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As many as I love...Part Two

Have you ever heard of the sin of Eli?

1Sa 3:13 "For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not."

Eli's sin wasn't in what he himself did, but it was simply in allowing and not restraining his sons from iniquity.

We are commanded the same in the New Testament...

2Ti 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

Tit 2:15 "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."

2Th 3:14 "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed."

1Co 5:9 "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."

In Revelations, Jesus says the same thing to the churches. He condemns them for nothing more than allowing unrepentant sinners to remain in their midst, in full fellowship...

Rev 2:14 "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thous also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. 16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

Rev 2:20 "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest (allow) that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

Even the Old Testament passage that Romans 10:8 is based on reiterates the fact that God's word is something that we must do...

Deu 30:11 "For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it."

Was that passage (and for that matter, was obedience to the Word) for the Old Testament Hebrews only?

Rom 11:20 "Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

Heb 12:14 "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"

1Jo 3:7 "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

Though we are often reminded (usually by the Biblically liberal!) that Jesus was often seen with sinners, most people do not at the same time remind that He also qualified His relationship with them-

Joh 8:11 "Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

Mat 9:10 "And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick (badly - physically or morally). 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but *sinners to repentance*."

Luk 8:21 "And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the Word of God, and do it."

Another thing Jesus did, through love, is that He cleared the temple of the moneychangers...

Mat 21:12 "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."

Over a dozen times Jesus called people hypocrites in front of everyone else! For example...

Mat 23:13 "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."

Mat 23:15 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."

Would you call these acts of His- "unconditional Love"?

I would.

Jam 5:19 "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

That is unconditional love.

Rebuke is not contrary to unconditional love. Withholding rebuke when it is appropriate is. That is where Eli erred, and was judged unrighteous by god for it- for withholding rebuke.

Like Jesus said-

Rev 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."