A letter to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette Voices Section, November 21, 2005, provided the subject for this lesson. The writer, an admitted homosexual, wrote, “Keep your teachings and religion to yourselves. We gays don’t need your prayers of hatred.” He went on to write, “Keep your morals and religious beliefs to yourselves." Obviously the writer is mired deeply in sin and refuses any help to extract himself from it. Hate as defined in the scriptures means implying active ill-will in words and conduct, a persecuting spirit. Obviously it is the opposite of God’s love. How can a prayer offered to help someone be called hate?

The attitude of the writer is much like that which is very prevalent concerning the Bible. When sin is exposed those who are practicing it as a way of life try to silence the messenger. (See the Persecuted Church)  It is very apparent that those who protest and try to silence Christians don’t want to understand the difference between love and hate. The gospel isn’t about hate. It is about love for those who don’t know God and about reminding them to not return to the old way of life from which they are saved.  

When Paul went to Mars Hill in Athens, he spoke in Acts 17:22 -23 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. [Acts 17:23] For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. He preached to them God and Jesus. He too was met with derision by some who heard but others listened and believed: Acts 17:32-34 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. [Acts 17:33] So Paul departed from among them. [Acts 17:34] Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.  If the foregoing was hate speech then Paul erred in his work. But he didn’t err; he preached because of his love for God and love for those who needed to hear the message.

Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:12-14, And when ye come into an house, salute it. [Mat 10:13] And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. [Mat 10:14] And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. The message from Jesus is clear. Once the gospel is preached and those who hear it refuse to obey, Jesus said don’t waste your time and leave them to their ways. And shake the dust from your feet means to not take anything they have with you. Jesus then said in Matthew 10:15, Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. Those who reject the gospel by their words and deeds have no one to blame but themselves when the day of final judgment arrives.

What about the letter writer wanting the prayers stopped? Jesus gave the answer but that doesn’t mean that one doesn’t quit loving those who are sin. God hasn’t; Jesus hasn’t; they both want them to repent as Paul wrote in Acts 17:30-31, And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: [Acts 17:31] Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. The letter writer has made his choice and the scripture has given him the truth. The choice of remaining in sin or following Jesus remains his.

© 12-08-2005 DEC