We Do No Favors

We Do No Favors 

by David Brenneman 

"and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.

‭‭"Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3:7-8.

"However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?  For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.  And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.  Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble." 1 Corinthians 8:4-13.

We do the unbelieving no favors by living a life the says their evil deeds are ok.  The Scriptures are replete with admonitions by the Lord Jesus Christ to turn from evil. 

We live in a world these days that tries to "cancel" people who do not affirm their sinful lifestyle.  Some go as far as to teach that we're not building trust with them by not affirming their choices. 

We are indeed to hate the sin and not the sinner.  We're doing people no favors by remaining silent about the truths of God's word concerning sin, it's consequences, and what the future holds for those who refuse to turn to the living hope found only in a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

Some, and I am experiencing this, are being told it's a requirement to affirm someone's new status in life or its being disrespectful.

Hmm.  When, not if, when they stand before Jesus, they will NOT be addressed by whatever they call themselves now.  They will be called by their true and proper name from birth.  

We do not have any right to perpetuate sin in someone's life. 

We certainly should never go down a road where we are intentionally sinning by calling someone what they are not, then having to return to Jesus to ask for forgiveness. 

We are to be living lives that are lived in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.  They're not going to glorify our Father in Heaven if we're telling people that the sin they are choosing to live in is ok with God.  

People are pouring into Hell every moment of every single day.  That's a truth that cannot be denied.  

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14.

Physical changes done to a physical body will never change the spirit, the soul, as brought about by our Creator God.  

Jesus's admonition to many were to go and what?  Sin no more.

A practiced sin as Paul wrote in Romans was one that people were intentionally engaging in. One where they knew the ordinances of God and chose the sin anyway. They chose all the consequences that go with intentionally embracing sin.  To be forced to intentionally sin by lying through my teeth to someone for fear of being reprimanded or even fired is appalling. 

As a shirt I own says "I would rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God".

It's extremely doubtful that any Believer will be commended for how well they lived a life that helped the unbelieving embrace their sinful lifestyle. 

We turned from sin to a living hope in Christ Jesus to be saved by Him. To live a life that honors Him for His sacrifice on the cross.  

If people get offended by Jesus...and the Bible says they are going to...then that's how it will be for me.  

We are not doing those on the fast track to Hell any favors by not telling them where they are headed if they don't change their ways. 

It's a tightrope in this modern world. 

My prayer is for those whom I know to turn from what they are choosing to do to themselves to the living hope found only in salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  Even if it means destroying their plans and schemes to do so.  What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  What will he give in exchange for his soul?

Pray for this fallen world. 

Pray for those whom you WILL encounter whom are certainly among the lost of this world. 

I do not have anger towards those who are choosing so hard to deny the truth of God's word concerning themselves.  I have profound sadness that they are choosing to deny the love of God in Christ Jesus  that's willing and ready to set them free.

Pray for yourselves to be protected and prepared to deal with people. 

The Bible says to beware of those who call good evil and evil as good.

We have lawmakers who are writing legislation that makes standing on the Word of God illegal. 

Pray for our lawmakers, our leaders, our representatives.  The Bible says to do that as well. 

The thing about being a light is it reveals all the grime, dirt, dust, the ugliness of what was once hidden in the darkness.  It's a truth revealer. 

In the book of John it's written that people loved the darkness rather than the light...for their deeds were evil. 

Pray up before going out into this world.  Put on the whole armor of God. You're stepping into enemy occupied territory...not Disneyland. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.