Love Must Be Sincere – God help us

 

Romans 12:9 says simply, “Love must be sincere.” Oh my.

The Bible gives us quite a bit of guidance on how to treat people. In fact the following verses from that pile on.

I think the problem in the Church in China and the Church Universal is people become Christians and start to do good as that is what we are taught.

Unfortunately, the Bible also says our hearts are not well in Jeremiah 17:9.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

So what of us?

The Bible says love must be sincere and says our hearts are deceitful and beyond cure. So how are we supposed to live?

If people just act good as the church asks for that, and the Bible lists things, then sincerity is unreachable because we are too busy acting good. People easily develop a facade.  Only their kids and spouse may know the truth if even they do.

Love Must Be Sincere is a Difficult Requirement

A 21 year old faithful baptist church attender went to three massage parlors and killed 8 people. He worked as a volunteer in youth ministry. The church looks to be a good church, and the parents openly turned him in.

The church is kicking him out and says

He has a sinful heart and depraved mind.

I would like to hear them say, we are sorry that he lived among us and none of us knew him well enough to see his violent heart. Perhaps they do not dare?  We know the shooter is responsible. The church needs to do some soul searching and don’t we all. Very very few will shoot someone, but many many will be pretending in church in some ways as church rewards good behavior somehow. See also Do You Have a Mutual Church Congregation?

I have noted that Jo and I emphasize having a church of sinners where honesty about our sinful hearts is the base of our church. No one should have any shame for being a mess. Only hiding our mess would mean you should have shame.