The Right Response To Those Who Are Wrong.

The Right Response To Those Who Are Wrong.
Of course, whoever does not agree with me is wrong. Right? Not necessarily. Right and wrong are not based on our point of view or our opinion or our decision. Don't get excited now, even you can be wrong about something. NOW FOR THE UNBELIEVABLE. Even I can be wrong about something. IN FACT, there have been many, many times that I have been wrong.

There are a number of reasons that we can be wrong, but that is not the point of this post. By the way, when we find out that we are wrong, we should correct ourselves and make it right with those we have wrongly informed or wrongly judged or wrongly treated. "Doubling down" on a mistake can make it a deliberate offense. A mistake or error is not necessarily a sin, but to justify and persist in a known error is double wrong, and if I allow it to cause strife with others, I am a three time loser.

"ANYWAY, BACK AT THE RANCH."

Q. So, what does determine what is right and wrong?
A. An absolute standard. (Which is why we are not the final authority.)

Of course, the the only absolute and perfect standard is God (found in the Holy Bible). Therefore we need to know what God says and what God means when He says it, and finally, what does God require and expect and enable us to think, say and do.

First, we are to discover God's will and way. We must know God intimately through His written revelation. This is why a strong Bible preacher/teacher is important.
Second, we must personally accept God's will and way for our own lives. This leads to faith, repentance, confession and obedience.

But is not enough that I turn from doing the overtly wicked thing; I must also be transformed by the power of God to do the right thing and to do it with the right attitude. If I "do the right thing" with a wrong attitude, I am guilty of pride, and therefore I am still doing the wrong thing.

Our world is becoming like the days of Lot. People are busy with everyday life, while the perversion of homosexuality is spreading. There are only a few countries that have officially accepted same gender marriage. Here is a list, from Pew Research Center, giving the countries that allow same sex marriage, and the year that it became legal. Notice that these are very influential countries. Also notice that this is a recent phenomena.

Argentina (2010)
England / Wales (2013)
Ireland (2015)
Portugal (2010)
United States (2015)
Belgium (2003)
Finland (2015)
Luxembourg (2014)
Scotland (2014)
Uruguay (2013)
Brazil (2013)
France (2013)
The Netherlands (2000)
South Africa (2006)
Canada (2005)
Greenland (2015)
New Zealand (2013)
Spain (2005)
Denmark (2012)
Iceland (2010)
Norway (2009)
Sweden (2009)

Now BHO is going around the world preaching the spread of homosexuality. With his appeal and our money, it will be difficult for countries to say no to this popular but perverted trend. However, God's word has always said, and it still says that homosexuality is wrong.

So, back to the original thought, what is the right response to those who are wrong?

WRONG CHOICES
We can learn from Lot. Lot made some wrong choices along the way.
He chose to take the rich lands that Abraham owned.
He settled near the wicked city of Sodom.
He moved into the city of Sodom.
He became a leading citizen of the community.
He allowed his daughters to marry into a wicked society.

However, Lot was considered by God to be a righteous man, at least toward the end of his life. Peter refers to Lot as a righteous man three times (2 Pe. 2:7-8). When God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He sent angels to deliver Lot and his family from the coming judgment. Lot was vexed with the wickedness of Sodom. Lot probably confronted the Sodomites about their wickedness.

BUT HIS HEART WAS RIGHT.
Though Lot made wrong choices concerning his position with Sodom, he did have a right disposition. Though Lot was vexed (sore displeased) with the sin of Sodom, he was not antagonistic or abusive with the people. It appears that "righteous Lot" had a compassion and a spiritual love for those wicked people.

A THIN LINE
We must be careful, as Christians, to keep a loving attitude for the sinners of our day, while hating their sin. We must accept people but not accept their sin. We should be vexed with their wickedness, but not with them. The Bible clearly tells us that Christians are to love all men and we are to love our enemies. We should not be blind to their evil ways, but we should not have hateful, vengeful responses to them.

God hates all sin and He hates the abomination of homosexuality. Still, He loves the sinner. Be careful of your attitude.