Simple Distinctions

Read: Romans 12

Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Romans 12:9

IN WORD

There have been times when Christians have rejected good words, deeds, or policies because they come from someone who isn’t “in the faith.” Conversely, there have been times when we accept what is wrong simply because it came from someone we accept as “one of us.” For example, what does it say about us when we reject justice for the oppressed because it might be part of some deceptive “social gospel,” or loathe rainbows because they have come to represent political movements and social agendas—all while God says He blessed us with the rainbow and repeatedly stresses the need for justice in His Word? What does it say about us when we embrace the Golden Rule coming out of a Christian’s mouth and attack it coming out of a non-Christian’s? Truth is truth, isn’t it? It’s true that the source and purpose of a word or action matter. But it’s also true that good is good and evil is evil. And we get them confused often. The result is a serious loss of credibility among the watching world.

Paul gives us really simple instructions: Hate what is wrong; hold on to what is good. Our job is to do what God has told us in Scripture, regardless of whether other movements and agendas take up or let go of the same things. We don’t measure ourselves by what others do or think. We don’t need to compete for moral positions in some fabricated arena of Kingdom politics. We simply need to love good and hate evil.

IN DEED

Don’t let the agendas of others twist you into positions you wouldn’t take simply by loving God and embracing His values and purposes. Keep it simple. Honor what is good indiscriminately, whether it comes from a believer or not. And reject what is evil, whether it comes out of an unbeliever or not. Our spiritual uprising needs to have a clear vision of what the Kingdom looks like. We need to bless others without reservation. We need to be known for everything that is good and for nothing that is wrong.

ADDITIONAL READING: Psalm 34:11-16

We cannot love good if we do not hate evil.

JEROME