“Love the sinner, hate the sin.”
This cliché is used quite frequently in Christian circles today as justification for loving people regardless of their sins or lifestyles. After all, God is a God of love and yet He also detests sin. However you feel about this saying, it is not in the Bible.
It goes along the same thread as “judge not lest you be judged”, a verse that we’ll cover on another day. Love ‘em all and let God sort it out in the end since He’s the only one who knows who is saved or not.
Today’s statement basically appeared in Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi’s autobiography in 1929, but it didn’t originate with him. It actually goes all the way back to Augustine who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries. One of his letters (211) contained a Latin phrase which translated, “With love for men and hatred for sin.”
Let’s say that I had a friend who is cheating on his wife. How is it love to knowingly allow him no accountability over his sin? Am I not responsible for telling or reminding him what the Bible says? In this current day and age we have equated blind acceptance as Christian love. So, if I apply this statement to the situation, do I stay silent? I don’t think so.
Conversely, such a phrase can also tempt you to eventually hate the sinner because you already hate what they’re doing. Your distaste for them grows as you witness ongoing unrepentant behavior.
You know what’s best? Don’t allow a non-Biblical phrase to guide how you deal with people.
Let’s focus on Paul’s words on how we should love:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
