourself before you confront someone in their sin. Why am I doing this? To satisfy my own rage, to correct someone the say I think they should be corrected, or to restore them to God and to me.
to restore someone else; maintain the church’s witness
Sermon:
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
Must judge - confront someone in sin, but with a redemptive purpose.
Colossians
Reasons why we judge improperly?
Reasons why we judge improperly?
if we can’t forgive
The faithful receives the same treatment as the unfaithful
why we have trouble with this.
the prostitute and tax collector welcomed with joy just like the one who has been faithful; that kind of person coming to church makes me uncomfortable
3. False sense of holiness
3. False sense of holiness
so we can’t see the help we need;
2. We can’t extend the same amount of grace God extends to us.
2. We can’t extend the same amount of grace God extends to us.
taking sin lightly; taking grace lightly
grace is no longer amazing;