LOVE THE SINNER, HATE THE SIN? REALLY?

                                   LOVE THE SINNER, HATE THE SIN? ... REALLY?

 

This article was written in response to several events and issues in our church and society.

 

First, it is in response to an Army Chaplain, who when asked why he let homosexuals join his church, he said, “Haven’t you heard, ‘Love the sinner, but hate the sin’”?  The first time I met this chaplain was at the Officer’s Club where he had a beer and cigar in one hand and a pool stick in the other.

 

Second, I was listening to a talk show on the radio when I heard a Christian calling in response to the issue of homosexual’s rights in society. He mentioned that the lifestyle of the homosexual was a sin against God. The radio host responded by asking, “Weren’t Christians supposed to hate the sin, but love the sinner?”. Funny how the non-Christian would use a “religious” retort against the Christian. The caller had no response.

 

Third, it is in response to a “seeker-friendly” church approach that is emergent all over our country. There is a “sell out” and soft peddling of a true presentation of the gospel that not only includes the grace, love and mercy of God, but also repentance from sin, living a godly life, denying self and the prospects of the wrath of God. Tolerance to sin is no response to an individual who faces the wrath of God.

Additionally, just to make it known, that this entire concept of "Loving the Sinner, but hating the sin", is just a re-hash of Gnosticism. Just one of the tenets of Gnosticism is that the body and soul are not one. The idea that one can detach the self from the soul has been a heresy that has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. So, the first thing we should know about this little cliche is that it has roots in ancient Gnosticism.

“LOVE THE SINNER BUT HATE THE SIN”,

HOW CAN THAT BE?

 

One cannot help but to ask how and why this cute little cliché began. Perhaps it was meant to promote God’s love to those who need Him most. Possibly, too, it began as a simple little ditty to remind Christians of the unconditional love of God for people who are lost in sin. It is possible, also, that it could have been a reminder that all mankind needs Christ the Savior and sometimes God’s people tend to cast judgment and alienate those who are slaves to sin once they themselves have been freed and forgiven of personal sin. It could even be an embedded reminder to avoid self-righteous judgments against others, knowing that we, too, are sinners by nature.

 

Nevertheless, it is surely true that the church is full of sinners; i.e., Ex-homosexuals, Ex-adulterers, Ex-thieves, and so on and so on… (1 Cor. 6:9ff), and so it shall be until Christ returns. In fact, the true church is entirely made up of sinners who have been forgiven of their sins and walk in obedience to Christ since their new life in Him. No Christian should believe themselves to deserve God’s grace more than any other individual who walks into their church building or who lives in their neighborhood or who works with them in the job place.

 

Remember, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph. 2.8-9)   

 

It is true that even the Faith itself that you exercised for salvation was a gift from God. Your salvation was and is all of Him, from beginning to end.

 

However, it is not prudent to leave such a cliché, “love the sinner, but hate the sin”, alone by itself without attaching a warning to it. Further, this cliché really makes no sense, it may not even be possible to achieve, nor may it even be biblical. Let us look at some of the reasons why this cliché should be carefully examined and perhaps even abandoned.

 

IN GENERAL

 

No place in the Bible does God love a sinner apart or separately from their sin, God loves a sinner in spite of their sin. This is not just a matter of semantics. God loves the sinner in spite of his sin and God judges the sinner because of his sin.

 

Do we drape this cliché at the entrance to our church so that the world will not feel uncomfortable when they enter our doors?  Do we chant this cliché because the world’s new mantra of tolerance and diversity has deadened our sensitivity to the practice of sin? Maybe we preach this cliché so that we won’t feel the same persecution from the world that Christ experienced when he willingly suffered at the hands of sinners. 

 

We have forgotten that the church and the world are irreconcilably opposite. We cannot compromise the holy standard of God’s calling for the church in order to win over the world’s approval for the church.

