Worth Repeating - July 10, 2017

Ephesians 5: 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (NIV)

Jesus didn’t yell at lost people. He ate with lost people.*

A couple of women I know just got married. To each other. I totally disapprove of same-sex marriage, but I happen to like these women and actually respect them for their community involvement and for their 20+ years of being faithful to each other. I did not attend their wedding (I wasn’t invited, by the way) nor will they be getting a card or a gift from me. But, in light of this verse, can I still be friends with them?

There are passages of scripture which clearly teach us to shun so-called believers who are openly living a disobedient lifestyle, the objective of which is to bring them to repentance and thus back into fellowship. Unbelievers, on the other hand, can’t be avoided if we are to lead them to Christ.

I think we can agree then that Paul isn’t telling us not to associate with sinners, but that we should not become involved in their sinful activities. But what does he expect from us when he tells us to expose their “fruitless deeds of darkness”? How does that apply to my friendship with the lesbian couple? Will God be glorified if I loudly announce to them and the world that I think their relationship is an abomination? Is there any chance that they will then want to know more about Jesus – who never treated anyone that way? (Jesus was confrontational but not unkind!)

The word “expose” makes me think of flipping over a rock and seeing the slithery, slimy things underneath. And those slimy things are a good analogy for sin. But exposing sin doesn’t have to be such a repulsive endeavor. We can look at it in terms of uncovering the sin – which cannot be effectively accomplished without having a relationship with the sinner. Take advantage of those teachable moments when you are given the chance to share your beliefs and worldview – without being shrill. Shine a light on the sin by the contrast between your lifestyle and that of the sinner.

And be prepared to fail and to lose friends. No matter how lovingly and eloquently you expose the sin, you will not always be well-received by the sinner. Neither was Jesus. 

Failure in evangelism is to be expected. Not everyone will see the point.*