HeBrews Coffee House Online

Martyred Much?

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:53:00 -0500

Last Sunday in HeBrews Coffee House we started out with a question . . . “What are you willing to die for?” We had various answers in class with people stating that they would be willing to die for children, spouses, or another family member. Thankfully, in our country we aren’t faced with this question on a regular basis. The persecution that we may receive is definitely nothing compared to what happens in the rest of the world.

Recently, I came across this current event on www.persecution.com

“On Dec. 23. several pastors and prayer group leaders in Hyderabad were attacked and severely beaten by Hindu extremists, VOM contacts report. The Christians were returning home from a Christmas prayer meeting near the suburb of Jamnagar. At the time of the report, three Hindus had been arrested for their involvement in the attack.”

We began to study Baptist History this past Sunday and learned that the last person to be executed by being burned at the stake in England was a Baptist pastor named Edward Wightman. Edward Wightman was born at Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. He married Frances Darbye of Hinckley on September 2, 1593. Edward and Frances settled in Burton, and they had seven children—2 boys and 5 girls. Wightman ran a successful mercer's business for a number of years in Burton. He denounced infant baptism and became a minister of the Baptist Church.

In 1611, Wightman presented a petition to King James, expounding his beliefs. For his beliefs, he was tried, found guilty of heresy and sentenced to death. Sentence was pronounced on December 14, 1611. The charges brought against him included eleven distinct heresies. Part of the charge was that he believed "that the baptizing of infants is an abominable custom; that the Lord's Supper and baptism are not to be celebrated as they now are in the Church of England; and that Christianity is not wholly professed and preached in the Church of England, but only in part." Other charges included several unheard of opinions. His contemporaries said that if Edward really held all the opinions of which he was accused, he would have been either an idiot or a madman, and, if so, he ought to have had the prayers of his persecutors rather than to have them put him to a cruel death.

The authorities first carried out an aborted attempt at execution. When the flames started to burn Wightman, he shouted out something that seemed to imply that he had changed and was ready to accept the faith of the Church of England. The sheriff released him from the stake. Wightman refused to make a formal retraction and continued to preach his "heresies"; he was a few weeks later again tied to the stake and his body burned on April 11, 1612 at Lichfield. This same year another Baptist, Thomas Helwys, wrote A Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity, a plea for religious liberty in England. There were executions for heresy after Wightman, but his was the last burning.

We regularly baptize new converts at Canton Baptist Temple, and I am afraid that I get used to it sometimes. This past Sunday, we baptized 5 people and since I had just studied about Edward Wightman – it made me stop and thank the Lord for those who died so that I might have religious freedom.

Too Many Heads?

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:52:00 -0500

Was there a plurality of elders in the early church?
The answer is yes. Acts 14:23 states ". . . they ordained (appointed) elders in every church." Also in Acts 15:2, the words "apostles and elders" are plural indicating a plurality of pastors.

"When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question." (Acts 15:2)

The word translated "church" in our English Bibles is the word "ekklesia" means an assembly or congregation. In most places the word is translated "church" but it also is properly translated "assembly" in Acts 19:32. "Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together." (Acts 19:32)

Examples of the use of the word:
Matthew 16:18, 18:17 records Jesus’ only mention of the church (ekklesia) in the Gospels.
Romans 16:1 refers to the church at Cenchrea. Cenchrea is the eastern harbor of the city of Corinth. Corinth is the capitol city of the Roman province called Achaia.
Romans 16:5, makes the specific address to the "ekklesia" meeting in the house of Priscilla and Aquila.

The word church, "ekklesia" refers to all the assembly which meets within a city. (See 1 Thess. 1:1)
It also refers to particular assembles meeting with the city. In Romans 16:1, 5 Paul refers to two churches in the same city of Corinth. Corinth had two sea ports with the one on the east called Cenchrea. This is the church where Phebe served the Lord. On the southern coast was Achaia where the assembly met in Priscilla and Aquila's homes. The word "ekklesia" in all but two places refers to a local congregation meeting in a specific place. The only time all believers are referred to universally is when they are called the, "the body of Christ." (Matt. 16:18, I Cor 10:32, I Tim. 3:15, Eph. 5:25)

Only once in God's word are Christians spoken of in a universal way and that is at the Rapture when the Lord will "catch up" all believers on earth and the dead who were saved since the "ekklesia" began on the Day of Pentecost.