 

There are pastors of today’s church that are more concerned about popularity and keeping their jobs rather than keeping the doctrine of God’s Word pure and standing for holy living among God’s people. They have sacrificed purity for unity. The masculine muscle of God’s church has been so feminized that God’s men, who once were martyred for unflinching purity, are now tattered with compromise and useless as holy lanterns of God’s light. (The practice of women elders/deacons and pastors are not at issue in this particular context)

 

Remember:

John 15:18-19 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

1Jo 3:13 Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you.

 

Were this cliché even sensible, it is no longer applied in its fullest sense. What use to be “Love the sinner, hate the sin”, soon became, “Love the sinner…and later, once we get him in the door and he feels comfy and likes us, then, hate the sin”. Now, it has become nothing more than, “Hey, we love everybody, come on in...what is sin, anyway?” “Sin” has become nothing more than “bentness”.

 

It should be true that the LOVE within the church ATTRACTS the world; but it must be equally true that the HOLINESS within the church CONVICTS the world. Unfortunately, as the world observes the church today it might see a commitment to love (which it views as tolerance), but I doubt that it sees a commitment to holy living. Yet we are called to both.

 

Also, we cannot dismiss the possible temptation to welcome unrepentant sinners into the membership of our church. In so doing, we may be able to get away more easily with our own secret, personal sins if others in our midst were obviously more sinful. Or, on the other hand, how can we as the church point the finger at ungodliness when we ourselves are just as unholy as those we invite into our midst… “Love the sinner, hate the sin”, but, hate the sin, how and WHEN!?

 

The problem with tolerating sin at any level, is that we have tripped a series of domino effects that has caused the church to be filled with “worldly believers”.  

The church and the world, which were once irreconcilably opposite, have now become, in some ways, indistinguishable.

 

The sins that are in the world are in the church: divorce, immorality, pornography, risqué entertainment, materialism, sinful habits, and apathy toward what others believe, to name a few.  

Officially, we believe that without REPENTANCE from sin and trusting Christ Jesus as Savior people are lost; unofficially, we act as if what people believe and the way they behave really does not matter. It is even a prominent feature in some denominations and teachings that if God wanted you to be without "that" besetting sin, He'd take it away from you.

 

It is so easy to mumble a cliché about “loving the sinner” to get him in the church, or to win his approval, or to avoid being labeled as intolerant, unloving, or religious extremists. And then later, forget all about “…hating the sin”.  No wonder our light has become a flicker and our salt has lost its savor.

 

SPECIFICALLY

 

God does not mess around with terminology when He speaks to us about the seriousness of man’s sin. He does not hesitate to address mankind as simply,  “sinners”.  He cuts to the quick about the deadliest thing – sin. He is not politically correct, nor does He bend to the tolerance of the day. He does not dissect a person from their sin. He is not worried about what people think of Him, He is God. He simply calls men what they really are: “sinners”, and then loves them in spite of that and beckons them to the cross. God never invites a sinner into heaven without first reconciling the sinner’s sin. It has always been true that God first deals with the sinner’s sin (justification), and then begins the process of blessing and purification (sanctification) as the forgiven sinner daily carries on with God. One of the problems with this cliché is in its underlying meaning. It invites the sinner into the church to enjoy the blessings of God, with hopes that later someone will address the sinner’s sin; but, more frequently, everyone dismisses the sinner’s sin.

 

God does not engage in a ploy, a cliché or a technique to “win people” over to Himself when they are in sin. In many cases without hesitation and without concern about whether mankind feels good about God or about themselves, God sets the record straight where godless men stand before Him. They are “Worthless and Reckless, Culprit Scoundrels” in need of a Savior.

 

Sample verses where mankind is referenced: (see end of paper for more textual references to “worthless men”):

 

Judg. 19:22  While they were making merry, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him."

1 Sam. 1:16 "Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman; for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation."

1 Sam. 2:12  Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the Lord

1 Sam. 10:27 But certain worthless men said, "How can this one deliver us?" And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.

1 Sam. 30:22 Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David answered and said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart."

Prov. 16:27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are as a scorching fire.

