Standing Against Sin In Love

  • Eph. 4:15 “…speaking the truth in love…”
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  • I Cor. 13:3 “…and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
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Once you are sure that what you are standing for is a truth consistent throughout God’s Word, you must speak that truth in love. It is not enough to merely speak God’s truth or even die for God’s truth (“give my body to be burned”). God’s truth must be defended in love. To stand against sin in love, let’s examine passages in God’s Word that deal with love starting with the charity chapter, I Cor. 13:

  • vs. 4 -“Charity suffereth long, and is kind” It is common to see products with the misquoted phrases “Love is patient, Love is kind.” Although it is true that charity “endureth all things” mentioned in vs. 7, the phrasing here in vs. 4 stresses that charity suffers long and yet is still kind. It is easier to be kind to a complete stranger with no known faults at the moment or to a cherished family member or to a longtime best friend. It is rare to find, though, those who are still kind to their tormentors despite continual suffering. Those who oppose truth tend to avoid facts and instead smear your testimony or ridicule your stand or use insults about your person. (I.E. – “You are dumb, or a deceiver, or a tyrant, or a legalist, etc….”; “That is a ridiculous view, an insane teaching, a selfish stand, etc….”) The believer who has denied (Strong’s “disowned”) himself in taking up his cross (Mt. 16:24) ignores the attacks on himself and instead focuses on God’s truth and displays God’s kindness.
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  • vs. 4 -“charity envieth not” Make sure you are standing for truth against sin and not merely standing against those you have a personal vendetta or envy against. I have repeatedly had others warn me that someone was envious of me, and those same who were envious of me repeatedly stood on opposing sides against me even against obvious scriptural truths. At the same time, “neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity” (Ps. 37:1) nor “against evil men” (Ps. 24:1) nor “at the wicked” (Ps. 24:19). Lost souls and carnal believers will seemingly prosper and flourish with great names and mammon. Those who stand against sin for truth are walking through the strait gate and on the narrow road (Mt. 7:13-14). Therefore, they will be rejected by the majority, and will often stand alone (Ps. 102:7; II Tim. 4:16). Nevertheless, “charity envieth not.” Do not lose sight of love.
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  • vs. 4 -“charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” All praise must be on God and His truth. As Luke 17:10 emphasizes, “We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” Why vaunt yourself for standing on truths that all are expected to stand on anyway? Why puff yourself up when it is not your truth, when this truth was revealed not by your wisdom but by the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:13), when it is not your strength that holds firm to this truth but Christ’s (Eph. 6:10) …unless it is not God’s truth but rather your “truth” you’ve concocted …unless you have become wise in your own conceit (Rom. 12:16)?
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  • vs. 5 -“Doth not behave itself unseemly” Always stand firm on God’s truth in a manner that befits a true follower of Christ. #1- “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.” (Rom. 12:14) #2- “Recompense to no man evil for evil.” (Rom. 12:7) #3- “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” (Rom. 12:7) #4- “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Rom. 12:18) #5- “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21)
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  • vs. 5 -“seeketh not her own” Too often I have seen believers take God’s truth and make it “their” truth that glorifies and profits only them. This is not love. To take up your cross, you must deny yourself. (Mt. 16:24) You stand against sin for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s not yours. (Mk. 8:35, 10:29)
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  • vs. 5 -“is not easily provoked” No matter what happens: do not get “provoked”, “revile not again” (I Pt. 2:23), threaten not (I Pt. 2:23), “the servant of the Lord must not strive” II Tim. 2:24), nor brawl (Titus 3:2), “…but rather give place unto wrath….” (Rom. 12:19) Why? “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (Jms. 1:20)
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  • vs. 5 -“thinketh no evil” Keep your thoughts and words about others pure (Titus 3:2; Jms. 4:11). If it is a sin in your brother’s life that you are standing against, always stress that it is the sin not the sinner you must judge and oppose. Judging people is the work of the Judge. (Jms. 4:11-12) Judging what is right and wrong according to God’s Word is the job of every believer. (Heb. 5:14 – “Discern” is defined by Strong’s as “judicial estimation”. ) Remember: judge the practice not the person; judge the sin not the sinner. So many miss this crucial truth about righteous judgment. Meditate on both phrases of I Cor. 2:15 “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” (Those who grasp this truth can finally grasp Mt. 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” and Lk. 6:37 “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:”) To think no evil while you stand against sin, make sure to “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (Jn. 7:24)
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  • vs. 6 -“Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;” The one who stands against sin knows that those who oppose God’s truth will find death and destruction, but you never ever want to look forward to that day nor do you rejoice when that day comes. (Eze. 18:23, 32) Your goal is reconciliation (II Cor. 5:18) and conversion (Jms. 5:19-20). Like Paul in Romans 9, God’s love in you is so strong you wished yourself accursed that those who oppose you might find God’s truth before it is too late. (Rom. 9:1-3)
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  • -James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be [#1] swift to hear, [#2] slow to speak, [#3] slow to wrath:” While you are “speaking the truth in love”, you are still obligated to be faster to hear than you are to speak. This crucial action causes wrath to slow down. Asking questions goes a long way. Often those who became very angry with my stands did not actually ask questions for my stand. Questions cause both sides to slow down and not assume anything, but rather, take in the opposing sides views. I can attest that I have learned MUCH through the years about others even in the most heated of arguments by asking questions.
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While it is true that standing against sin is love, it is equally true and important that you must stand against sin in love.