People often mistake love for acceptance and approval. They equate love with tolerance. They call people “unloving” or “un-Christ-like” when they criticize sinful behavior. True Bible believers are often scolded for their opposition to various sins and errors. They are often told by sin sympathizers, “But I thought you called yourself a Christian!” The implication being that one is not Christ-like if he identifies and condemns sin and error. Several misconceptions are evident, and need to be considered:
1. People obviously don’t understand the true nature of God. Since the days of Adam and Eve, God has always condemned sinful behavior. Christ regularly condemned sin, sinful attitudes and errors (see various places in Matthew chapters 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 & 28). If condemning sinful and wrong behavior is “un-Christ-like,” then Christ was also “un-Christ-like!” By condemning those who condemn sin, people also condemn God.
2. People misunderstand the nature of true love. True love “does not rejoice in iniquity” (1 Corinthians 13:6). True love involves and actually requires the rebuke of sin. If one truly loves his neighbor, as taught by God (Matthew 22:39), he will warn that neighbor about any conduct that will put his soul in eternal jeopardy. Jesus is our example and we are to follow Him (1 Peter 2:21; John 10:27; Ephesians 5:1-2). Jesus said, “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). Jesus had earlier condemned certain actions and attitudes of certain members of five of the seven churches of Asia (Revelation 2 & 3). In each case He identified their sin and warned them of its consequences. This is what Jesus called “love.” We should use the Lord’s definition of love and we should not be deterred by those who wish to criticize our criticisms.
3. The critic of the critic is actually a hypocrite. The Bible explicitly condemns hypocrisy (Matthew 7:1-5). If all forms of criticism are wrong, then they are wrong for all people, not just for Bible believers! If one truly believes that it is wrong for one to criticize behavior, then he should not criticize that one’s behavior.
4. People fail to consider the basis of honorable criticism. Bible believers condemn behavior on the basis of BIBLE teaching. God’s word is the standard by which sin is judged and rebuked. The word of God is the real critic of sin (Hebrews 4:12 — NOTE: the word “discerner” in this verse is from the Greek word “kritikos,” from which we get our words “critic, critique and criticize”). When God’s word is taught, sin is criticized, and we must make no apology for this process. Jesus said that we are judged by His WORD (John 12:48; see also Romans 2:16).
5. Those who are not “with” Christ are “against” Him (Matthew 12:30). There is no middle ground. By condemning God’s teachers, one sides with Satan and gives comfort to sinners (John 8:44; Romans 1:32).
Let us not be ashamed of the gospel nor of those who boldly proclaim it (2 Timothy 1:8; Romans 1:16).
—Tim Haile