There is actually nothing wrong with calling out someone if they are doing something bad or abominable right before you—especially when the person is self-aware that what they are doing is wrong. For instance, it is not evil to call out a brother whom you find cheating or stealing something. However, it becomes wrong to curse and label them a thief every single time you see them thereafter. For what is the will of God? Didn’t He urge us to forgive those who sin against us?
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
I am not saying you should embrace or keep quiet about wrongdoing every single time someone sins. However, it would not be reasonable to permanently label someone with a bad name for a mistake they made once or that is now in the past.
We are all human and may make mistakes—sometimes intentionally, but mostly out of ignorance. Even when someone does something wrong intentionally, it is appropriate to first try to understand why they did so before pointing fingers, rebuking, or cursing them.
As I observe it, most Christians look at non-believers with haughty eyes. If not that, they think of them as less worthy or less sensible. This kind of thinking immediately prejudices others simply because they are unbelievers or from other religious sects. It becomes even worse when these people do something bad in one’s sight and are immediately branded as sinful.
Who should call out the sinners then?
It is not our position to judge these people for their evil or vile acts—that is God’s role. The most we should aim for is to rebuke or call them out for their wrongdoing and then let God be the judge. Moreover, we are commanded to love our enemies as we love ourselves, and even more so our neighbors and brothers in Christ, even though we may not agree with them or get along. For love covers a multitude of sins.
For if God our Father loved us first—despite our hypocritical, wicked, and sinful nature—and sent His only Son out of love for us (for you) to die and pay the ransom that set you free, how much more should we do for those who do us ill or hurt us in one way or another?
Love is the greatest of all commandments, and it is the best way we can repay evil.
Having understood this, we should refrain from judging and pointing fingers at every person who does something we dislike or find abominable. For what did Christ say?
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
That is what we are called to do when someone offends us or appears sinful in our eyes. None of us is righteous; it was only by His mercy that we were saved. He took our place, and we took His. He suffered, was shamed, and was spat on—in exchange, we now walk in glory and authority. How much more should we strive to act like Him?
This is not a call to ignore or embrace evil in your life, but rather to show you the better way of letting go and letting God take care of those who buffet or torment you. That is His role. If He took care of Paul for the disciples, how much more will He take care of those who hurt or cheat you?
It is this love that you show your enemies that will reveal the Christ in you. The Christ in you is what changes them. For what use is salt if it loses its saltiness? Or what difference is there between you and non-believers if you only love those who love you? Even the ungodly love those who love them.
The difference between you and them is this: you love even those who hate you.
This love sets you apart, and in this love, Christ is seen in you. But as for judgment—that belongs to the Lord. For if He knows the number of hairs on your head, what makes you think He does not know those who are doing you harm?
