In Northern Ireland there has been a lot of talk in recent years under the slogan of ‘love the sinner hate the sin’. Having been reading a lot of Tony Campolo recently I wish to suggest that we need to change that slogan to the one he has suggested, ‘Love the sinner, hate your own sin’.
At easter I read the following excerpt by Brain McLauren and it has dominated my thought process since. In fact I have nearly used it in two sermons but pulled it out at the last minute because of fear of how it would be received .... yet it still haunts me on a daily basis and makes me want to examine every conversation and exchange I enter into with others.
I don’t want to be closed-minded or judgmental, but in good conscience I simply can’t approve of the lifestyle. I personally believe it’s a choice, not something predestined or forced upon anyone by anyone. I understand that parental upbringing is undoubtedly a big factor and that some people believe genes play a role in predisposing people to this orientation, but I also know that adults are responsible for their behavior, and the behaviors associated with this lifestyle are no exception.
On the one hand, I believe that we live in a free country, and people should be free to do what they think is right. But on the other hand, I believe freedom has limits—one limit being where others are hurt by the chosen lifestyle. And this lifestyle, there can be no mistake, is hurting a lot of people. Families are being torn apart by it, and churches and denominations too.
Everybody has an opinion on this controversial lifestyle, but I believe God’s opinion is the one that matters most, and there is absolutely no question what God’s opinion is according to the Bible. This orientation and the behaviors associated with it are thoroughly condemned, especially by Jesus. He was very compassionate toward many groups of people, but there is one group he had an absolute and uncompromising commitment to confront and expose, and it was those who dishonor themselves and others as humans made in the image of God by engaging in this lifestyle and its practices...........
Activists may use the word love to justify their behavior, but those who disagree with them are seldom treated with love. Many of us have already faced the scorn of the activists who promote this chosen lifestyle and defend it as legitimate and even godly. For do- ing so we have received hate mail peppered with a wide range of threats and abusive speech, with many calling for our damnation. But even so, we have learned that we must not respond to hate with hate; we must love these people and seek to help them, even though we do not approve of their behavior.
McLaren in this passage is talking about the judgmental lifestyle! The kind of lifestyle that Jesus spoke so openly against in His sermon on the mount. The lifestyle that finds faults not people, the kind of lifestyle that relishes in its perceived superiority and righteousness yet cant see its flaws deep down within itself.
It is always easy to point the finger, to notice what others are doing wrong, to say that people aren’t coming to church, to say that people are living in sin, to say that certain lifestyles are wrong, even to say certain things lead you straight to hell, but it is some what harder to take a long hard look at your own life, to look at the things that you do on a daily basis and then attribute to them the same level of judgement. The bottom line is that we all sin! No if’s, no buts, no maybes. Since the Garden of Eden we all sin and keep on sinning on a variety of levels.
Now don’t get me wrong I am not saying that the Christian Church or the Christian leader should not point out sin in sermons and pastoral conversations, because after all there is a biblical mandate to do so, but what I am saying is that it must not be done without examining your own heart, looking deep into your own soul and asking forgiveness for your own sin first.
In the words adapted by Joni Mitchell ‘I have seen (judgement) from both sides now’ Both giving judgement and receiving it, and all I can tonight is, its a lifestyle I want nothing to do with.
Arch Bishop Tutu has commented ‘I have always striven for a life of love in action’ I would rather have this kind of lifestyle, one that says I love you not sort yourself out before i’ll talk to you.
Love for the person who is at the end of their rope
Love for the person who just can’t cope
Love for the questing and doubting soul
Love for the person who feels unloved by church
Love flowing from the one who first loved me
May love win!