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my "ekklesia"; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)

"Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the "ekklesia" of God." (1 Corinthians 10:32)

"But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the "ekklesia" of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Timothy 3:15)

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the "ekklesia", and gave himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25)

There were no church buildings within the first 300 years of the church. It met in homes and rented halls. Does this mean a church must have several elders in the church and that this is God's plan? Read the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. They are being instructed on how to pastor their respective churches. Timothy: Ephesus, Titus: Crete. If overseership was to be by plurality why not address the epistle to the "elders" at Ephesus and Crete, rather than to the pastors Timothy and Titus. In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus addressed His pointed instruction not to the "lampstands" but to the "lampstand" (singular) of the various churches.There is no concept of a higher order in the church made up of elders, bishops, pastors.

Revelation 2:6, 15. Jesus states he hated the doctrines of the Nicolaitans which meant these people set up a hierarchy to control the congregation. The word means "to conqueror the people" and they promoted a clerical hierarchy. The church is instructed to follow the overseer or pastor of a church. 1 Peter 5:3, The pastor is not to Lord over the congregation, but set an example. (1 Cor. 4:16, 11:1) Verse 2, He is to "feed the flock" means to shepherd or pastor. Hebrews 13:7, 17 instructs the congregation of the church that they should follow him, by obeying and submitting to the pastor's authority as God's overseer and shepherd. The church as an organization needs to have leadership, and God's chosen and appointed way is the pastor.

I Stopped Reading My Bible!

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:53:00 -0500

I have many “soap boxes” but for the past several years one of them has been “mechanical Bible reading.” I have been guilty of encouraging people to read their Bible through in a year every year. I have done this several times myself. I can even remember one Christian periodical sending me envelopes with little boxes to check for each day of my scheduled Bible reading. Of course, the goal of the envelope was so that you could mail the periodical a check each month.

After mechanically reading my Bible through for several years in a row and not getting much out of it, I began to wonder if this is really what God intended for me to do. Reading the Bible through in a year is an excellent thing to do, but wouldn’t it be better for me spiritually to meditate on what I am reading? Meditation is reflective thinking with a view to living God's will as revealed in Scripture. God Himself invented the discipline of meditation. Unfortunately, Eastern religions have cleverly exported their brand of it, so that many Christians shy away from meditating on the Word. Biblical meditation is not clearing the mind of thought, as some religions teach. Our Teacher is the Holy Spirit. In meditation God's Spirit leads us to focus our minds on the living Lord revealed in the Word.

Meditation is as different from Bible reading as a one-way side street is from an eight-lane freeway. Reading is a one-way street, whereas meditation involves “two-way traffic.” 2 You encounter the living God, hearing His voice and learning from Him. At the same time, you respond to Him in prayer. Meditation's goal is a oneness with the living Lord.
God considers meditation so important that He commands us to do it. In the original Hebrew, one word for meditate in Scripture is hagah. The word is first found in Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” The word means to murmur (in pleasure or anger), to ponder, or to imagine.Moses, Joshua's predecessor, was leaving. He would not be on earth much longer to coach Joshua in his new and overwhelming position. After 40 years Moses knew the job well — so well, in fact, that he understood the spiritual stamina needed to be a successful leader. Moses was saying: “Joshua, day and night you must read, ponder, and apply God's Word. You must get continual guidance from your Boss, the God of the universe.”

Another classic passage using hagah is Psalm 1:2, 3 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” A second Hebrew word translated meditate is sîyach, meaning to ponder, to converse with oneself, to muse, or to pray. The word is first used in Psalm 119:15, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.” Other synonyms for meditate are think, commune, consider, and remember. Mary, Jesus' mother, is particularly noted in Scripture for her thoughtful meditation on God's Word and ways: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

Andrew Murray, a missionary-pastor and the writer of more than 20 devotional books, says that a primary goal of meditation is nourishing the heart: “It is in meditation that the heart holds and appropriates the Word. . . . The intellect gathers and prepares the food upon which we are to feed. In meditation the heart takes it in and feeds on it.” In conclusion, I do not plan to read my Bible in 2009. Instead, I will meditate!

Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens!

