Neutrality
This is the kind of note that could cost me some friends, and I'm ok with that. As a Christian, I have to realize that I'm at war, and war doesn't serve well as a means of keeping all your friends anyway.
It is no secret that I stand strongly on many issues, political, moral, and otherwise. When confronted about my strong stances on many of these issues, the challenge often is, "it's their life, their choice. Leave them alone! It doesn't affect you anyway!" Again, this is a generic response to multiple issues, particularly ones that I'm against. Ultimately, however, I'm only against one issue, and that issue is sin. Because of that fact, the challenge presented is entirely untrue.
I am the vessel of the Holy Spirit of God. Sin grieves the heart of God, and therefore also grieves His Spirit living within me, and my spirit along with His. Because of this mutual grieving, I cannot, will not, and should not be expected to back down on these stances, nor should anyone else who claims to be the Holy Spirit's vessel!
My calling is sure. I have been set apart by God, anointed and appointed by Him to be His messenger, a minister to various congregations and peoples. My calling is to love - first of all, to love Him, and ultimately, I could stop right there and still be accurate. To truly love God means to love what He loves and to hate what He hates. This takes care of the second greatest command, as God's undying love for humanity must become my undying love for humanity, or I have already failed my calling to love Him. This also means that I will hate sin, and not just the simple hate that speaks that word and pays no attention to it from then on. I am to passionately hate sin, to despise it so much that I want to see it completely dead, annihilated, and non-existent! I am to long for its extinction not only from myself but also from everyone else around me!
Sin is destruction. Sin is the complete opposite of what God had planned for people from the beginning. Sin is the cause of all death in the world, and so only by its death does anyone truly experience life! Because of this truth, I can do no other than to take as strong a stand against sin as God empowers me to do. No backing down. No turning away. No compromises.
The book of Revelation warns about a beast whose lies will be so convincing that he will be able to sway even God's own people if at all possible. I don't know if that beast has come yet or not, but there is a mentality that is sweeping the world, including many of God's own people. That mentality is neutrality. It is the mentality that we can love people by dismissing their sin entirely. This isn't right and should never have been considered as such. Unfortunately, I have seen it in many people who claim to be God's people. This must be made clear - neutrality is not neutral at all. Indifference towards sin is surrender to the power of sin. Neutrality helps no one. The time is now to choose a side.
To everyone who reads this, please know that I love you. I love you immensely, in a way that I can only love through the power of the Holy Spirit of God. If there is sin in your life, I hate it. with every fiber of my being, I hate your sin. I hate my sin. I hate all sin throughout the history of humanity. I beg you, if there is sin in your life, work with God and do whatever it takes to get rid of it. If you have been neutral to any sin, work with God and do whatever it takes to stand firmly against it. If you are standing against sin with all your might, work with God and do whatever it takes to stand firm constantly, to stand stronger every day, and to not back down. God is life and love. Sin is death and hatred. There is no middle ground. I urge you all, with all there is within me, choose God and stand strong!
Comments
Post a Comment