Leviticus 18:22 NKJV “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.”
Leviticus 18:22 NLT “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.”
No matter what side you’re on, everyone who’s been involved in the debate over homosexuality knows this verse. The world uses this verse to illustrate how backwards and intolerant the church is toward an oppressed minority. While many inside the church use this verse to lump certain people together into condemnation. Still others in the church say that this verse shows how outdated some parts of the Bible are. All of these arguments are completely wrong, and every one of them miss a major point - this verse condemns the act of homosexuality, but not those who practice it!
The reason this debate has become so heated is because we’ve used one particular sin to define a person. We call them them ‘homosexuals’ - as if what they do is who they are. But I’m telling you, there is a difference between a person’s behavior and their identity! Sure it’s a sin, sure God hates it, but that’s why Jesus came! He came to pay the penalty that our sin deserves - to bring forgiveness to the sinner! If we’re ever going to reach the world for Jesus, we need to learn how to separate what a sinner does from what their worth.
Which one of these sins do you think is worse?
Homosexuality
Pride
Lying
Murder
Gossip
If you’re like most Christians, even if you wouldn’t say it, homosexuality would be at the top of your list. After all, pride isn’t a ‘real sin.’ Lying and Gossip are wrong every time except when we do it. And murder can be repented of and then you’ll have a powerful testimony! (I’m describing our attitudes toward these sins, not the truth!) But homosexuality? It’s permanent! It’s a black mark on your eternal record! God calls it an abomination!
Would it surprise you that each of these sins are called an abomination to God? It’s right here in Proverbs 6:16-19: “These six things the Lord hates; yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” There you have it, seven sins that are as detestable to God as homosexuality!
What’s my point here? Well, do you believe that lying is unforgivable? Do you believe that a liar can never change? Do you think that slander and discord is so deep-rooted into a gossip’s character that they can never change? Of course not! If we don’t look at these other abominations that way, then why do we condemn sinners who are caught in homosexuality to a worse fate?
This whole debate of accepting or condemning homosexuals completely misses the point! One side claims that homosexuals are born this way, so they should just be accepted. The other side says that homosexuals are an abomination and cuts them off. But the point is this: no behavior makes a person less valuable to God! Of course it’s sin, what would you expect from a sinner? But, in God’s eyes, one sinner isn’t better or worse than another! And the beauty of it all is that God wants to separate us from our sin!
We know that God doesn’t see sinners as unchangeable. God is in the business of separating people from their sin! Aren’t you glad that God didn’t condemn you for what you were doing? When we were sinners, when we were trapped by our behavior, Jesus still saw our worth! He died to sever sin’s hold on us. Don’t you think that wonderful freedom should be offered to everyone? Or are there some sins that are just too ‘gross’ to be redeemed from?
There were sinners in Jesus’ day that were looked at like this. The religious leaders condemned them because of the things they did. They were rejected, shunned and ridiculed. But whenever Jesus encountered them, He embraced them! The Pharisees were shocked! They asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Do you see it? The Pharisees condemned the person with the behavior. But Jesus separated them! Even though He never accepted or endorsed the sin, He loved the sinner. And it was His love that changed their lives! Zaccheus repented of his sin when Jesus ate dinner in his home. The adulteress changed her life when Jesus defended her from her own actions.
This is my point: being sweet to someone who is involved in immorality doesn’t mean you’re endorsing that immorality. We’re called to show the same love that God showed us. I’m so glad that God loved me in spite of my sin - aren’t you?
Romans 2:4 “The goodness of God leads you to repentance”
Showing posts with label goodness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goodness. Show all posts
Monday, June 25, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Soft But Strong
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
People are often confused about the fruits of kindness and goodness in a believer’s life. Maybe it’s because different words are used in different translations. Maybe it’s because they stop paying attention to this list as soon as they read “patience”. Maybe it’s because they think they know what it means already. But I want you to see that kindness and goodness are necessary in a believer’s life! Not only does every Christian need these two characteristics, they need each other to work properly!
You see, the fruit of kindness and the fruit of goodness balance each other out.
Kindness is probably the fruit the world expects from Christians. If you were to describe it in today’s terms, this fruit makes you “nice”. This is beyond a smile and cheerful words - this is an action word!
Like all the fruit of the Spirit, kindness is an attribute of God Himself! Ephesians 2:7 says, “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” The riches of God’s grace are given to us in kindness! According to Titus 3:4-5, it was God’s kindness that saved us!
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”
Here we see that kindness is attached to mercy!
In Luke 6:35 Jesus tells us that we are supposed to possess the same kind of kindness that God has. “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”
A believer is required to be kind, even to his enemies!
Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be kind to our brothers and sisters - even if they’ve wronged us! “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” If you’re ignoring, avoiding, and being hostile to a brother or sister because of what they did to you - you’re lacking God’s kind of kindness in your life!
