“[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness” (1 Cor. 13:6).
Love never justifies sin.
To
most Christians, the idea of rejoicing over unrighteousness is
repulsive because it suggests enjoying deliberate, wanton sin. We’ve
seen sin’s tragic effects on mankind and know how it offends God, so how
could we ever rejoice in such a thing? But rejoicing in unrighteousness
includes any attempt to justify sin in your own life or in the lives of
others, and this can be a very subtle thing.
There are
many ways to rejoice in unrighteousness. One is to exchange right for
wrong. That’s what the prophet Isaiah condemned when saying, “Woe to
those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for
light and light for darkness” (Isa. 5:20). In our society, for example,
virtues such as virginity and fidelity in marriage are branded as
old-fashioned and prudish, while promiscuity and adultery are heralded
as contemporary and liberating. Social pressures can cause undiscerning
or weak Christians to yield to confused and godless moral standards.
Another
way to rejoice in unrighteousness is to be undiscerning about what you
expose yourself to. The humanistic philosophies and blatant immorality
of our society can quickly dull your moral and spiritual senses.
Therefore you must carefully evaluate what you read, view, and listen
to. Does it denigrate God and exalt violence, crime, immorality,
slander, and the like? If so, and you find that book or article
entertaining, you are rejoicing in sin.
Some believers
actually rejoice over the sins of others. That’s what Jonah did when he
refused to preach at Nineveh for fear the people would repent and God
would forgive them. He preferred to see them continue in sin rather than
reconcile with God. That attitude is not so far removed from today as
we’d like to think. I’ve known professing Christians who wanted out of
their marriages so badly that they hoped their spouses would commit
adultery so they would feel justified in getting a divorce. What a
convoluted perspective!
True love cannot rejoice in sin
but glories whenever righteousness prevails. If you love God, the things
that please Him will please you, and the things that offend Him will
offend you. Let that always be your standard.
✧✧✧
If Your Brother Sins Against You
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault,
between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your
brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with
you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or
three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the
church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to
you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if
two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done
for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:15–20
No comments:
Post a Comment