Hating sin but not the sinner

But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.

Show mercy towards those who have doubts; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and to others show mercy mixed with fear, but hate their very clothes, stained by their sinful lusts. (verses 20-23)

Read Jude 17-25

We can expect to find ourselves ridiculed for upholding the ‘old’ moral standards. We lament the attitude that gets rid of God and also humanity. But as we build ourselves up in our faith, what attitude should we take to the so-called post-modernists?

Jude urges us not to write them off but to engage in patient and understanding dialogue with them, without going soft on the gospel. It takes a big heart of wisdom to know when to affirm them and how to avoid deaf-eared dogmatism.

Holy Spirit, keep on making Jesus real to those seekers of spirituality who have little or no background in the faith. Grant me the wisdom to listen and to give room for questions, but also give me the words and the love to commend Jesus my Saviour. Amen.

by Paul Lohe, in ‘Assurance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2004)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.