Jer. 10:15 They are worthless, a work of mockery; In the time of their punishment they will perish.

Zech. 11:17  "Woe to the worthless shepherd Who leaves the flock! A sword will be on his arm And on his right eye! His arm will be totally withered, And his right eye will be blind."

Luke 19:22 "He said to him, 'By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow?

 

QUESTIONS

 

Biblically, in what state do people exist before they are forgiven 

of their sins and made alive together with Christ?

 

People without Christ are referred to as dead in their sins. How can we and why should we ignore a spiritual corpse in our midst. They are even referred to as sons of disobedience, belonging to Satan himself, and children of wrath by nature.

 

Eph. 2.1-3 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

 

Developing our own CLICHÉ:

 

The above are pretty severe labels for sinners who are dead in their sins and separated from God. Let’s see if we can develop some tolerance of our own with a cliché from this verse. Hopefully, with just a little smoothing of this verse, our tolerance to sin will increase and we will no longer alienate people from the church: 

 

“Love the sons, but hate the disobedience”, 

 

or maybe,

 

“Love the children, but hate their nature”, 

 

possibly,

 

“Satan’s children aren’t all that bad”, 

 

even better,

 

“He ain’t dead, he’s my brother”.

 

Can we really inject tolerance for sin in this verse? No, we should not “smooth out” or “soft-peddle” God’s inspired Word, we should see “sinners” in their real state: “dead in their sins”.  They are a corpse to righteousness. In fact, their only motivation in life is to reduce the severity of their consequences from the passions they indulge.

 

We can no more view and treat a sinner as someone separate from his sin than can a Mortician treat a corpse as separate from its’ death. Can one imagine a mortician taking a corpse to dinner… “Loving the corpse, but hating the death”? It is impossible to ignore death. Some things cannot be ignored. And we cannot be asked to bend our minds to an impossible and ridiculous task by being asked to love a sinner, but hate his sin. SIN IS DEATH!  How can it be ignored or dealt with later or even forgotten?

 

1 Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin…;

Jas 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

 

Just as a stink exudes from a source, so does sin and death flow from the sinner…the sinner and sin cannot mentally, spiritually or practically be separated into two separate entities. The sin exists because of, and out of, the sinner.

 

The proposal to “Love the sinner, but hate the sin”, makes about as much sense as the question:

 

“What do you have if you take the sin out of sinner?”  Answer, a “NER”. What is a “NER”?  How can one love a “NER”? There is no such thing.

SINNER

 

The Example of Christ:

When our sins were laid on Christ at the Cross, did we hear God the Father whipping up any clichés for His Son? No. Did He treat His Son as though the sin He bore was something excusable or separate from His Son? No. The wrath of God fell fully and directly on Christ because of our sin that was laid on Him.

 

Notice how even the close association with our sin caused Christ to APPEAR TO BE SIN.  Christ never sinned during His whole life, nor did He become sinful when our sins were laid on Him at the cross; but, even at that, He was so closely identified with our sins that He appeared to be sin itself. Wonder of it all, even God the Father turned His head from His own Son at the repugnancy of sin’s closeness and of its’ consequences. If God the Father did not ignore the seriousness of sins’ tattoo on His Son, turning His head and letting Him die on the cross for sinners, then how can we be expected to ignore the seriousness of the sin that exudes from the sinner?  Are we to treat a sinner as though his sin had nothing to do with him? You must recall that God treated Christ as though our sin on Him had everything to do with His Son when He turned His head from Him. God, The Father, did not treat God, The Son, as different from the sin of which He appeared to BE.

 

Mt 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, … “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?"

 

CHRIST BECAME SO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH OUR SIN THAT IT APPEARED AS THOUGH HE WAS SIN…and He was treated as such.

 

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Gal. 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, " Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"

 

(As a point of theology, don’t misunderstand, Christ never became sinful when our sins were laid on Him. One may smell the repugnancy of a skunk and think there is a skunk in close proximity, but when one sees that it was their pet that was sprayed by a skunk, only then is one certain that the pet is not a skunk. Christ was not sinful, but sins nearness and repugnancy made it appear to be so on the cross.)

