Jesus warns us to watch out for false teachers, and we must especially watch those who distort the scripture to suit their own purposes. One of the distortions of Scripture that has caused much confusion to Christians is love which no longer confronts sinners of their sins. The failure to speak the truth in love in confronting sin has led to the church losing her authority as a witness in this world. In fact, the unbelievers are pointing their fingers and laughing at the church for the sins that are prevalent in her. We talk about love and compassion while ignoring the fact that God is also a holy and just God who judges sinners for their sins. In our evangelism, we stress that God loves us and wants to bless us but omit the need to repent of our sin first before we can receive salvation. This half-truth of God and His love leads to the toleration of sinful things that were once considered evil by Christians such as the legalization of marijuana, same-sex marriage, planned-parenthood, euthanasia (mercy-killing), and other sinful activities.

Thus in the name of love, they can make excuses for others or keep quiet about the sins they have committed as though nothing has happened. They may even quote Matthew 18:22, “I tell you, [forgive] not seven times, but seventy-seven times” without talking to the person about what he or she had done; and fail to practice what Jesus taught in Mathew 5:15-7, “If your brother sins against you go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a Tax collector.” The Apostles’ teachings in their writings are also consistent with Jesus’ teachings. Paul in particular taught that when someone sins, those who are spiritually mature are to correct the person gently. Notice, He still said to correct them, not keep quiet or make excuses for them.

However, it is important to remember that in correction, it is not our job to judge or condemn the person. Our responsibility as a fellow brother or sister in the family of God is to point out their sins to them with the hope of seeing their relationship restored with God and others. But, if they refuse to repent, Paul instructs the church to exercise her authority to discipline them, and even to excommunicate them from the body of Christ. This is because love does not mean covering or ignoring sin. Forbearance does not equal ignoring a person’s sin especially when he or she does not show any effort to change their sinful behaviors. In fact, Solomon says in Proverbs 18:5, “It is not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent.” The God of love is also a righteous and holy God who does not delight in evil but condemns sin. It is erroneous to think that love means forbearing sin and sinners without addressing their problems. We read in the Old Testament of how God dealt with the Israelites. There came a time when His forbearance ran out and He judges them. Jesus clearly showed no toleration with the hypocrisy and sin of the Pharisees.

In his Gospel, Luke describes Jesus as a man “full of grace and full of truth”. It shows the practice of grace cannot be at the expense of truth. There must a balance between the two. In Micah 6:8, the prophet Micah says that the Lord requires us to act justly and to love mercy as well as walk humbly. Justice, mercy and humility are in tandem and not exclusive on their own or overemphasizing one in destroying the other.

The majority of books about parenting in the 90s emphasize building our children’s self-esteem to the point of not correcting their mistakes or wrongful behaviors. The writers, the so-called experts, teach parents to love their children unconditionally by only affirming the positives. They tell us to give them plenty of praise and compliments because it is their belief that in doing so we will build a healthy self-esteem in them. Especially, since we live in a highly competitive world that causes them to have a low self-esteem. However, twenty years later, the sociologists and educational researchers finally came to the conclusion that the result is wrong and even destructive. They acknowledged that they have helped breed a generation that is largely self-centered and more narcissistic than any previous generation. The implications are great not just for the family but also to society at large. There is now a movement to reverse the problem by reintroducing discipline in parenting.

Has the church learned from this? Is she still practicing such “parenting” ideas that sociologists and educational research had found to be wrong? Sadly, she has not as sins continue not to be addressed or confronted! In fact, sin is thriving and very much prevalent in her midst. God’s love cannot be taken out of the totality of what the scripture has revealed to us about His nature just to suit our own reasons and purposes. Will the church wake up from speaking in half-truths?

Revelations 2:2-5 says, “I know your deeds, your hard work and perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you tested those who claim to be apostles but not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” May God have mercy upon us to heed His warning and to quickly repent from whatever area we have failed Him so that our lampstand will not be removed!