Question of the Day: Calling Out Sin
Should Christians condemn sin in non-believers?
I am not talking about calling out sins within the Church, but outside the Church.
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Comments
I would point to the example of Amos. In chapter 1:3-chapter 2:3, he condemned six Gentile nations’ sin. Syria was condemned for its treatment of Gilead. Gaza and Tyre were condemned for selling an entire people to Edom as slaves. Edom was condemned for its attacks on Judah and Israel, killing God’s people. Moab was condemned because it desecrated the body of the king of Edom. It is pretty clear that these nations are being judged for sin.
The prophet Nahum was sent by God to preach on the destruction of Nineveh, Assyria’s primary capital. Many other of the prophets preached sermons on God’s judgment upon the Babylonians for their role in the destruction of Jerusalem and their wickedness (cf. Habakkuk 2).
Further more, in Acts 13, Paul pronounced judgment upon Elymas who was trying to interfere with his preaching of the gospel.
Also, if we couldn’t call out unbelievers on their sin, how could we call them to repent? Our evangelism has its legs cut out from beneath it. If they cannot see that they are condemned sinners and that their sin condemns them, then why would they want to trust in Jesus for forgiveness of sin?
I suppose it depends on what you mean by “condemn and calling out”
If you mean condemn as in express strong disapproval or to indicate strong disapproval of (from Dictionary.com), then yes! Absolutely! AMEN! I think that our country has adapted a mindset of tolerance in all things (it’s forced on us as citizens through school and in the mass media)and far to often we now no longer address sin as an offense against a Holy God for fear of offending someone - but yet we are tolerant of the sin around us and in us that is an offense to God! But if you are referring to the other descriptive definition of condemn - to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on….. then we are in trouble because we have elevated ourselves to the position of God (James 4:11-12) and we have taken the wrong approach to addressing sin and sinfulness in those from whom we have been called (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Referring to “calling out”, I’m not sure if you are referring to standing on a street corner and shouting at cars as they pass by (which I personally do not find to be a good representation of Christ or an efficacious means of evangelism) or if you are referring to simply identifying the sinfulness of those outside the body of Christ. The first (street corner) is not a good representation of Christian evangelism. It is an example, and one that had it’s place in days gone by (when foot traffic was heavy in towns). But if you are referring to simply having the love, compassion and fortitude in Christ to call sin what it is, an affront to the Holy God, then AMEN! Absolutely!
However, I also believe that it would terrible to not also address sin and sinfulness in within the church body. Accountability is something that every Christian needs and yet so many professing Christians are afraid of or simply avoid entering into discipling relationships with other Christians. And that would be a great topic for another post……..I’ll throw it up on my site and see what folks think about why we shy away from accountability.
Thanks, great question.
Blessings,
Cg
the genocide in Sudan doesn’t have to be done by Christians for us to condemn it on God’s authority, and mobilize for action against it.
Condeming genocide is different than condemning sin.
I understand the original question as this: should we go up to our gay next door neighbor and tell them they are sinning and need to stop.
That is just a bit different than saying, “Brutally killing an entire group of people is wrong.”
Calling out sin from outsiders…no
Teaching the body of Christ to care for those in Sudan…yes
teaching the body of Christ that murder is wrong…yes
Taking an active role to promote the end of genocide …yes
Condemning those who kill, or are gay…never.
God is judge not us.
I tend to see three different groups for those who may be considered outside the Church.
The first group is the masses who are not Christian. There is not much said in the New Testament directly to these people, except that Christians should not copy how they act. In fact their behavior, while it may be sinful, is used more as a contrast on how not to act as a Christian. Galatians 5:16-26 is a good example of the contrast of Christian behavior and non-Christian behavior.
The second group is the penitent unbelivers. Perhaps a better term for those, and a more modern one, is seekers. People who want something better in their life but they are unsure how or where to find it. A good example of this is in John 4 where Jesus talks to Samaritan woman. While he confronts her about her sins, he does not condemn her but gives her something better to believe in.
Lastly, there are those who claim to be following God, the same God as Christians believe in not just any god, but don’t. This seems to be the group that Jesus had the most problems with. A good account of what Jesus thought of people like this is in Matthew 23 and Luke 11. These people give the impression of following God, yet in all actuality they cause people to never truly know God.
Charlie, Dave, Casey, Andy, all have hit upon my position on this matter. I would not dare not call a sin a sin when it is a sin. However, that does not mean I actively seek out condemning it in people’s lives. First of all, I am not worth to judge anyone, lest not I be judged. Charlie, I was explicit to ask the question of those outside the Church, because I think that the early Church made it quite clear that there is to be discipline within the Church and that inherently involves calling out bad behaviors.
Good answers, I’d give my own, but you all have pretty much covered it!
That’s a pretty easy one. The Spirit convicts the world of guilt, with regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Spirit works through the people of God.
Aka, the genocide in Sudan doesn’t have to be done by Christians for us to condemn it on God’s authority, and mobilize for action against it.