Living Of Love In Tolerance
I think that loving like Jesus is becoming increasingly difficult in the world we are now living in. In a culture where homosexuality is celebrated, transgender bathrooms are making way, and being yourself is encouraged. I think at first, it excites the hearts of millennials that serve Jesus because quite honestly, we believe in loving people no matter what they prefer in the bedroom or what other sin they live in.
As someone who's sins are many, it seems great that these topics are not as taboo anymore. Along with many other topics that I can't think of specifically. It seems great that culture is screaming "LOVE" at the top of their lungs. But are they really? Don't get me wrong. It's exciting that I can be covered in tattoos, facial piercings, and have silver hair and I'm not necessarily the weird one anymore. It's exciting that there is this movement against discrimination of any kind. And to a millennial believer, it seems biblical. James 2:8,9 says, "If you really keep the royal law found in scripture 'love your neighbor as yourself', you are doing right. But if you show partiality, you sin and are convicted by the law as law breakers."
We are taught to love by Christ and like Christ. But are we really loving people if we do it the way our culture is trying to do? With tolerance? I once heard that the most loving thing you can do is tell someone about Hell. No, I do not think we need to go around and tell people that they're going to burn in Hell because of their sin. But what if we love people by telling them that G-d has something so much greater for them? What if we pour an abundance of Agape love on someone by telling them that the only reason G-d says anything about the way they live their life is because He knows what is going to hurt them in the end? What if we understood that Hell isn't a punishment that G-d wishes to bestow on people but Hell is a reality that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to spare us from. What if we didn't turn our backs on people because of the sin they struggle with? And that goes for the church even more! I have seen so many believers that are going through some really tough times and have fallen deeply in to sin and they wake up with no brothers or sisters in Christ to be found. I have experienced that myself.
"My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins." -James 5:19,20
Can we say that one a little louder please? Love isn't about acceptance and tolerance. Love is about displaying Christ. He walked this Earth and preached Truth while still hanging around the "sinners" and dining with the prostitutes.
So, what do I take away? I have to ask Jesus what it means to love people the way He told me to. I have to constantly commune with Him to find out how I am supposed to handle the way our culture is going. Yes, let's live of love. But I must be careful to not become hateful and legalistic towards people and their sin. At the same time, I must be careful to not get swept away in what this culture is calling love, acceptance, and tolerance. I also have to understand that G-d is not waiting for the dirty to get clean and come to Him but He is waiting for the dirty to come to Him so He can clean them. He loves people exactly where they are and begs them to choose Him and love Him. So I must love people where they are and beg them to choose Jesus to find living water and abundant life.
So, what do I take away? I have to ask Jesus what it means to love people the way He told me to. I have to constantly commune with Him to find out how I am supposed to handle the way our culture is going. Yes, let's live of love. But I must be careful to not become hateful and legalistic towards people and their sin. At the same time, I must be careful to not get swept away in what this culture is calling love, acceptance, and tolerance. I also have to understand that G-d is not waiting for the dirty to get clean and come to Him but He is waiting for the dirty to come to Him so He can clean them. He loves people exactly where they are and begs them to choose Him and love Him. So I must love people where they are and beg them to choose Jesus to find living water and abundant life.