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:47:00 -0500

One thing I dearly miss about living in Georgia is Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens on New Year’s Day. I actually would give my mother a hard time about eating this when I was a kid – but she finally successfully brainwashed me. The eight years I lived in Utah, there were no Peas and Collards either.

The greens, of course, are an essential part of every true Southerner's New Year's Day meal, along with black-eyed peas and a smoked pork product of some kind.
Tradition states that if you want to have money (or luck) in the New Year, you must eat the peas and greens on New Year's Day. In the most common version, the collards represent paper money, and the peas represent coins. The cornbread represents gold. Others say you eat greens and beans -- a poor man's food -- on New Year's, to eat rich for the rest of the year.

The origins of the peas and greens tradition are shrouded in mystery. It seems that a few different threads came together for this New Year's tradition. Though most common in the South, Americans in other parts of the country do eat blacked-eyed peas and greens for New Year's. Some Northerners instead enjoy sauerkraut and hot dogs or pork. Most of those in northeast Ohio seem to eat this. The Babylonian Talmud, compiled around the year 500, instructs Hebrews to include several foods on their tables in the New Year, for good luck. The foods include gourds, black-eyed peas, leeks, dates, and either beets or spinach. Southern Jews may have played a part in developing the tradition.

Another legend dates back to the Civil War. When Union troops were scouring the countryside for food and destroying Southern farms and fields, they didn't bother with the "cow peas," which they considered food for livestock, not for people. Though the world may never know exactly how or why this tradition began, black-eyed peas and collards are still an appropriate and delicious food!

The black-eyed pea is native to Africa and came to America by way of the West Indies. It is a highly drought-tolerant plant, and the roots fix nitrogen -- which means rotating other crops with black-eyed peas can improve poor soil. Historically, they would make a good winter staple because the dried beans would keep well. Collards are a winter vegetable. Though they can grow year round, they are at their best in a Southern winter. I wish I had some Collards and Black-eyed peas today!

It's Time!

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:19:00 -0500

It’s definitely the Christmas season! People are filling the shopping malls, making travel arrangements, and putting up decorations. I think I am definitely in the mood for Christmas now. I have been practicing for a small part in our church’s Christmas Musical Drama, Joy, Joy, Joy! I have always hated memorizing parts for a play and I am not confident that I will be able to do it this time – but I’m sure trying.

Tonight at practice, I was amazed at all the others involved in the presentation. One thing that really amazed me was at how much some people have memorized! Two of the narrators have memorized more lines for this than I probably have ever memorized in my entire life. Much of the choir has also memorized their music. Sound, video, and light technicians have to memorize cues to make sure that they do things at the right time. It’s pretty overwhelming just to think about it.

Our church Worship Center has been transformed into a wintery Christmas scene. I am simply amazed at how much work has gone into this year’s Christmas presentation. I guess that a lot of work takes place every year, but I am usually on the spectator side of it. It’s totally different when you are among the cast. Hopefully we’ll have good weather and many people will come out for both showings of the musical.

Now – back to memorization. I remember in college using a few techniques to pass exams, now if I can just remember what those techniques are. I’m glad that the Lord remembered us. This Christmas let’s be sure to remember Jesus.

“And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace“ (Luke 1:76-79).

VACATION!

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:44:00 -0500

Vacation literally means to “vacate”. Action to leave behind, change locations, depart from routine, and take a break are implied by “vacation”.

Vacation may mean working extremely long hours in the weeks/days leading up to vacation. Packing half of what one owns to take along. Arranging for pets/flowers/mail, etc., that is to be left behind.

Be sure to take cell phones. Be sure to take credit cards. Be sure to take camera. Take the kids. Did you bring the picnic basket? Ipod? Walkman with headphones? Laptop?

Did you get a room/condo/suite that had at least one TV? Did you watch the TV? Did you keep up with the news? Did you read a newspaper? Did you use the computer? Did you surf the internet? Did you check email? What did you leave behind?

Did you read the Bible? Did you go to church? Did you witness about Jesus and your faith to anyone? Did you honor Sunday as the Lord’s Day?

Vacations are a luxury of the rich. Simply put, if you take a vacation you are among the world’s most wealthy people. Twenty Seven thousand children die each day from starvation. About 1/3 rd of the world’s population will go to bed hungry tonight. Most of the world’s population has no experiential knowledge of vacation. Most of the world’s population is between an existence economy and a survival lifestyle.

