What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Paul drew a clear distinction between our behaviour toward the immoral people inside and outside the church. We must associate with those outside the church. Christ called us to love sinners, not judge them.
Outside the church. Many years after my parents divorced, a woman moved in with my father. I continued my previous close relationship with my dad and began to befriend his new roommate. My mother complained, "Isn't visiting him just condoning the relationship?" But I explained that he knew very well I did not approve of his sin. However, I could not expect to be a good influence if I stopped loving him. If I cut off our relationship, I would have no chance to demonstrate the love of Christ.
Consider your own condition before believing in Christ. Perhaps you did not participate in any gross immoralities. Yet what if no Christian had cared for you due to your faults? How would you ever have heard about Christ?
Take for example a coworker who is homosexual. We'll call him Scott. If you project a condemning attitude toward homosexuality, Scott will never listen to your words of witness. However, if you love Scott as a person as God does, you may help him gain Christ. You may have an opportunity to share with him that you believe homosexuality to be immoral, but be sure your comments fall on friendship, and they may be heard.
We can't expect people without Christ to live by biblical morals. Many people seem to manage, but without the Holy Spirit, biblical principles prove difficult to follow. Our concern should be that our unbelieving friends find Christ, then the morality should follow. Trying to change a person's homosexual, drug, or drinking habits, or other such drastic life changes often requires the redeeming action of Christ. Don't expect the change to come before the conversion.
When Values Collide
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