Godly kindness is not optional or disposable! It is absolutely necessary to keep the love of God alive in our hearts. Still, kindness cannot be unbalanced in a believer’s life.
Kindness is not tolerance of sin! It was never intended to be an excuse for compromise. It is never right to be kind to the oppressor at the expense of the oppressed. When injustice is allowed - when the wicked go free in society - it’s not God’s kind of kindness.
You see, sometimes speaking the truth isn’t always the world’s idea of being kind. But is it really a kind thing to let a sinner continue in their sin and not confront them? Jesus was always kind, but He was always good also!
Goodness is an internal conviction of right and wrong. It is a strong uprightness of heart. Today we call it “character.” Kindness is about how we treat others, goodness is about right and wrong! Goodness is sometimes direct, and many worldly people view it as mean-spirited. But goodness is not cruel or mean. In fact, a good person will confront a cruel person about their cruelty!
Goodness refuses to back down to evil. Romans 12:21 says “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Luke 23 calls Joseph of Arimathea a “good man” because he openly disagreed with the pharisee’s condemnation of Jesus. Romans 15:14 tells us that a believer’s goodness will admonish, or warn others about sin! So can you see that goodness isn’t always perceived as kind?
Kindness and goodness need each other!
Kindness without goodness to strengthen it is simply tolerance. It brings no change to the sinner. It brings no conviction. It simply leaves people to the consequences of their own sin for fear of confrontation.
Goodness without kindness to soften it is damaging. We are required to speak the truth in love. When a believer to be brash and arrogant when confronting sin, it usually hurts the hearer. We are never called to condemn the sinner with his sin! There’s a baby somewhere in that dirty bath water!
The cross is the best example of God’s kindness and goodness. At the cross, God’s goodness toward sin was poured out on Jesus. He didn’t ignore the penalty of our sin, but He poured it out on Jesus. He did this to show us His kindness!
People are often confused about the fruits of kindness and goodness in a believer’s life. Maybe it’s because different words are used in different translations. Maybe it’s because they stop paying attention to this list as soon as they read “patience”. Maybe it’s because they think they know what it means already. But I want you to see that kindness and goodness are necessary in a believer’s life! Not only does every Christian need these two characteristics, they need each other to work properly!
You see, the fruit of kindness and the fruit of goodness balance each other out.
Kindness is probably the fruit the world expects from Christians. If you were to describe it in today’s terms, this fruit makes you “nice”. This is beyond a smile and cheerful words - this is an action word!
Like all the fruit of the Spirit, kindness is an attribute of God Himself! Ephesians 2:7 says, “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” The riches of God’s grace are given to us in kindness! According to Titus 3:4-5, it was God’s kindness that saved us!
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”
Here we see that kindness is attached to mercy!
In Luke 6:35 Jesus tells us that we are supposed to possess the same kind of kindness that God has. “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”
A believer is required to be kind, even to his enemies!
Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be kind to our brothers and sisters - even if they’ve wronged us! “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” If you’re ignoring, avoiding, and being hostile to a brother or sister because of what they did to you - you’re lacking God’s kind of kindness in your life!
Godly kindness is not optional or disposable! It is absolutely necessary to keep the love of God alive in our hearts. Still, kindness cannot be unbalanced in a believer’s life.
Kindness is not tolerance of sin! It was never intended to be an excuse for compromise. It is never right to be kind to the oppressor at the expense of the oppressed. When injustice is allowed - when the wicked go free in society - it’s not God’s kind of kindness.
You see, sometimes speaking the truth isn’t always the world’s idea of being kind. But is it really a kind thing to let a sinner continue in their sin and not confront them? Jesus was always kind, but He was always good also!
Goodness is an internal conviction of right and wrong. It is a strong uprightness of heart. Today we call it “character.” Kindness is about how we treat others, goodness is about right and wrong! Goodness is sometimes direct, and many worldly people view it as mean-spirited. But goodness is not cruel or mean. In fact, a good person will confront a cruel person about their cruelty!
Goodness refuses to back down to evil. Romans 12:21 says “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Luke 23 calls Joseph of Arimathea a “good man” because he openly disagreed with the pharisee’s condemnation of Jesus. Romans 15:14 tells us that a believer’s goodness will admonish, or warn others about sin! So can you see that goodness isn’t always perceived as kind?
Kindness and goodness need each other!
Kindness without goodness to strengthen it is simply tolerance. It brings no change to the sinner. It brings no conviction. It simply leaves people to the consequences of their own sin for fear of confrontation.
Goodness without kindness to soften it is damaging. We are required to speak the truth in love. When a believer to be brash and arrogant when confronting sin, it usually hurts the hearer. We are never called to condemn the sinner with his sin! There’s a baby somewhere in that dirty bath water!
The cross is the best example of God’s kindness and goodness. At the cross, God’s goodness toward sin was poured out on Jesus. He didn’t ignore the penalty of our sin, but He poured it out on Jesus. He did this to show us His kindness!
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