DON’T BE PHARISAICAL ABOUT LOVING SINNERS
By Ken Blue
“Ezekiel 33:11 (KJV) “ Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” “2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
I am glad that I have the preserved, inerrant Word of God in the KJV, and I accept all the fundamental doctrines intended for the body of Christ. However, if being a fundamentalist means protesting at the burial of a dead soldier, or proclaiming that God hates sinners, or believing you are superior to other races, then you can count me out.
Anyone in this dispensation who rejoices at the death of the lost has a warped understanding of God. I have read the context of the above passages, and I am aware of the moral and natural attributes of God. Just because Calvin could not reconcile the sovereignty of God, and the free will of man, does not mean we should be silly when it comes to the justice and the love of God. There is no contradiction.
God hates sin, and so should any child of God, but God does not hate the sinner, nor rejoice when one dies. Perhaps if you took a look at your own life, you could get some understanding of God’s love and avoid being pharisaical.
[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Anyone in this dispensation who rejoices at the death of the lost has a warped understanding of God.[/pullquote]
Suppose one of your children commit adultery, shack up with some one, gets into pornography, is hooked on drugs or gambling, or becomes a sodomite? Would you rejoice as you kill them, as the Muslims do, or would you continue to love your child and hate their sin? Be careful with your answer. It may expose you as PHARISAICAL.
As Jesus wept over Jerusalem, I am sure His were not tears of anger or hatred. He wept over them because He loved them and knew they would be lost. We must wonder what it is that twists the minds of men to hate sinners, and believe God hates them also, and rejoices over their death. Until someone can adequately and convincingly prove otherwise, we will accept the position that God hates the sin, loves the sinner, and wants to puke every time one of these Pharisees opens his mouth. – You’re welcome.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.