Hate the sin not the sinner?
Have you heard "hate sin not the sinner"? How does one do that? People have wrestled with this concept since the awareness of sin. I feel that too many see this as a paradox or worse a cop out to persecute a particular group of "sinners". I am going to propose 3 scriptural ways to work out this sticky concept.
Luke 6:27–28 But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Real simple to break down. Love those who don't love you by doing good to them. Pray for those who are actively maligning you. Simple to breakdown hard to do.
Forgive those who are sinning against you. Jesus said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Stephen said "Lay not this sin to their charge." If you forgive the sin you can minister to the "sinner". Don't hold a grudge, it makes makes it hard to serve them.
Jude 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
If you continue in love of the Lord and all men, you will be able then to separate the man form the sin. Mercy on them with fear of the Lord for the judgement to come. Know that without Jesus the sinner will stand before the White throne on which whom He who which earth and sky flee from in the day of His judgement.
Our goal should be that we demonstrate love to the sinner with the purpose of "snatching them out of the fire". We don't cosign their junk or excuse their sin. Our goal is not to convict them of sin, that is the Holy Spirit's job. If we keep the goal in mind separating sin and sinner should be much easier.
Luke 6:27–28 But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Real simple to break down. Love those who don't love you by doing good to them. Pray for those who are actively maligning you. Simple to breakdown hard to do.
Forgive those who are sinning against you. Jesus said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Stephen said "Lay not this sin to their charge." If you forgive the sin you can minister to the "sinner". Don't hold a grudge, it makes makes it hard to serve them.
Jude 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
If you continue in love of the Lord and all men, you will be able then to separate the man form the sin. Mercy on them with fear of the Lord for the judgement to come. Know that without Jesus the sinner will stand before the White throne on which whom He who which earth and sky flee from in the day of His judgement.
Our goal should be that we demonstrate love to the sinner with the purpose of "snatching them out of the fire". We don't cosign their junk or excuse their sin. Our goal is not to convict them of sin, that is the Holy Spirit's job. If we keep the goal in mind separating sin and sinner should be much easier.
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