Love the Sinner, hate the sin
1/10/12
We realize that this
little ministry and others similar are very controversial and that we do have
enemies for the words we speak and the scriptures that we bring forth. But let
me assure you that we don’t hate sinners and unbelievers, nor do we hate unconverted
believers, but we do hate their sins and unbelief and non-repentant
lifestyles. We don’t hate the harlot
Churches and their congregations, but we do hate their false doctrines. We don’t hate the homosexual, but we do hate
the sin of homosexuality. We don’t hate
the drunkard, but we do hate the sin of drunkenness. We don’t hate the Sunday keeper, but we do
hate their disregard of the 7th day Sabbath and the honor of an unscriptural
false holyday based upon sun worship. We
don’t hate those who keep false holydays wrapped up in pagan customs only
cloaked in Christian stories such as Christmas or Easter, but we do hate that
they are deceived into observing and calling something holy with which Yahweh
does not and never has. We don’t hate
those who eat pork or shrimp or catfish, etc., but we do hate that they are
deceived into eating something that our Lord says is unclean and
abominable. We don’t hate those who
reject the commandments of God, but we do hate that they replace them with
their own commandments and traditions.
Etc., etc., etc., etc.
Such should be a godly
characteristic, to love the sinner but to hate the sin. Remember this, when we might say something
that you might take as judgmental: We
love you, but we do hate sin. Our only agenda
with hope is that you would make it into the Kingdom of Yahweh!
The issue of making
enemies, we realize that our fight is not with flesh and blood, but with evil
spirits as they are the influencers upon mankind using them for their
malevolent purposes. “For
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places.” Ephesians
6:12 Therefore we don’t feel
contempt toward those who slap back at our attempts at loving them enough to
pull them from the fire, even if they themselves are found to be despisers of
the good thing with which we are endeavoring to provide them with the benefit
thereof.
The Apostle Paul knew very
well what we speak of. In one place he
spoke these words: “…I will very gladly spend and be
spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” 2nd
Corinthians 12:15 The writer of
Proverbs essentially says the same thing as an admonishment: “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee:
rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” Proverbs 9:8 Read both of these last two verses over and
again and understand how they relate to one another.
We love people enough to
work diligently at bringing forth teachings, editorials, facebook comments,
link sharing, much time in study, prayer and supplication for them, sometimes
in the form of a reproof (a critical reprimand, to scold) but the more we love
people and the harder we work for their salvation, the more we are hated and
disliked. Sure doesn’t seem to make much
sense, but that is the truth from God’s Word.
A wise person will love us for our rebuke (because they know that we
have helped them a step closer to the Kingdom) whereas a scorner will hate us
for doing so. Which are you?
Messiah commanded these
words concerning this issue: “….Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44
So the more our enemies hate us, curse us, despitefully use us and
persecute us, the more we shall love them, the more we shall bless them, the
more we shall do good to them and the more we shall pray for them. We could stop doing all this and just sit
back and enjoy the goodly pleasures of life as most now are, but instead we lay
down much of our lives so that we can be spent for others and for that we are
disliked, hated, persecuted, cursed, and very, very much misunderstood. All along, we still love as Yahshua would
have us to.
So forgive us if you feel
that we are judgmental and even a bit harsh at times. We wouldn’t disagree, but we do so only out
of love. Our desire is no different than
the Lord’s, that all would be saved. “Who
will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”1st
Timothy 2:4
The Old
Paths Restoration Ministry
PO Box 247
Marengo, IN
47140