Showing Grace vs. Defending Evil
This is a topic that has been on my heart a lot. Everyone who knows me knows I believe in the importance of diversity, of showing grace because I have been shown grace. I believe in forgiveness, because I have been forgiven of many, many things.
How, then, do we justify saying, "This is wrong." There are many teachings in the Bible that tell us we are not to justify evil.
Last night, I was reading Psalm 1 before bed. The first few Verses of this well-known Psalm read,
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2, NKJV)).
Here we see a contrast between wrong and right.
David continues,
"Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1:5-6).
So often, if we have committed a sin that God has forgiven us of or someone that we love or respect is committing a sin; we begin justifying it. We, in a sense, begin taking part in it.
Mark 15 describes the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. The first Verses of this Chapter describe Jesus' trial before Pilate. At one point during this trial, Pilate offers to release Jesus, as it was the custom to release one prisoner for Passover. The people, however, incited by the scribes and Pharisees, demanded that he release Barabbas, a convicted murderer. Verse 15 tells us, "So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified."
Now, of course, we know that this was all in God's redemptive plan; but I have to ask, did Pilate make the "right" decision? He had the power to free Jesus. But instead, he chose to go along with the crowd. He did not take a stand. Instead, he chose to wash his hands of the situation.
How often, we are like Pilate. I am as guilty as the next person of justifying sin in order not to offend.
I believe there is a way to take a stand for what is right and against what is wrong while still practicing grace. (And no, it's not the old "Love the sinner, hate the sin" ideology that we have come to hate). It is by being transparent with our own sins. So often, we want to hide what we do wrong so that no one can accuse us of sinning. Let me point out that Jesus was sin-free, and He was accused. We need to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another with true brotherly love. Stop the hypocrisy. Stop the self-righteousness. Stop being Pharisees. Start being truthful. Start being vulnerable.
Secondly, if we see our brother or sister in sin, let them know. Not in a self-righteous way. But don't go along with it.
Just the other day, I had a conversation with a friend about astrology. I pointed out how dangerous horoscopes can be. There is a reason God tells us not to deal with divination. It opens doors we do not understand. It was not that I felt I was any better. I've done just as much to displease God as any dabbling in astrology could. But if I had not said something, I would have been guilty of allowing my friend to partake in something that I truly believe is spiritually dangerous. As with Pilate, I would have washed my hands of the situation.
James 1:19 tells us, "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins."
And let me say that we are all sinners. We should expect others to turn us from our sins. I should expect this. You should expect this. That is a part of loving one another.
How, then, do we justify saying, "This is wrong." There are many teachings in the Bible that tell us we are not to justify evil.
Last night, I was reading Psalm 1 before bed. The first few Verses of this well-known Psalm read,
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2, NKJV)).
Here we see a contrast between wrong and right.
David continues,
"Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1:5-6).
So often, if we have committed a sin that God has forgiven us of or someone that we love or respect is committing a sin; we begin justifying it. We, in a sense, begin taking part in it.
Mark 15 describes the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. The first Verses of this Chapter describe Jesus' trial before Pilate. At one point during this trial, Pilate offers to release Jesus, as it was the custom to release one prisoner for Passover. The people, however, incited by the scribes and Pharisees, demanded that he release Barabbas, a convicted murderer. Verse 15 tells us, "So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified."
Now, of course, we know that this was all in God's redemptive plan; but I have to ask, did Pilate make the "right" decision? He had the power to free Jesus. But instead, he chose to go along with the crowd. He did not take a stand. Instead, he chose to wash his hands of the situation.
How often, we are like Pilate. I am as guilty as the next person of justifying sin in order not to offend.
I believe there is a way to take a stand for what is right and against what is wrong while still practicing grace. (And no, it's not the old "Love the sinner, hate the sin" ideology that we have come to hate). It is by being transparent with our own sins. So often, we want to hide what we do wrong so that no one can accuse us of sinning. Let me point out that Jesus was sin-free, and He was accused. We need to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another with true brotherly love. Stop the hypocrisy. Stop the self-righteousness. Stop being Pharisees. Start being truthful. Start being vulnerable.
Secondly, if we see our brother or sister in sin, let them know. Not in a self-righteous way. But don't go along with it.
Just the other day, I had a conversation with a friend about astrology. I pointed out how dangerous horoscopes can be. There is a reason God tells us not to deal with divination. It opens doors we do not understand. It was not that I felt I was any better. I've done just as much to displease God as any dabbling in astrology could. But if I had not said something, I would have been guilty of allowing my friend to partake in something that I truly believe is spiritually dangerous. As with Pilate, I would have washed my hands of the situation.
James 1:19 tells us, "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins."
And let me say that we are all sinners. We should expect others to turn us from our sins. I should expect this. You should expect this. That is a part of loving one another.
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