The Other Side of the Coin

I value people. I want to do right by others, which is why I don't want to put uncertain dogma ahead of concern for the welfare of a person I know.

But...

This does not mean that I think sin should never be confronted, if it is known that sin is taking place. To allow another person to continue in self-destruction and rebellion against God is a disservice to them, and the weaker position for me to take. Sin is deadly serious, to the point that it would be better for a man to "sleep with the fishes" than to be guilty of leading a child astray.

This, then, is the crux of the matter. Sin whould be addressed. But inventing sins is harsh, judgemental, and alienating. So it is crucial that we be careful, that I be careful, in condemning others. I am growing cautious in placing my faith in my interpretations of Scripture. I believe it to be Truth, but it does not follow that what I gather from it has the same qualities of truth.

This is why I appreciate not just the doctrinal matters of the Epistles, but the life of Jesus in the gospels. Not a parsing of words, but the story of a life. Real life often seems so much more complicated than to allow for easy answers, and it is comforting to see a life that can be an anchor in the confusion.