 

But it is not so with the sinner and his sin and the sin that was laid on Christ. We are indistinguishable from our sin, thus, it is impossible to separate the sin from the sinner, to love him and ignore his sin at the same time.

 

Sinners are referred to by the kind of sin to which they are united:

 

1 Cor. 6.9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

 

Where in the above verse does God separate fornication from the fornicator?, Or the adultery from the adulterer?, Or the homosexual act from the homosexual…NOWHERE!  THE MAN IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIS SIN SO CLOSELY BECAUSE HIS SIN FLOWS FROM WITHIN HIM. THE SIN IS HE. THE ADULTEROUS ACT COMES FROM AN ADULTEROR. THE HOMOSEXUAL ACT COMES FROM A HOMOSEXUAL, AND THE THING STOLEN IS TAKEN BY A THIEF.  IT IS A DRUNKARD WHO GETS DRUNK AND AN IDOLATOR WHO WORSHIPS IDOLS. IT IS BECAUSE MAN IS UNRIGHTEIOUS THAT HE COMMITS UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THUS, HE SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 

 

Matt 7.18-23

18And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,

19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)

20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.

21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,

22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.

23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

 

When one sins, to whom is he responsible? 

And, when one sins, on whom must judgment fall?

 

WHEN ONE SINS, HE SINS AGAINST GOD FIRST AND PRIMARILY. There is no “sin portion” of man that sins against God, and then a loveable part of man that God loves. And judgment falls on the one who committed the sin (unless in fact, one willingly accepts Christ as his savior on Whom the judgment has already fallen).

Example: 

2Sa 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

PS 51.4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

 

In other words, it is the whole PERSON who sins against God, not some kind of “sin-part” of the person, whatever that is.  

God holds the PERSON responsible for his own sin. Sin is an act personally against God and not against some notion or rule or thing. Sin is a very personal attack directly against a Holy and PERSONAL God. God does not see a man apart from his sin as though it was some kind of error in judgment or difference in opinion from His own. It was man’s sin against a personal God that caused His Son to die on the cross.

 

David understood! David did not say, “Lord, love me, but hate my sin!”

 

What is God’s response to the sinner who sins?

 

GOD SIMPLY LOVES THE SINNER OUT OF THE VAST RICHNESS OF HIS NATURE AND TOTALLY WITHOUT MERIT, He simply loves the worthless, scoundrel sinner. 

 

Ro 5:10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

 

What happens in the Christian when we are asked to treat the unsaved by this impossible cliché, “Love the sinner, but hate his sin”?

 

We trigger a system of legalism and worldly rationalism in our minds. All the energy of mankind is expended on ignoring, downplaying, justifying and rationalizing sin. And, so now, Christians are asked to do the same for others.

When, we in our minds, are asked to compartmentalize people from their sin, we introduce a schizophrenic love for people who need Christ. 

“How can I love this person, but ignore his personal sin?”. 

“How can I treat this person as though he had no sin, or that his sin had nothing to do with him?”.

“How can I ignore this person who is dead in his sins…a child of Satan…a son of disobedience?”.

“How can I ignore the very things for which he is going to hell as though it was something irrelevant to him?”. 

 

It is the very condition of the unsaved sinner that draws Christ-like compassion from the Christian. Why tell the Christian to separate the sinner from his sin when it is the sinful condition of an individual that is the very beacon that draws love and empathy from the Christian. If we were to shade the fact of sin in the sinner’s life, then we would not know how to draw the very compassion he needs. It is the sick that needs a doctor. The torture of his sin rings the bell of our love.

 

How do I prevent a schizophrenic love?

 

We are not required by God to do anymore than He does when asked to love mankind. God simply LOVES the SINNER. It is impossible for us to view a sinner any differently than did the tax-gatherer view himself.

Example:

 

Luke 18:13 "But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, THE sinner!'  

