Loving Others: Devotions From Time Of GraceSample

My brother is sinning

What do you do when someone you’re close to is living what you know from God’s Word to be a sinful lifestyle? A grandparent says, “My grandson has moved in with his girlfriend. How can I talk about this without driving him away?”

You do this by remembering that you have two messages. One is a message of unconditional love, a love that is not based on the person’s performance but on your decision to love. The second is to pass on God’s truth from his Word. These messages might seem to contradict each other, but they simply reflect the very nature of God himself. At Moses’ request, God on one occasion moved past him and solemnly explained who he was: “He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished’” (Exodus 34:6,7).

Does that sound like a contradiction? Forgiving sin and punishing sin? Only in Christ does it make sense. Our message to loved ones who are sinning is that same double message: God loves you and I love you, but God does not approve of your choices right now and will not bless your life.

Let’s talk.