I Am Not the One Calling the Vampire a Tramp.

This past week, a friend of mine asked me the following question,

“When is it appropriate to approach someone else about their sin?”

  Thank you very much for those of you who ask honest questions.  I consider it a privilege to be someone who comes to mind.  As for this question, ultimately, we confront people about their sin when God wants us to.  Please keep that in the forefront of your mind as you read everything else that follows.  As for discerning when God is calling you to do so, that may not be so easy.  Beyond that, here are a few thoughts.

1.        If you authentically have the person’s best interest in mind.
2.       If you’re certain that
       a.       It is a sin.
        b.      The person is walking in it.
3.       The sin could lead to death.
 

 Do you Really Love Them?

   Throughout scripture, God warned His people over and over through various means of communication.  Sometimes He warned them personally.  At times He communicated in dreams.  Other times, He sent His prophets.  We have His written word.  God doesn’t point out our shortcomings because he hates us.  His intention is that we would experience life to the full, and ultimately be made right with Him.

   The world we live in has a very difficult time recognizing how a loving God or a loving person would confront someone with regards to their wrongs.  Our world works in the opposite direction.  We rant about people we don’t like.  We subject adulterers like Tiger Woods to public disgrace.  We refuse to buy their chicken.  If the good looking vampire girl sleeps around, we smear her name all over the internet.  (No.  I will not combine the words tramp and vampire.)  Conservatives bash liberals and liberals bash conservatives.  For my American friends, Democrats trash Republicans and Republicans trash Democrats.  We are not evolving into a more tolerant and compassionate society.  We are growing increasingly vicious, vindictive and malicious.

   That’s how this world works, but it’s not how God works.  God is not like Rush Limbaugh.  God warns and chastises his own people, the people He loves.  I believe we are to act similarly.  I might be wrong, but if you really want to see someone get burned, let them be.

  Yeah.  I understand that Jonah wanted the people of Nineveh to burn, but if you’ve read my first paragraph, you’ll understand that I did qualify the scenario.  God told Him to and He made it painfully obvious when Jonah went the other way.  Also, God, the true messenger did not want to see Nineveh burn.

Are You Sure?

  Are you sure it’s a sin?   How clear is it in scripture?  We tend to have a lot of personal convictions which we adhere to quite passionately.  There might be a place to share our convictions publicly, or with those in our lives, yet we do ourselves, our hearers and our Lord a great disservice when we raise our flag around them, making the issue our life’s mission.

   Maybe the Christians in your life love to celebrate pagan holidays, and in your mind, it seems so obvious that it’s wrong.  In their mind, they’ve Christianized it, which makes it oaky to them.  Are you sure you’re right?  Personally, I wouldn’t risk looking like a jerk or weighing down their conscience unless it’s an issue that is spelled out rather clearly in scripture.

  Are you sure they are involved with the sin anyway?  How do you know?  Mostly people try to hide the more blatant sins.  Who really wants their sin to be brought to light?  If you’re not sure, at least talk to the person first and find out.

 Could It Lead To Death?

Here is the passage I would like you to chew on:

1 John 5:16-17 (NLT)

¹⁶ If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. ¹⁷ All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.

  As believers, it isn’t our job to go around pointing out everyone else’s sins.   Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit.  If we see someone sinning in a way that doesn’t lead to death, we’re called to pray for them.  Pray that their eyes would be open.  Pray for God’s mercy.  Pray for repentance and restoration.  Pray that they would find true life.  You are not the church’s morality police.

  If the sin could result in death, then it isn’t a time for prayer.  It’s probably time to address it. I’ve shared before.  We don’t let pedophiles teach Sunday School at our church.

  The issue becomes this:  What kind of sin results in death?

  Some sins really do result in death.  Sexual immorality often results in death, even when they use that little rubber thingy.  I’m sure that your life has never personally been touched by an STD, but there are some diseases that actually kill people.  Murder results in death.  Gluttony can result in someone dying before their time, although it’s tough to call when to confront someone about their eating habits.  I’ve had family members die from their use of alcohol. 

   Beyond that, I have written in the past about some parts of the law that the apostles held rather seriously.  You can read that here.  There are also parts in the Old Testament where God told His people to ‘kill those who do those kinds of things’.  Here is a short list if you want to study it on your own. There are still some religions that kill people for moral crimes, but for us, Jesus put an end to that.  What I’m saying, is that if God wanted people dead for certain sins, it shows that He was quite serious about them.

Exodus 21:14

Exodus 21:16

Exodus 21:17

Exodus 22:19

Leviticus 20:2

Leviticus 20:11

Leviticus 20:12

Leviticus 20:13

Leviticus 20:27

Numbers 25:5

Deuteronomy 13:5

  It’s not an exhaustive list, but it should get you started.

  I hope this helps you my friend.  Maybe we are hypocrites because we address some sins and not others.  I do think though that we have to pick our battles. 

 

Love Kevin