As long have there have been wealthy people vacations have been celebrated. Summer homes. Winter homes. Homes in mountains for the coolness. Homes near water for sport and swimming. Multiple homes for the rich also served as security. Moving from home to home prevented enemies from devising plots of murder and mayhem.

Are vacations a sin? No. Vacating is not a sin. An old preacher said: “You need to get 500 miles with the city limits sign in your rearview mirror before your creative juices kick in.”

Jesus took vacations. He often retreated to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He often rose early and went to deserted places for quietness and meditation. On other occasions Jesus would take his disciples and retreat from the crowds.

There are vacations and then there are vacations. Time away that divides families with stressful activities is not a vacation. Time away that stresses the budget and creates debt is not vacation. Time away that leaves one returning fragmented in mind and heart and physically tired is not a vacation. Time away that neglects prayer, Bible reading and worship and fellowship with believers is not a vacation.

Indulging self to pleasure and spending tithe and mission offering on personal thrills is counter-productive. One cannot leave God behind and come home refreshed. One cannot indulge in carnal pursuits and refresh the soul.

Wisdom calls for balance. Wisdom takes core values wherever wisdom goes. Wisdom takes no time off. Wisdom is consistency between how we dress to meet God and how we dress on vacation.

Vacation is not a time to forsake the essence of life in Christ. When the car is packed up, suitcases are loaded, and all arrangements have been made, is God in the vehicle? Is he welcome to the motel room? Is there balance with budget or is there recklessness? Are children treated special within context of faith, or does guilt drive the machine of pleasure?

On the way home is there excitement? Is there talk of how things will be different because of rest? Is there discussion of how the family will be more involved in ministry? Is there peace in the car? Has time away increased compassion and caring? Has a servant heart been refreshed?

I just had the privilege to take vacation away from my regular duties in the ministry. Our church is gracious enough to give us this time away each year, and I am very thankful for it. I have found that it is a good time to refresh and change the pace of life. All I did was to visit family and friends in Atlanta. I also visited my home church as well. I feel closer to the Lord as a result of spending some quality, uninterrupted time alone with the Lord. I even managed to turn off the cell phone for a few days!

Vacationing is refreshment. How do you vacation? Do you feel successful and closer to the Lord when back to the routine?

I was able to stay in my home church’s Prophets Chamber for a week. It is a nicely decorated apartment that is reserved for traveling preachers and missionaries. What a blessing it was to stay there.

II Kings 4:9-10

Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

A Picture of the Church

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:14:00 -0500

I saw this video on Youtube and immediately thought, "This is a picture of what the church is, or what it should be." I found it very inspiring. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for the Memories!

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:36:00 -0500

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving 2009 is here already. Time just seems go more quickly every year. This year, I will be driving to Atlanta for Thanksgiving with my family. It takes about 12 hours to drive all the way down, I find the drive relaxing and it gives me time to think and change the pace of life a bit. I also have some stops planned along the way to meet old friends from days gone by. These planned “coffee stops” are always great ways to pay a quick visit to great friends. This year when I arrive in Atlanta, I am planning to have lunch with some high school friends. One of them I haven’t seen in 20 years! Unbelievable. I am thankful for the opportunity.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for family and friends. I remember the ministry of those who witnessed to me and prayed for before I was saved. I am grateful for the love, prayers, support and patience shown to me by the people of God. I am grateful to the people of God who endured so much bad preaching while I practiced and grew. I appreciate those who put up with my immaturity and ignorance.

I am thankful for my church family. When you read the book of Philippians, you will notice that Paul had mostly positive things to say about that church. The only negative comment Paul makes is in 4:2, where he encourages to women to walk together in Christian unity. Everything else Paul has to say to this church is positive in nature.

Was the church in Philippi a perfect church? Absolutely not! It was the same as any other church made up of redeemed sinners. There were gossips there. There were troublemakers there. There were people who said the wrong things at the wrong time. There were people who did the wrong things. There were people with bad attitudes. There were people there of every kind and description.

If these people were imperfect and prone to failure, why is there no mention of their negatives? When Paul wrote to this church he did not write to focus on the negative things he knew about them. He wrote to emphasize the positives among the people of God.

