The Dividing Line

“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9, NIV 1984). 

My Musings – It used to be easier. We knew what to hate and what to cling to.  But the present culture would have us believe that there is no hard dividing line between the two.  Only an ever expanding grey area that is hard to define.  Or that depends upon the situation (could be black or could be white, it depends). And it gets worse.  The world would also have us believe that we cannot separate the evil that we hate, from the person doing the evil.  Thus if you hate the evil you hate the person.  You’re cancelled, or worse. 

This is what makes God’s Word so important, at least to the believer.  There is no grayness.  When Jesus came, He clarified that hard dividing line between the two, making it even finer (“You have heard it said…but I say to you…”).   We must not compromise God’s standards of good and evil, right and wrong.  At the same time, we must not lend credibility to the world’s claim, that by hating the sin we therefore must hate the sinner. 

My Advice – Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (sinners).  We must not shun them.  We “speak the truth [hate what is evil] in love [cling to what is good].” 

Inspired by Pastor Nate Miller’s sermon, August 15, 2021.

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Author: thebrewisamusing

I was raised in a Christian family and my earliest childhood memories include regular Sunday school and Church attendance as a family. I was taught that our Judeo-Christian values were not just a part of our Sunday routine they should be part of our character and influence all aspects of our lives. I was also taught that as important as these values were they could not save us. We must also be “born again” by accepting Christ. View all posts by thebrewisamusing