Love the Sinner & Hate the Sin
2 Samuel 13:21 Ammon, David's oldest son committed an atrocious act against his half-sister, Tamar and David was very angry but did not do anything about it which led to more trouble in his family.
1/23/20261 min read
But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 2 Samuel 13:21 (NKJV)
Ammon had committed an atrocious act and sexually assaulted his half-sister, Tamar. When King David found out about it, he became very angry because he realized the gravity of the sin committed against his daughter but did not do anything about it. He loved Ammon, his oldest son and punishing him would have been very painful for David, yet he needed to go through with it. Instead, David chose to ignore it and bury it, causing greater pain and dividing his family. David's son, Absolom, who was the full sibling to Tamar, was enraged about the situation and planned on taking revenge. He ended up killing his brother and despising his father, weaking his kingdom.
As Christians we are to love the sinner but hate the sin. Galatians 6:1 says, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." The call to restore someone "gently" signifies that correction should be approached with love and care, rather than harshness or judgment. The reminder to "watch yourselves" serves as a caution against pride and the potential for falling into similar temptations. As Christians, we are encouraged to actively engage in each other's lives, fostering an environment of accountability and support. Like David, when we turn a blind eye to sin in the church, our community is divided and the church is weakened.
Choose to love your brother or sister and restore them gently when they are caught up in sin. Let them know that you deal with the same temptations, but you have a higher power who is Jesus that you go to. Let them know that you are there to help them and they have the support of the church. Tell them about faith-based recovery programs like celebrate recovery. Let them know that they are loved and their sin does not define them. They are defined by Jesus who died for them. Choose to strengthen yourself with prayer, daily devotions, and self-examination, so that you can be better equipped to address sin. When you love the sinner and hate the sin, you build community and strengthen the church.