 

He did not say, “Oh God, love me, but hate my sin”.

 

“The Sinner” knew what he was. He presented himself as a whole. He did not rationalize or attempt to break himself down into components or excuse himself. He simply said to Christ, 

 

“IT’S ME GOD, THE SINNER.”

 

Is it harmful to our view of the Person of God and of the sinful state of man if we are to “love” people “apart” from their sin?

 

It would not be long before we as Christians either dismiss the sinner’s sin altogether or dismiss the sinner himself. Soon, the unsaved will learn to accept himself with his sin as do we. He will see no need to deal with his sin because we did not. The church ignored it, so can he. And after all, if the church ignored it (or glossed over it), then why can’t God? And at this point, we have corrupted a Holy view of God in the sinner’s eyes. The cross has become irrelevant.

 

We also create a false self-perspective for people. We aid them with a perception that they are acceptable to God on their own, in that, their sin is some other aspect apart from who they really are and something with which they need not deal with in any urgency, if at all.

 

He is free to continue with his sin, be accepted by the church, and be comforted by the church when this strange, alien sin, for which he is no longer personally responsible, either to God, or to the church, attacks him from behind. In fact, there are systems of therapy today that encourage the one who is entangled in sin to relax and be at peace with their enslavement. Afterall, if God wanted to, He could take away those sinful habits. God leaves them alone, so can I. Here is just one of these therapeutic ideologies; e.g., Barbara Duguid’s book, Extravagant Grace. She teaches that there is ultimately no depravity in man’s desires – our sinful desires are a product of the Holy Spirit that allows me to sin.

 

The following verse no longer means anything to the sinner:

 

Rom. 3:10-12 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one."

 

Is there a slippery slope when we, “Love the Sinner, but hate his sin”? 

 

Those who insist on emphasizing the “Love the sinner, hate the sin” approach to people who need Christ, may well be pandering with a play on words to a liberal element in the church that would altogether overemphasize the Love of God at the expense of neglecting the Holiness and Righteousness of God. This has been a trend in the “Seeker Friendly”, emerging movement.

 

It is at the cross where God’s Righteousness was satisfied through the death of His Son. And it was the death of His Son that demonstrated His love for mankind. Regarding the sinner, God demonstrated a perfect tension between Love and Justice with purity and Holy integrity AT THE CROSS.  Should any man honestly read the Word of God, he will clearly understand that without Christ he is guilty of personal sin and deserves eternal punishment. And with Christ, he will clearly understand his sins are forever forgiven and that he is freely given eternal life without his own merit. And to add with icing on top, empowered by God the Spirit to be free from the power of sin.

Gal 5.1

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

 

“Loving the sinner, but hating their sin”, will soon lead to treating people as though they were separate from their sin. Treating people as though they were separate from their sin will soon lead to treating people as though they are not responsible for their sin. 

 

Treating people as though they are not responsible for their sin will soon lead to openly sinful and unrepentant people who become leaders in Christ’s church. Adulterers, liars, fornicators and homosexuals, etc., will soon be today’s deacons and pastors...or, oops, is it too late?

 

(And at this point one must begin to consider another related aspect of reciprocal holy living in the body of Christ known as “Church Discipline”. As this “Love the sinner, hate his sin” cliché continues to grow unopposed, then Christ’s mandate for Church Discipline and individual purity diminishes.)

 

What does the Bible say about people in the church who are openly in sin?

 

EPH 5.3-13

“But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.  But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.” 

 

Funny how God’s position against unrepentant sinners in the church is so serious that He does not even permit their active presence in the midst of the body of Christ:

1 COR 5.11-13 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?  But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.

 

What would Christ tell a person in sin who beckons the door of 

His church?

 

IT IS THE INTENT OF CHRIST FOR MEN TO TURN FROM THEIR “WICKED WAYS”, NOT FOR US TO TURN A BLIND EYE FROM FOR THEIR WICKED WAYS.

 

Ac 3:26 "For you first, God raised up His Servant, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."