These people were praying for Paul. They were witnessing and sharing the Gospel. They were working, they were giving sacrificially. They many, many good things that they were doing and Paul chose to see those good things and he refused to focus on the negative things!

It’s real easy to be negative isn’t it? I think we fail to remember that there is no such thing as a perfect church and that there is not church thing as a perfect Christian. It is so easy to focus in on what others say and do. It is so easy to see the negatives, but it is so hard to see the positives. Did you know that true love always sees the best in others, 1 Corinthians 13:5, 7, 8?

When I love you like I should, I will not zero in on your negatives. I will remember that I have many issues in my life too. If I really love you like I ought to, I will pray for you when I see something I don’t like, but I won’t criticize you. I won’t talk about you. I won’t put you down or look down on you. When I love you like I should, I will be able to look past the negatives in your life to see the positives. (Proverbs 10:12; 17:9)

What do you see when you look at your church family? Are you prone to see just the things you don’t like? Do you focus in on the negative? Are you one of those people who rarely have a good word to say about anything or anyone? Are you one of those folks who is always finding fault? If that is you, there is a problem in your life! A person who is consistently that way has one of two problems.

1. They are not controlled by the Holy Spirit but the flesh. (The things I mentioned: bitterness, resentfulness, holding grudges, etc. are all works of the flesh and not the Spirit – Gal. 5:19-24)

2. They have never been saved!

Or, are you the kind of person who seems to be able to find the good in others? They do wrong, but you forgive them and give them the benefit of the doubt. They say things that hurt, but you let it roll on off. They don’t do it like you would do it, but you allow them to be the person the Lord wired them up to be. If you are that kind of a person, you are walking in love!

Please don’t misunderstand; love never turns a blind eye to sin! Jesus dealt with sin in the lives of believers and unbelievers and called it what it was. The difference between us and Jesus is that He perfectly loved those He was forced to rebuke. We tend to have a problem doing that! He reacted in love; we tend to react in anger.

The sad truth is many wrong relationships flourish in our churches today. There are people who will not forgive others for their past words and deeds. There are always little groups that gather to grumble and find fault with what the church is doing. There usually seems to always be some person or persons who are out of sorts with the rest of the local assembly. As a result of this state of affairs, the church is powerless! As a result of our lack of genuine love and forgiveness, souls are not saved and real revival never comes. We need to learn to love properly!

Paul does something here that is much needed in our churches today. He takes the time to say “Thank you” to those people who had been a blessing to him.

I find that we are not too good at doing that! We need to express our love, our thanks and our appreciation to those who have been a blessing to us. Maybe you need to go to someone and say “Thank you. You have been a blessing to me.” You might need to write a letter, make a phone call or send an E-mail and tell someone what a blessing they have been in your life. Thanksgiving is a great opportunity for this!

What do you remember this Thanksgiving?

The Common Cold

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:02:00 -0500

No matter how hard I try to keep from getting a bad cold, it seems to happen every year. This year, I didn't think it would happen so quick! I was so careful to wash my hands and try not to be around people who were sneezing and coughing. Well, it didn't work. I got a cold, known as the common cold, caused from a Rhinovirus. Whenever I hear the word Rhinovirus, I immediately think of a Rhinoceros -- the animal. The Rhinovirus actually comes from the Greek word "rhin" which means nose (John McCaw will appreciate the Greek usage). There are 110 known types of this virus that can make us sick. You can get it from the air, touching a door knob, and a myriad other ways. And of course everyone has their own home remedy. I'm willing to try all of them, I just want to feel better!

The average cold lasts from 2 - 10 days. Well, tomorrow is day 10 for me (I am above average), and I am guessing that it will take a few more days to get rid of. So, whats the spiritual application? When I get to heaven there will be no more colds!

Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:03:00 -0500

A common expression says that we should “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” Ecclesiastes 3:8 declares that there is “A time to love and a time to hate.” Many people think the Bible advocates loving everything and never hating anything. If Christians speak against any form of sin, some people seem to think this is a violation of the Bible teaching about love. They may say, “God is too loving to send people to hell” or “Preaching against sin will drive people away. What you need is more of the love of Christ.” But the Bible teaches there is “a time to hate” Hatred is not always contrary to the Bible. In fact there are things we are commanded to hate, and some things are sinful to love (1 Timothy 6:10). So what do we love and what do we hate? There are three points to consider.

