Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. -Jude v23 MSG
Jude had an urgent message for the church, a message we would do well to heed today. He exhorted his readers to avoid false teaching and to stand strong in the faith.
In the midst of Jude's passion to see his brethren live in victory and in truth, we find an often overlooked admonition regarding how to treat others.
Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin.
Some Christians seem to have an impetus to judge others in the extreme. If someone is struggling with some sin we've never been tempted with or struggling in an area where we have had victory, that's when our condemnation tends to be the most fierce.
So, what did Jude mean when he said, "Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin"?
Have you ever heard the expression, "Call a spade a spade?" A spade it not the same as a shovel. The blade of a spade is tapered and comes to a point. Shovels usually have a wider blade with squared corners.
Sin should also be clearly defined. In our modern society, we have a tendency to gloss over sin and give it a more palatable description. We should never be soft on sin, whether our own or someone else's. All sin is an abomination before God. He doesn't categorize sin like we do. He doesn't distinguish between little white lies and big whoppers, for example. A lie is a lie. Any lie is an affront to His holy character.
What God calls the sin of drunkenness, we call alcoholism.
Overeating is a sin God labels as gluttony.
When it comes to sin, we need to tell it like it is, and be clear about it. We need to define it as God defines it and warn people of how God feels about it.
But the sinner, the person caught up in sin, needs to be treated tenderly according to our verse for today.
Why?
You and I have been shown the grace and mercy of God. I'm a sinner. You're a sinner. I'm no better than anyone else. Neither are you. It is not my place to judge people; that's God's job.
Romans 5:5 says, "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
God didn't show His love to us so we could tuck it away neatly somewhere and hoard it for ourselves. Just like the light He has given us, His love must be shared with the world.
As believers in Christ, we are His ambassadors to the world (2 Cor 5:20). How well do we represent Him?
When Jesus walked on this earth, He didn't hang out with the religious and self-righteous. In fact, He had some choice words for them.
Jesus spent His time with people the world might call "losers," "dropouts" and worse. Why? He came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
The Gospels are filled with examples of Jesus being "moved with compassion" (Mt 9:36, Mt 14:14, Mk 1:41, Mk 6:34). Jesus genuinely loved people, and still does.
Jesus drew people, not by condemnation and judgement, but in love. Did He call a spade a spade and call out sin? You bet He did.
Jesus was never soft on sin but He was tender with the sinner.
Jesus is "moved with compassion" toward people.
Judging sin is His job. Our job is to represent Him to the world.
If you've been changed by His love, grace and mercy, then show the same to others.
Father, I thank you that Jesus is our example. Help us to be more like Him, I pray - never soft on sin, but tender, loving and compassionate toward people. Thank You for the love, grace and mercy You poured out on us. Help us to show the same to the world. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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