Loving Your Captors?

“We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” (Jer 51:9 AV)

Even in their captivity, Israel had compassion, trying to influence their captors for the glory of God.  It took a bit.  It took losing all they had and the ensuing humility that followed to rearrange their priorities.  No longer were they like their neighbors, wishing to emulate them.  Now, being held captive by them and being reduced to nothing, they were humbled to the point of wanting to influence their captors with the truth of God’s law and word.

There is a part of us that resents the world in which we live.  We are persecuted to some extent.  Some by just a little.  Others by much.  The world seeks to control, manipulate, and destroy the people of God.  They do so because our mere existence is a tool of conviction upon their wicked hearts, encouraging them to repent of their sin and turn to Christ.  We don’t have to say a word.  The same gender crowd is evidence of this.  They are not content in controlling the public sector.  Eventually, they wish to turn the truth of the word of God into a crime.  They wish to silence any and all voices, no matter where they might be (including the church) who may condemn their life-style.  Yet, how do we react?

I disagree wholeheartedly with the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention who stated the believer must love the homosexual more than he does his convictions against such behavior.  It is evil because God says it is.  Not because I believe it.  When push comes to shove, we must love the LORD and His truth before any one who might be lost.  His statement is misguided at best and heretical at worst.  I pity those who buy this line of thinking.  However, that doesn’t mean we cannot have compassion on those who are separated from God by their sin.  We should attempt to reach them with the gospel of Christ no matter how antagonistic they may be towards the LORD and us.  However, it must be done without compromising our passion for God’s truth!  Compassion with passion!