Acts of Love Rather than Acts of Hate

 May 13, 2024

Monday

I'll admit, I'm like a one trick pony. Once I learn something, I apply what I know everywhere. What have I learned? People who think they are righteous can be as mean as they want to be with perceived impunity. This was the case of the chief priests, Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes who would condemn Jesus to crucifixion. This human condition is still seen in people who will call themselves Christians.

This condition helps me understand how Christians can try to hurt those who do not agree with them. In the process the Christians lose their ability to win people to the Lord and make disciples like they are commanded to do. They ignore the scriptures for what they claim is for the cause of the scriptures.

It seems that each time a secular company endorses sinful behavior Christians call for a boycott. The evident idea is that this boycott will hurt their bottom line profit and they will act like the Christians want them to act. This bothers me. Why should we expect non-Christians to act like Christians? Where in the scriptures does it tell us to make them act like we tell them to act? How did we become their judges?

The scriptures tell us that we are to judge those inside the Church. When an incestuous relationship was going on in the Corinthian church, Paul wrote them:

1 Corinthians 5:12–13 (NASB 2020) ¹² For what business of mine is it to judge outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? ¹³ But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the evil person from among yourselves.

Yes, we judge those inside the church but not on the outside. We can identify sin. There is no problem with that. But we aren't the judges of those outside the church who sin.

When someone takes a stand against Christ and subsequently against us, we can consider them our enemies. We did not make them enemies, but they chose to make us enemies. Jesus was clear what we are to do with our enemies.

Matthew 5:43–48 (NASB 2020) ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘you Shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Our attitude is to love and pray for those who have declared themselves to be our enemies. Sometimes I don't think they even know that they have made us their enemies. The truth is we are irrelevant to what they are doing. Maybe that's really what incites the self-righteous. The church does not have the influence it once had. It had that influence because it condemned all who would not comply with its wishes. Those who want to go a different way no longer feel that pressure. Rome would have had the same attitude in the first century. Their only interest was that Christians complied with their rule. Christianity was irrelevant otherwise. They adopted the religions of each conquered country. Rome would have been willing to throw Christianity in the mix as long as it didn't call Jesus Lord.

The early Christians would never have thought of a boycott. They were in such small numbers and it wasn't their mission to change the world by force. They understood that their responsibility was to proclaim the gospel and disciple the followers. Those who boycott are not sharing the love of the gospel. They are declaring their opposition to those they boycott. I can't see how that will make it easier to love the sinners into the kingdom of God.

Instead of a boycott, why don't we send letters of love to those who endorse sinful behavior? Sure, maybe some may think this is an act of hate too but it doesn't matter for we will have fulfilled what we are supposed to do. What if we asked them to send us their prayer requests? And, yes, we are going to get some "I pray you die a horrible death" requests. That isn't the point. Those who share the gospel should expect to be opposed. The gospel confronts sin. Many people don't like to have their sins exposed or confronted.

Maybe today you should act in a way that shows you love someone who isn't a Christian. Maybe that person is your enemy. Pray for them. Do what the scriptures tell us to do.