 

One cannot be a “NER” when coming to Christ…one must be a “SIN-NER” to receive Christ.

 

Example:

 

Mr 2:17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

 

CHRIST RECEIVES ONLY SINNERS

Lu 15:2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

 

HOW CAN ONE REPENT IF HE IS NOT A SINNER?

Lu 5:32 "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

 

CHRIST DIED FOR SINNERS

Ro 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

PAUL UNDERSTOOD THAT HE MUST BE A SINNER FIRST IN ORDER TO RECEIVE SALVATION

1Ti 1:15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

 

CONCLUSION

 

God loves a sinner in spite of their sin. And so should we. God takes sin seriously. And so should we. God does not separate a sinner from their sin. And so we should not. 

 

Love the sinner and share the good news that Jesus died for his sin. Instead of sheltering the sinner from the Truth, expose him to the gospel. 

The world is far better off to know where they stand before a holy God and what this God has done for them. We pilfer mankind’s only hope of righteousness before God when we accept him as though his sin was not their most urgent matter.

 

A person’s sin is always the foremost issue in God’s eyes, thus the cross of Christ is the foremost solution for man’s acceptance before a holy God. And a person’s sin is always the foremost issue in the eyes of the sinner when under conviction, thus, repentance from his sin and forgiveness from Christ should not be held from him. 

 

“Loving the sinner, but hating his sin” reduces, if not erases, the enormity of his endless sinful state before a God who loves to redeem man from their sin. Don’t diminish the sinner’s sin. Only God, and He alone, can cleanse the sinner's sin, and then, relieve him of the power of sin over his life. God does not teach the sinner to manage their sin! He desires they put it to death.

 

The unsaved individual came to your church because God’s Spirit was moving within him. It is called, “conviction”. God has put in this sinful individual a need to be cleansed from his sin and we must not gloss over the gravity of guilt that he may be carrying. The first thing one who is strapped with sin wants to do is to be “un-strapped” from his sin; and, he has come to God for freedom. Don’t steal from this individual the sense of urgency to be right with God by ignoring the very reason he has come into our midst…to be free from HIS sin.

 

Men of the church have slumped into a false prophet’s nightmare. As God’s chosen Shepherds, they have let personal gain, job security and pragmatism and business-type ethics erode a holy fervor for safeguarding a holy conduct in the Body of Christ. It is time for God’s Shepherd’s to wake up, be straight and true, and fear God and not man.

 

Finally, simply LOVE the Sinner:

 

L ook at the sinner through the cross. The cross is where God’s love for us and His hate for sin provided His salvation and, His righteousness made us new creatures in Christ.

O mit nothing from the whole counsel of God. Disclose the whole Truth: from condemnation, to justification, to sanctification, even to glorification.

V iew the unsaved as though their sin is intimately entwined with who they are, otherwise, they may not be freed from it.

E xpect holy living from God’s holy people empowered by the Holy Spirit.

 

More verses reference the “worthless” character of mankind, no punches pulled by God:

Deut. 13:13;  Deut. 15:9;  Judg. 9:4;  Judg. 11:3;  Judg. 19:22;  Judg. 20:13;  1 Sam. 1:16;  1 Sam. 2:12;  1 Sam. 10:27;    1 Sam. 25:17;  1 Sam. 25:25;  1 Sam. 30:22;  2 Sam. 16:7;  2 Sam. 20:1;  2 Sam. 23:6;  1 Kin. 21:10;  1 Kin. 21:13;  2 Chr. 13:7;  Ps. 18:4;  Prov. 16:27;  Prov. 19:28;  Jer. 10:15;  Jer. 51:18;   Zech. 11:17;  Luke 19:22

 

 

A small addendum from D.A. Carson:

 

Why is it that we are comfortable with evangelical clichés about God “loving the sinner but hating the sin,” when within the first fifty psalms alone there are fourteen passages where God is explicitly said to hate the sinner, or to be angry with the sinner, or the like?

 

Carson, D. A. How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006. Print.