Love is complete acceptance?
There is something that greatly troubles me; love.
I don't mean love in the traditional sense of the word. I mean love in the new sense of the word; to show love is to show complete acceptance of someone. I must be accepting, supportive and fully embrace every aspect of that person to which I claim love. Love, it should be said first of all, is a second order thing. That is to say that there is something before the onset and choice to love. For instance, before I love something or someone I get to know and become aware of that something or someone. Love is not first order, I do not first love someone or something and then get to know that someone or something. We as people, it seems, have confused this important distinction.
There is an attitude quite a few Christians have adopted. This attitude states a couple of things. Firstly, we don't measure up to God's standards, why would we ever believe it our place to condemn or point out sin in the life of another person. Secondly, Christ died for us and (supposedly) met people where they were, why should we judge people? Thirdly, if we don't love - and by love I mean completely accept - those who are different from us then we're judging, unloving and condemning. I wonder, God certainly hasn't displayed the sort of love these people have in mind, would they protest the gates of Heaven?
Would these people approach the throne of God and in humble suggestion declare, 'might you possibly get rid of this sin business?' Well, isn't it the case that some of these people have already done that for God? In case it was a secret, Jesus didn't die for the world because God accepted everyone. Jesus died for the the world because God loved us while we were yet still sinners and while we were yet still sinners he rejected us as filthy and fit for Hell. In the minds of some of these people God forbid I articulate and express such a wretched view of humanity. It's the Biblical view of humanity. Wasn't it part of the ministry of Jesus to say I died for you... Now stop sinning! That involves rejection in some degree.
The mistake is viewing condemnation of sin as a personal proclamation of specific believer. Whether or not I 'meet God's standards' (which I myself will never meet). Whether or not I have sin in my life (and if I do I should repent of it immediately and leave it behind me). If I see another sinning, it just might need pointing out. If I see and experience someone pushing for the acceptance of an action that's considered sin, then out of love I must go against them. I don't condemn sin because I condemn it. I condemn sin because God condemns it. As they say, when we sin, we sin against God. Should we in that judge people according to our own standard? Absolutely not. Should people be judged according to the standard set by scripture? Absolutely. Jesus Christ may have died for you, he also condemned the action you're taking. In condemning the action you are or have been taking, He didn't completely accept you.
I wonder how many Christians actually stop to think about the views they express because when it comes to things like this, it doesn't seem they have. For in this concept of love, they've excluded God.
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