“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.” (Matt. 23:13)
The best thing to do sometimes is just to offer a form of an apology similar to, “I did not mean to seem too forward, it’s just that I have full assurance through the truths of the Word of God what happens to those who deny the Lord Jesus Christ when they die.”
But at other times a more forceful approach may be required.
For some reason I have not been able to fully fathom, nearly every person that I have ever met whom I honestly believe to be hid in Christ has a great aversion towards speaking bluntly to those who adhere to false religious doctrines. Being polite to those to whom the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was not sufficient for their salvation seems to be more important to them than calling them out for what they are, just like our Savior did.
Can love override truth? Does love ever say “Well, I guess we will just have to agree to disagree?”
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Eph. 4:15)
What is especially interesting to me is that these I speak of want nothing more than to be Christlike, but not in certain areas.
This does not encompass all of course, but many times when I have related the falsehoods of the Romans Catholic ideologies to those who adhere to them, offering them the truths of the Word of God and revealing to them that what they believe is in direct contradiction to the Scriptures, rarely are they polite. In fact, many times they are far beyond rude, they become extremely angry.
The word “heretic” towards us would be considered one of the more polite words they use. They are not of the body of Christ, so can I call them fools? They play a religious game. Should I call them hypocrites? Our Savior did, should we? Is there kindness in rebuking these purveyors of the doctrines of devils?
“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” (Romans 12:17)
That may be the verse some of you just thought of, and if so, what is more important to you, being kind enough to tell them that if they continue as they are they will die in their sins and go straight to hell, for there is no such place as purgatory? Or simply just agree to disagree and change the subject?
Was is loving when our Savior said that meat was not but for the children, when He told the disciples not to go to the Gentiles, when He said. “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” (Matt. 13:15)
Did He lovingly call those that day hypocrites?
If kindness is Christlike, then what is politeness?
Well, as I said, for some reason most believe being polite is better than being kind.
How many people do you suppose are in hell today wishing that someone would have stopped being polite to them and spoken to them in the love of kindness instead?
No matter what false religious system it is, the point is to reveal the faults in it to those you speak to, drawing them towards the truths of the Scriptures, the truth of Ephesians 2:8-9.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
So, what are you going to say to them if they continue to vehemently deny those truths? Are you going to be polite or kind with your words?
