Have you ever been accused of one of the following: bullying, homophobia, bigotry or discrimination? These words are now frequently used in our society when someone disagrees with you about a moral issue! The context is usually where someone maintains a right to a certain view or lifestyle and then takes offence at being told they are wrong.
The above accusations are often used to defend the freedom to commit two serious sins in our society – freedom to experience sex in whatever way we choose (outside God’s intended context of marriage), and freedom to reject the gender that God has given us from conception. Today the big sin is to cause offence by pointing out that something is wrong. This is considered more offensive than doing wrong. In fact it is often considered to be hateful.
When words of accusation are directed against you, it can be painful! It is not nice to be criticised. Our first thought should rightly be a humble response of considering “Have I said something wrong? Was my response gracious? Should I apologise?”.
You might also hear a whisper in your ear “surely Christians are called to be tolerant”. Yes, we are called to love our enemies, including those with whom we disagree on important issues. We are to show spiritual concern and practical care for them despite the differences. But we are never to affirm the breaking of God’s laws [1] or encourage it in others [2]. Letting someone know that they are doing something wrong is to show them love not hatred.
You may have done nothing wrong; rather you may have done something very right. You may have tried to ‘speak the truth in love’ and so be a moral signpost to those around you. The cost of honouring God in this way may be rising fast. But the need is all the more urgent in a society that is now running away from God, the Bible and its moral authority.
- Revelations 2:20 “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practise sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.”
- Romans 1:32 “Though they know God’s decree that those who practise such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practise them.”