God's love for us is not based on our performance.
Our love for others is not based on performance.
Those who do not love God and bring nothing but trouble into the lives of believers must be put out, but that does not mean we do not love them. In fact putting them out may cause them to rethink their life and turn to Christ, the greatest love of all, is to help them through discipline.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 "…12 What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”"
Our love does not end nor is it a manipulation just because someone will not act properly and must be avoided. Our love extends beyond "friendship" to "discipline" that might bring them to a realization that they need to trust Christ.
If you have a neighbor who claimed to be a Christian but remains continually in sin, then the Bible tells us to stay away from them. However if our enemy is in dire distress and grave danger we would rush to their aid no matter how they act. The good Samaritan didn't interview the man laying in the ditch having been beaten, he simply assisted him, paying a bill at the inn to make sure of his safety until he was well. Then the Samaritan went on his way.
This is the principle behind the the doctors creed, "do no harm to anyone" and save anyone's life is it is within their power to do so, even an evil man.
It is not the job of the Christian to excuse sin nor is it the job of the Christian to execute justice on a wicked man, that is for the governing authorities and God. However we are told not to become a close friend with those who act badly and are unrepentant.
There is a misunderstanding in the world today that says that we never leave someone no matter how wicked they are, this is wrong according to God's Word.
To remain with wicked people hoping we will be the influence in their life that makes the difference is playing god ourselves. It is arrogance, false guilt and often enabling.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…
Proverbs 24:1 "1 Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; 2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.…"
Jeremiah 17:23
"Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction."
Walking away from a wicked man, leaving them to God is mandated by God.
1 Corinthians 5:5
5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
If we love those who are in rebellion we will let go of them, we will get out of the way so God can work on them. He knows best what their need is and the condition of their heart.
Wicked people will keep believers jumping through hoops endlessly deterring them from the job God has for them. We also enable the wicked man by remaining with them.
Ephesians 5:11
"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."
Ephesians 5:6-8 "6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,…"
Proverbs 13:19-21 "…19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but turning from evil is detestable to fools. 20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous."
God's love is not the gooy human version based on feelings it is far deeper and much more productive.
If a friend of a man in the wilderness has a limb fall on him from a tree and lodge in his leg, the man must do the hard thing no matter how much it will hurt the friend or what the friend feels about it. He must extract the limb from his friends leg no matter how much pain it will cause.
When we refuse to tell the truth to help our friends who are in sin and spiritual darkness we are messaging our feelings and the feelings of the one who sins, enabling them, even helping them to continue in the thing that will destroy them.
Spiritual injury caused by sin must be dealt with no matter how much emotional pain it may cause. Physical and emotional pain has the uncanny ability to spiritually grow a human being from infancy to maturity. All hardship grows people if we allow it to teach us. There are those who refuse help, these people do not grow or change into anything better and must be left alone in their sin. God knows what to do with them.
If the man in the wilderness would not remove the limb from his friends leg because he was afraid the man may lose his leg or die of gangrene for lack of help. The pain is worth it to save a life. This is the truth about sharing the gospel to unbelievers and truth to stubborn believers. We can only share truth, what the hearer does with it is up to God. When we realize someone is not listening then it is time to move on to others who might.
Matthew 10:14 "“And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet."
When "feelings" are the basis for our actions we will be useless in the work of Christ. It is unpleasant at times to have to let go of a loved one. Often we are judged by less spiritual people who do not understand the love of God and His principles. Leave the reactions of onlookers to Christ and keep moving.
Our world is full of emotionally charged people who help sinful people remain happily in their sin leading down the road to destruction simply to allow everyone to have happy "feelings." The devil uses feelings more than any other medium these days to distract people from the truth. He uses them to debilitate tongues into stagnation that should be moving.
1 John 3:18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
If we love with the love of Christ truth will be more important to us than what others might think of us.
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