How can love condemn others?
Introduction. Never in my personal life have I witnessed a time when a subject as wonderful as love has been so misunderstood and perverted.
What true love actually is. Beloved, true love is not simply a warm feeling, an unintelligent sensation or an inactive emotion. Not a few think love covers and results in people doing their own thing, disobeying God (to obey is legalism, in their thinking) and even indulging the lust of the flesh - just as long as they are tolerant of others and do not condemn them. One word rendered love is agape. Mr. Vine comments that "Christian love has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments (John 14: 15, 21; 1 John 5: 3)...love seeks the welfare of all..." (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words).
Love involves pointing out wrong. The apostle Paul enjoins, "But speaking the truth in love.." (Eph. 4: 15). Paul practiced speaking the truth in love. Since love seeks the best for others, when others are wrong they must be told. Hence, Paul rebuked Elymas, "...full of all subtlety and mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13: 6-10). According to John, "this is the love of God that we keep His commandments..." (1 John 5: 3). God's commandments entail exposing sin and error (Eph. 5: 10, 11; cf. Ezek. 3: 18-21).
We are not to officially condemn as a judge. Jesus shall be the judge of all men (2 Cor. 5: 10; Jas. 4: 11, 12). However, Christians are commanded to take God's word and apply it to the known circumstances (Eph. 5: 11).
Conclusion. In view of the Scriptures, the question should be, how can love not "condemn" sin and wrong doing?
What true love actually is. Beloved, true love is not simply a warm feeling, an unintelligent sensation or an inactive emotion. Not a few think love covers and results in people doing their own thing, disobeying God (to obey is legalism, in their thinking) and even indulging the lust of the flesh - just as long as they are tolerant of others and do not condemn them. One word rendered love is agape. Mr. Vine comments that "Christian love has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments (John 14: 15, 21; 1 John 5: 3)...love seeks the welfare of all..." (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words).
Love involves pointing out wrong. The apostle Paul enjoins, "But speaking the truth in love.." (Eph. 4: 15). Paul practiced speaking the truth in love. Since love seeks the best for others, when others are wrong they must be told. Hence, Paul rebuked Elymas, "...full of all subtlety and mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13: 6-10). According to John, "this is the love of God that we keep His commandments..." (1 John 5: 3). God's commandments entail exposing sin and error (Eph. 5: 10, 11; cf. Ezek. 3: 18-21).
We are not to officially condemn as a judge. Jesus shall be the judge of all men (2 Cor. 5: 10; Jas. 4: 11, 12). However, Christians are commanded to take God's word and apply it to the known circumstances (Eph. 5: 11).
Conclusion. In view of the Scriptures, the question should be, how can love not "condemn" sin and wrong doing?