Love yes...but...

It's been said a lot in various circles these days that we need to love and accept people who are living in sin.

Think on that...living in...as in willingly, intentionally...sinning. They choose to do so.

While I heartily agree on the loving on them part, it doesn't seem that Jesus agrees with the rest of what many have come to do with accepting people that choose to knowingly sin.

It may not be popular but read John 8
"The Adulterous Woman

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees  brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”  They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.  But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]"

Where is this going? Read the last sentence again.  "Go. From now on sin no more."

People, by nature, don't want to be told they are wrong.  They don't want it to be pointed out that what they are doing is sin.

In Romans Paul talks about remaining in sin.  Chapter 6  "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"

To love others Jesus said to do for sure. "Love your neighbor as yourself."  But He didn't say to any of those that "You're good. Have fun!"

Go. From now on sin no more.

You have been forgiven. Don't continue down the road you are on.  Don't continue to do what you have been doing. Don't live your life intentionally sinning.

For those to claim to be Christians to go out and support people intentionally living in sin, is the same as throwing them a life preserver in shark infested waters and then doing our best to agree with them that it's alright!

They will die in their sins, because we didn't love them enough to show them the way to Salvation. 

What good is loving on people who intentionally sin and to NOT let them know how to get out of those shark infested waters? 

Jesus forgave the woman.  But also didn't leave her in that state. He admonished her to sin no more.  To stop being what she was.  In Him there's so much more.

Why do professing Christians go and support people who shake their fist at God?  Literally that's what intentional sinning is. That is shaking a fist at God and saying He doesn't know what is best and isn't going to tell them how to live their lives. 

Is there further Biblical evidence? Yes. In Revelation.  In spite of the judgements raining down on the Earth, mankind will not repent of their sexual sins. They will be defiant to the end.  Shaking their fists at God. 

Which also tells you that another passage is true.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor thecovetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.  Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."

Note what Paul says. Such were some of you. They had turned away from their intentional sin and turned towards the Living God.

So yes a sexually twisted lifestyle is a sin that can and must be turned away from.

We who are believers must not only love on everyone, but we shouldn't be stingy with the life preserver either.  Don't hang onto the lifeboat that someone else needs.

What good will it ever do any homosexual person if we only loved on them and never telling them what Jesus did, and they died at night not knowing the truth of their sin?  To be blunt, they will wake up in Hell. Yes, they will wake up in Hell.

There are no professing homosexuals in Heaven.  As it says in Corinthians they cannot and will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Love people enough to tell them the truth.
Get to know them enough to share the truth, not their lifestyle. Don't enter into their world.

Live in such a way that they want to know more about why you are how you are.

Christ loved and loves everyone.  But not everyone loves Him.  Jesus still called Judas 'friend'.  Jesus loved the Pharisees and Sadducees. He loved the men who nailed Him to the cross.  He loved the other criminal who mocked Him on the cross.  He loves you.

Why did I group you with that list?  We are all you at some point in our lives.  We all were under judgement.  Someone cared enough to not leave us where we were. Someone shared the lifeboat and took us out of the shark infested waters.  Someone shares Salvation with us.

Someone didn't just come along side of us to say it's ok. Keep on living like you are, don't mind the fact that God says this road you're on falls off a cliff that leads straight to Hell.

Someone threw you a line and showed you Jesus.  Someone shared how you could be saved.  Someone showed you how to go and sin no more. 

So why wouldn't you do the same?

Share Jesus.  Love on people.  Yes build a bridge, a relationship, but don't forget to love them enough to share the truth of needing Jesus. He can forgive their sins and they too can be told to go and sin no more.