This is a short excerpt from an Al Mohler commentary found here.
“Courage is far too rare in many Christian circles. This explains the surrender of so many denominations, seminaries, and churches to the homosexual agenda. But no surrender on this issue would have been possible, if the authority of Scripture had not already been undermined.
Liberal churches have redefined compassion to mean that the church changes its message to meet modern demands. They argue that to tell a homosexual he is a sinner is uncompassionate and intolerant. This is like arguing that a physician is intolerant because he tells a patient she has cancer. But, in the culture of political correctness, this argument holds a powerful attraction.
Biblical Christians know that compassion requires telling the truth, and refusing to call sin something sinless. To hide or deny the sinfulness of sin is to lie, and there is no compassion in such a deadly deception. True compassion demands speaking the truth in love–and there is the problem. Far too often, our courage is more evident than our compassion.”
Again, the the complete article is here.
Christians and pastors of Christian churches have been accused of spending too much time talking about homosexuality, and not giving ‘equal time’ to other issues they (Christians and Christian pastors) consider sinful. There is probably a measure of truth in that, but what that measure is – who knows? One could also argue that to the degree that homosexual agenda is thrust upon us (crammed down the throats of all Americans) such an imbalance is completely and logically warranted.
As believers we would do well to adopt, as a principle for discussion, the mantra “No Truth Without Love, No Love Without Truth”.
The Battle Cry 
add to truth a little talent and what the years have done to ya you might find love!
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Good Morning,William!
What have the years (life experiences) done to this old soldier?
For one, taught me that I am more ‘talented’ at naming sin than expressing love. For another, that no matter how lovingly, no matter how gently and respectfully we express truth to those withom we interact, hard hearts will often rebell against the truth – even when faced with a/the truth of scripture that opposes preconceived notions. That applies to Christians and unbelievers alike – been there, done that!
Very thought provoking comment – thanks!
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“I am more ‘talented’ at naming sin than expressing love.”
Love is far, far more important than “talent,” don’t you think?
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Hi Nor,
Good point, my friend. I will be working on refining “talents” until the day I die most likely. that’s an excellent and thought provoking question. I would have to answer yes, no or maybe, depending on what is meant by expressing love.
Pray that we who profess Christ develop “courageous passion”, or “passionate courage”.
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The qualities of courage, love and attitudinal wisdom would abound where prior and personal knowledge of the “truth about God” (John 16: 5-15), presently lacking, prevails! Our problems arise from second-hand knowledge based on what we conveniently call “faith” (completely distinct and apart from Biblical faith).
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Sounds like you ar saying that true courage, love and wisdom come with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at re-birth. Ours is to nurture them in the Word and let them grow.
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“If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8: 31-32
If only we “accept and obey the commandments” of Jesus Christ leading to the most radical faith possible, based on firsthand and unending vision of his divine identity and authority in his perfect and transfigurative death on the cross (John 1: 47-51; 8: 21-32; 14: 15-21; 16: 5-15; 17; 19: 30-37; Matt. 16: 13-28; 17: 1-13; 27: 50-56), He will do all the rest like in the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mar. 4: 26-29).
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The Jews read scripture, accepted and obeyed the commandents, and performed all sorts of ‘religious’ duties byt Christ himself reprimanded them for their empty religion. You sound like you are saying that if we approach God by ‘doing’ the right things God will do the rest. That seems to fly in the face of Paul’s entire body of teaching.
The see that grew was planted in fertile ground, yes, but is it our works that makes the ground fertile? Isn’t that adding works to faith?
Eph 2 for starters.
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“You study the Scriptures, because you think that in them you will find eternal life. And these very Scriptures speak about me! Yet you are not willing to come to me in order to have life.” (Jesus Christ, John 5: 39-40)
Had the Jews, like Christians after them, not confused the Scriptures (the means) for the Messiah (the end), they would have been willing to come to Christ to have life.
By the way, the “commandments” to be accepted and obeyed (in the sense used by Christ) are neither religious duties to observe nor words or claims to listen to but rather valid and reliable “works” that witness about Him. These works (including baptism in the Holy Spirit) are the sole foundations of the entire body of teachings by the apostles including Paul.
What sounds like “doing the right things” actually is as novel and simple as following a road map with directions consisting of preliminary and final/infallible “works” leading to God’s ultimate self-revelation in Christ’s death on the cross “according to the Scriptures”, in general, and the testimonies of Moses and Elijah, in particular (Matt. 16: 13-28; 17: 1-13, Luke 9: 28-36).
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I am sorry, but I just don’t see your whole works thing. I don’t know what else to call it. Jesus and Paul both were emphatic about the role of ‘works’ and salvation itself. The law certainly is a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ, but because we are unable to keep the law whild God demands perfection. Maybe some of your verbiage is wrapped up in the supposed ‘vision’ you had.
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It sounds like we are talking about justification as opposed to sanctification. If I’m reading the comments right, it seems that these two things are being blended or maybe even confused?
Justification is instantaneous…sanctification follows and is a process in which we see the works that come from justification.
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I clearly referred, not to our works, but to the works of Jesus leading to his LIVE self-revelation as the Christ, Son of the living God (immortal) which we should by all means deferentially identify and authenticate!
Beyond that I would not go as far as questioning the efficiency of the vision.
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“Put yourselves to the test and judge yourselves, to find out whether you are living in faith. Surely you know that Christ Jesus is in you?–unless you have completely failed.” (2 Cor. 13:5)
Biblically speaking, “living in faith” is a function of the literal presence of Jesus Christ in the believer’s life beginning with personal vision in His perfect and transfigurative death on the cross; and, thereby, being transformed immediately from one “born of the flesh” to another “born of the Spirit” (John 3: 1-21). That is why I wrote that the efficiency of the full-blown vision is conclusive and beyond questioning.
On the other hand, the distinction between justification and sanctification is valid even as recorded in all prior visions independent of the circumstances of Christ’s unique death. Prominent examples are John the Baptist, Simon Peter, and Mary the mother of Jesus.
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Kitty, I think it drifted away from the original post and did get into justification/sanctification. You defined them quite adequately, I think.
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