Confirm Your Love

Have you ever been hurt or offended when you became aware of sins of other people?  Though all sin is primarily and ultimately against God alone, we can be swept up in a flood of emotions:  anger, grief, confusion, disappointment, and even betrayal.  God taught me an invaluable lesson when I found out a person I trusted intentionally deceived me.  I was so angry when I discovered the lies!  My initial response was to withdraw and give the "silent treatment."  But as I knelt in prayer beside my bed, my anger and indignation was immediately quenched by the LORD's stern voice:  "Was this sin against you?  Is it right for you to be angry?"  God showed me my anger was due to my own pride and I was immediately convicted.  Once I repented for my sin, I was able to extend God's grace in love to the person who was sorry for what they had done.  Fellowship was then restored.  The person had sinned against God, and God used my sinful response to reveal pride within me He wanted to cut off.  Despite our faults, it ended up being a win-win.

Offense is common to all men, yet it is particularly destructive in the church.  The way people respond to secret sin discovered or sin freely confessed by each individual matters.  Sin divides and cuts people off from fellowship with God and other Christians, but when we are unloving and proud the way we deal with repentant sinners can isolate too.  The church in Corinth made the mistake of allowing a man who was in an incestuous relationship continue in fellowship without rebuke or discipline.  It seems after Paul exhorted them to correct this matter in 1 Corinthians, they were severe in their handling of this individual.  They cut him off even after he repented.  This is often the case:  to make up for our neglect or leniency the pendulum swings back too far with harshness.  But Paul was not content for the man to be made an example of as a warning to frighten potential future offenders.  He encouraged Christians to exhibit the love and grace of God to the sorrowing sinner.  He wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, "This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ⁷ so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him."  A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and in faith and obedience to Jesus - not our faith in people's improved performance - we ought to forgive, comfort, and confirm our love to broken sinners.

So what does this mean, to reaffirm or confirm your love to someone who has repented for their sin?  Jesus Himself provides a lovely example after Peter denied Him.  Jesus predicted all His disciples would abandon Him and Peter would deny Him, but Peter was adamant he of all the disciples would be faithful unto death.  The very night Jesus was betrayed and brought before Caiaphas the High Priest, Peter indeed denied Jesus three times.  When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered what Jesus had said and he wept bitterly with remorse.  After Jesus rose from the dead, on several occasions He appeared to His disciples.  But even before Jesus did so an angelic messenger mentioned Peter specifically by name at the empty tomb in Mark 16:7, "But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  Jesus confirmed His love for Peter by sending Him a personal message.  He had not forgotten him and He wasn't even angry with him despite his fear and failure.  Through this simple message Jesus said clearly, "I love you and have not forgotten about you.  You are still part of my future plans."

Peter denied Jesus three times, and the Gospel of John provides an account when Jesus appeared to His disciples - and Peter - for the third time.  The disciples were fishing and Jesus called out to them from the shore to cast their nets on the right side and they would catch some fish.  As their nets were filled with large fish, Peter recognised Jesus as His LORD and jumped out of the boat to greet Him.  John 21:15-17 reads, "So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." ¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep."  Jesus initiated contact and confirmed His love for Peter by giving him an important job to do.  Jesus committed the feeding of His sheep and the tending of His lambs to a man who had recently denied Him.  Jesus knew Peter was grieved and repented for his sin, for He knows the hearts and minds of all men.  He lovingly restored Peter to fellowship by intentionally reaching out to him and entrusted His ministry to him.

What a good and challenging example this is to me!  When I have been wronged and offended, my flesh demands people prove themselves worthy before they can be considered as a viable part of ministry.  But Jesus didn't make Peter earn anything.  There was no waiting period between Peter's repentance and Jesus forgiving, comforting, seeking, calling, and commissioning him to do His work.  Jesus confirmed His love for Peter graciously, and this is what we are called to do as well by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will convict and lead them even as He has led us.  We are called to trust God and walk in obedience to His leading and His Word, regardless of the legalistic standards of this world.  God is able to maintain the purity of His church without us adopting proud tactics of the flesh.  Hebrews 12:28-29 reminds us, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire."  We are to put away from ourselves those professing believers who refuse church discipline and remain in sin without repentance, yet for those who repent we ought to practically confirm our love to them, reach out to them, speak comfort, and freely give them opportunity to serve.  Isn't it wonderful to be loved by God who freely grants us new beginnings?