Explained

A wee bit of an explanation may be required...

If you've spent any time in either mainstream or evangelical Christianity in America, you've no doubt heard the phrase "Love the sinner. Hate the sin." I must confess...I've never really liked the saying. We like to repeat catchy little phrases like this and have a pocket full of quips ready to use when the opportunity arises. I just don't find them truly helpful in meaningful dialogue.

Time and time again, I've heard "Love the sin. Hate the sinner" to justify a whole range of attitudes and behaviors against other people and other people's sin. We use such phrases to justify our judgment of others and highlight the sins that particularly stick out to us.

It's our own sin that should appall us, I think.

It's just easier for us to focus on other people's sin.

And it makes us feel better about ourselves.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we should pretend like sin doesn't exist. It is a subject clearly addressed in the narrative of the scriptures. But if we're going to be appalled and disappointed by sin, it needs to start with ourselves. My sin is as foul as "theirs" or yours. In fact, I suppose I could say that I am "the worst of sinners" (1 Tim 1:16).

His mercy is sweet.

I do like the idea of loving sinners. This remarkable idea seemed to start with the Father, and He seems to want us to do the same. He doesn't love because of our lack of sin, so it only seems right that we should do the same.

And another thing...

Loving sinners is good. Loving yourself is good. We can be appalled by our own sin, but we cannot justify the self-loathing, self-hating, self-flagellating mindset we get ourselves into. Even at our worst, we are loved by God.

Go ahead...love the sinner.