First, we should love all people, including sinners and enemies. “Love” re-fers to concern for the well-being of others. We should not want to harm or destroy them, but see them receive what is best for them. With this in mind, let us consider all whom we should love. We should love our families (Ephesians 5:25-29; Titus 2:4; 1 John 3:11-12). We should love other Christians (John 13:34-35; 2 Corinthians 12:20; 1 Thessalonians 3:12). We should love our neighbors (Matthew 22:36-39; Luke 10:25-27). We should love people of other races and social classes (Luke 10:25-37; John 4:9; Acts10:24-25, 28). Finally, we should love even sinners and enemies (Luke 6:27-28, 31-33; 23:34; Romans 5:6-9).So “love the sinner” is a valid Bible principle, but it does not mean, as some believe, that we must approve their sinful conduct. It means we do not want to destroy them or harm them, but we want them to receive what is best. We want them especially to repent and be saved (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; 17:30-31). Second, we should also hate and oppose all sin. We do not seek the destruction of the sinner, but we do seek the destruction and elimination of all sin. God hates evil but loves righteousness (Proverbs 6:16-19; 11:20; 15:9;Hebrews 1:9). The idea that God loves everything, so we should love everything, is simply false. It is extremely dangerous because it leads people to think God will ignore sin, so people can continue to sin without suffering eternal consequences. Furthermore, love for God requires us to hate evil (Deuteronomy 7:25-27; Psalm 97:10; Proverbs 8:13; Matthew 6:24; 1 John2:15-17).

So the issue is not whether we love or hate, but what we love and what we hate. Because of the things we love, there are things we must hate. It is impossible to love everything, because some things are direct opposites. If you love one, you must hate its opposite. The more you love one, the more you hate its opposite. The more you love God, the more you hate evil, because God and evil are opposites. The less you hate evil, the less you love God. When your hatred and opposition to evil grows weak, you need to realize that this is because your love for God has grown weak! Love for truth and righteousness also requires us to hate evil (Psalm 36:1-4,119:104, 127-128, 163; Romans 12:9). Often the reason people do not want God and His people to hate evil is that those people themselves are practicing evil. They have not found where God’s word says it is wrong to oppose evil, but they themselves are evil and they do not want their evil to be rebuked. But righteous people, who understand God’s will, do not object to sin being hated. They see evil it in its proper form: ungodliness. Third, love for sinners and hatred of evil should cause us to rebuke and discipline sin. Love for sinners is not a reason to keep quiet about sin. Instead it is a reason we should speak out against it! It is amazing that so many people are against the rebuke of sin, but there are so many passages which advocate the practice (Leviticus 19:17-18; Proverbs 17:15; Mark 10:21-22; Luke 17:3; Ephesians 4:15; 5:11; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; 4:2-4; Titus 1:9-14; James 5:19-20; Revelation 3:19).

We speak out against sin, not because we are mean and hateful, but because God gives us no choice. If we keep quiet, God will condemn us! Opposition to sin is often not appreciated and is even mistaken for hatred. Our liberal society rebels against all forms of opposition to evil. They try to make Christians appear to be wrong if we speak against sin. They call us “hate-mongers” and “antis” and “bashers.” This is nothing new for the scriptures mention animosity towards truth many times (1 Kings 22:8; Proverbs 9:8; Amos 5:5, 10; John 7:7; Galatians 4:16). The issue is truly a matter of love. If people accuse us of lacking love, we should not avoid the issue of love. Instead we should show that the real issue is what we should love and what constitutes proper love.

When sin is rebuked because we love truth and love the souls of those who sin, we have proper love. The person who objects is the one who has misplaced love. We should always act out of love according to God’s word (Jude 20-23). If we fail then truly God is not pleased (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). But when we love the sinner and we love truth, we will have mercy on the lost and try to snatch them from the fire, hating the stains of the flesh. This is what it means to “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” We have so much love for the soul of the one who did wrong that we want him to repent and do right, so we must oppose his sin. When we do this, there will always be people who object. But the reason they object is either because they have misunderstood the Bible teaching or because they themselves are sinners who want to continue their sins without the embarrassment of being reproved. In either case, they are the ones who do not have a proper concept of Bible love.