January 26, 2015
Real Hate Speech
Ephesians 4:12-15
(The responsibility of pastors and teachers ) is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
The Bible is not full of hate speech like so many people would like the world to believe. The Bible is full of TRUTH. Since people hate truth they project that the hatred as coming from God’s Word, but the hatred is actually coming from their own hearts against the Truth found in the Bible because it collides with what they want to do.
But it’s actually way more loving to point out what sin is to people instead of excusing it socially or legally. Because the truth is this: God will judge every person (See Romans 2:5-10). Period. Whether they think he’s going to or not; he is. He absolutely is. So it’s way kinder and way more loving for Christians to keep teaching what the Bible really teaches so people who don’t know won’t be punished eternally for their sins.
Christians who don’t point people to the Truth because they’re afraid it isn’t loving to do so are completely misunderstanding what Ephesians 4:15 says about speaking the truth in love. Speaking the truth in love means loving people enough to tell them what the truth is even when it goes against the arbitrary and constantly changing social practices.
Reclassifying sins in order to make them acceptable behaviors to keep up with the times, or letting people think God is ok with doing that is mean and hateful. God is not ok with sin. Just because there are people who try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth doesn’t mean what they’re saying is the Truth. Anyone truly concerned with the life, well being, and future of others will not alter the Word of God because God doesn’t change with the times (See Malachi 3:6-7). And it is NOT loving to let people think he does; teaching that would be real hate speech. How much would I have to hate someone to not have my speech be full of life-giving and life-saving Truth just so we can politically and socially get along?
Dear God,
Thank you for your Word, for making right and wrong very clear, and for the opportunity and privilege to repent and obey. I pray for the steady forces at work today seeking to alter and censor your Truth. Give us boldness as Believers to love people enough to share the Truth with everyone and not water it down in any way because it would be cruel to let someone believe that you don’t mind sin. I pray for our loved ones who need to know you and be saved from their sins as they are constantly being deceived by clever liars. Thank you that you haven’t hidden anything; it’s just a matter of us accurately executing you message. I want to love others more than I want to feel socially comfortable. I love your Truth, and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Real Hate Speech
Ephesians 4:12-15
(The responsibility of pastors and teachers ) is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
The Bible is not full of hate speech like so many people would like the world to believe. The Bible is full of TRUTH. Since people hate truth they project that the hatred as coming from God’s Word, but the hatred is actually coming from their own hearts against the Truth found in the Bible because it collides with what they want to do.
But it’s actually way more loving to point out what sin is to people instead of excusing it socially or legally. Because the truth is this: God will judge every person (See Romans 2:5-10). Period. Whether they think he’s going to or not; he is. He absolutely is. So it’s way kinder and way more loving for Christians to keep teaching what the Bible really teaches so people who don’t know won’t be punished eternally for their sins.
Christians who don’t point people to the Truth because they’re afraid it isn’t loving to do so are completely misunderstanding what Ephesians 4:15 says about speaking the truth in love. Speaking the truth in love means loving people enough to tell them what the truth is even when it goes against the arbitrary and constantly changing social practices.
Reclassifying sins in order to make them acceptable behaviors to keep up with the times, or letting people think God is ok with doing that is mean and hateful. God is not ok with sin. Just because there are people who try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth doesn’t mean what they’re saying is the Truth. Anyone truly concerned with the life, well being, and future of others will not alter the Word of God because God doesn’t change with the times (See Malachi 3:6-7). And it is NOT loving to let people think he does; teaching that would be real hate speech. How much would I have to hate someone to not have my speech be full of life-giving and life-saving Truth just so we can politically and socially get along?
Dear God,
Thank you for your Word, for making right and wrong very clear, and for the opportunity and privilege to repent and obey. I pray for the steady forces at work today seeking to alter and censor your Truth. Give us boldness as Believers to love people enough to share the Truth with everyone and not water it down in any way because it would be cruel to let someone believe that you don’t mind sin. I pray for our loved ones who need to know you and be saved from their sins as they are constantly being deceived by clever liars. Thank you that you haven’t hidden anything; it’s just a matter of us accurately executing you message. I want to love others more than I want to feel socially comfortable. I love your Truth, and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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