This does not mean that Christians are not called to denounce evil. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that we are to “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Eph. 5:11). God calls believers to be light in the midst of a dark and perishing world. He sends us into the world to call men out of darkness and into the light of Christ.
It is, however, to raise a serious warning about the spiritual condition of our hearts in relation to the sins of those who sin differently or more overtly than we sin. It is a call for us to examine our hearts in relation to how we respond to those who sin differently than us, or against us. As Edwards explained, “Thinking of our own failings and errors would tend to keep us from undue anger with others.” It would serve us well if we took an inventory of our own sin and our own need for the grace of God in Christ so that we will guard against responding to the sin of others in self-righteous anger. In short, if we would be justly angry, we would grieve over our own sin, looking in faith to the Christ who has atoned for all of our transgressions, and would be much slower to be sinfully angry in our response to the sin of others. If we remember the great longsuffering of God toward us, we will be more ready to be longsuffering toward those who sin against us or differently than us–knowing that we need the same Savior and the same pardoning mercy as they need.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
