Our text for this week is Ephesians 5:5-8:
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Therefore do not be partakers with them;
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light
There have been many in every generation who try to deceive with “empty words” that God is love, and since He loves everyone He really will not exclude those who have such “problems” from the kingdom. “Empty words” are those that have their origin in man rather than the Word of God.
We can be absolutely sure that immorality, impurity, covetous, and idolatry will disqualify us from the kingdom of God. It is for these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the world, and if we are living by them we can count on His wrath coming upon us as well. In fact, this is why His judgment begins with His own people as we read in I Peter 4:17:
I have a number of friends like Reggie White who have paid a high price for standing for biblical truth in relation to God’s condemnation of things like homosexuality. Its interesting that such are usually branded “hate mongers” when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. No one loves homosexuals more than those who are willing to tell them the truth, warning them of the wrath of God that is certainly coming upon those who practice such things, not to mention the tragic consequences of the behavior itself. In fact, it seems that there is no people group that is more filled with hate and intolerance than the homosexual community who are demanding tolerance and understanding from everyone else.
The truth is God loves every homosexual, and because He loves them and everyone else, His wrath is coming upon the earth for such things. However, it is hypocritical for us to rage against homosexuality if we are caught in immorality or even “impurity,” which will also disqualify us from the kingdom of God. The answer is not for the church to stop warning about the consequences to those who are practicing these sins, but for us to get free of the sins that so easily entangles us. Then we will be able to warn from a position that is true and honest, and therefore can be endorsed by the Spirit of Truth who will bring conviction of the sin.
We should also keep in mind that none of us are without sin, so none of us should be casting stones at others. Warnings should not be cast in such a way that they cause further injury such as stones do. We should be giving straightforward, biblically based warnings, that are also from the Bible’s foundation of love, not hatred, for those who are in bondage.
Christians should also be the first to stand up against gay bashing or physical attacks of anyone for such things. These are sins for which one must be removed from the church according to the pattern given in Matthew 18, but must not be done by casting stones or insults at them. This biblical procedure should be done righteously—not with hate or the “wrath of man,” but rather in genuine sorrow at the separation from a brother or sister who has fallen into the snare of the evil one. As we are exhorted in James 1:19-20:
for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
It is more than a cliché that we must love the sinner but hate the sin. We must love the sinner enough to tell them the truth of God’s Word, not the humanistic philosophies that are rooted in the unsanctified mercy of fallen human nature. Unsanctified mercy can be as damning and damaging as the cruelty of self-righteousness.