20 May Get Comfortable With The Uncomfortable

When it comes to sin, Christians are taking one of two positions. We’re either standing in conviction or we’re compromising the truth and becoming progressive in our thinking about faith in Jesus Christ. People will tell us, “Oh, well, that’s not *loving* to take such a hard stand on things… to call something a *sin.* You need to be more accepting. You need to speak the truth in love.”⠀
⠀
Oh, we hear that all the time… this emphasis on *love*. Ephesians 4:15 (speaking the truth in love) is one of the most misused and misunderstood verses in Scripture. Let me tell you something: We can love people straight to hell. I’m serious! We can compromise the word of God—even just a little, and render it not true at all. And when we feed this compromised version to people—to make them feel good about themselves, to justify what they think and what they feel and what they personally believe— it does not help them.⠀
⠀
It certainly may be a more comfortable message for us to deliver and for them to receive, but it does not help them. Not speaking the truth only harms people, because it’s not absolute Truth.⠀
⠀
You guys, we’ve got to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, with living in the uncomfortable tension of speaking what is True. Talking about sin is uncomfortable. Going against the mainstream culture is uncomfortable. Nevertheless, we’ve got to live with eternity in mind—look to Jesus, stand on the Truth of God’s Word, don’t wink at sin, but call it for what it is in the most loving and caring way possible. This is *not* about becoming “church police.” This is about getting serious about God, serious about holiness, serious about sin, and serious about the salvation that only Jesus can give. So, we’ve got to read and study and know the Word of God so that we can recognize truth and error—first, in our own lives and then let God’s Truth deal with our heart.⠀
⠀
Want to know how? Catch up on “How to Stand Firm in Your Faith” Season 5 of the #lifeonlifepodcast at http://punkytolson.com/podcast.⠀
⠀
I love y’all!⠀
xo – P♥️⠀