Walking In Love In These Times

Walking in Love in These Times

Pastor Eric J. Hanson: July 10, 2022

There is a right way for committed Christians to approach those who stand against the things that we stand for. Jesus addressed such matters in the Gospels. Paul and others walked these things out, in the midst of opposition. There are two things that we are always called to do in the arena of engagement with the World. They are (1) to always stand for God’s unchanging truth in each arena of life, and (2) to approach others with the Lord’s own love for them living in our hearts.

Both of these aims require the Lord’s own life as our power source. We cannot faithfully and accurately do these things in our own strength or wisdom. These are some things that I have been wrestling with for some months, in my own life. It is a real battle in these times. Let’s look at some relevant Scriptures now.

Matthew 5:43: You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.…

Luke 6:27: But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Proverbs 25:21: If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.… (explain about the coals)

Repeated and expanded by Paul in Romans…

Romans 12: 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.…

Romans 12 also instructs us: 13 Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.…

I must say clearly today that this means that we must not curse them out. We must not scream angry words at them. We must not demean them, because they are men and women whom Jesus died for, and we are to faithfully represent Him before them by our lives. We are to always speak the truth when engaged with them about matters of sin, matters of right and wrong; but we must always do so in love. God hates the sin. We too must hate the sin. He loves the person who is captive to sin, and we must also love that person. We cannot be wrathful toward these people. James clearly states why this is so: 1:20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

The keys to actually living like this

These instructions from God, require that we die to self, be empowered with the Lord’s own life, and walk in obedience to God. Lots of times, at water baptisms, we like to quote or paraphrase Romans 6:4. When I was attending Waynedale Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, old pastor Kemp and a couple of the deacons would often baptize people in the baptismal tank after church, because that church was in a season of rapid growth, and about once each month, there would be several new converts to baptize.

He would always ask them if they had received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. If they answered in the affirmative, he would then quickly baptize them while saying, in his strong Tennessee accent; “Buried with Christ; Raised to walk in newness of life”.

This is not just a saying. The words in Romans 6 that it is based on are key truth for being ABLE to walk out the Lord’s commands. Let’s now read and consider a key passage in Galatians 2. 19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.…