Love your Neighbor as Yourself Romans 13:8-10

Matthew 22:39 “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” agapao: “love from the highest moral considerations, without self-interest, holy” (Pulpit Commentary) This is the love that loves an enemy, Matthew 5:44

Having their best interest in whatever we do toward them Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Means… Having their best interest in whatever we do toward them

Best Interests as Defined by God Even when they do not love us, Matthew 5:44, 10-12; 1 Peter 3:8-9, 13-14, 17 Do not retaliate with evil, Matthew 5:38-42

Using Your Opportunities to teach them the truth Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Means… Using Your Opportunities to teach them the truth

Does not Mean Isolating Ourselves from Society We cannot leave the world, 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 (John 17:15) Neither can we “have fellowship with” their sins, Ephesians 5:8-11 We are to be different! 1 Peter 2:11-12

Does not Mean being a Moral Chameleon Paul did not compromise his values, morals and faith, 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 The gospel places moral limits on our interaction with the world, 1 Corinthians 15:33-34; 1 Peter 4:3-4

When Jesus interacted with sinners in the world… Mark 2:13-17 Jesus taught them, 2:13 Jesus called them to follow Him, 2:14-15 Jesus knew they were “sick” and talked about healing through repentance, 2:16-17 Jesus called His approach genuine “mercy”, Matthew 9:11-13

Jesus did not act in ways that caused sinners to think He was “OK” with sin Taught those who gathered, Luke 15:1-2, 7 He told adulteress to sin no more, John 8:11 He showed mercy by teaching truth and by forgiving people of faith, Luke 7:36-50 He loved the young man and told him the “one thing” he lacked, Mark 10:20-22 He rebuked and condemned hypocrites, Matthew 23:23

Paul Followed the Example of Jesus “Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” Galatians 4:16 Was Paul guilty of running people off by telling them the truth and rebuking their sin? Paul was not abrasive or abusive, but he was clear, Gal. 5:19-21; 2 Tim. 2:24-26 (1:7-8) Loving your neighbor includes "speaking the truth in love” – Identify the sin, warn of its dangers and offer the gospel for relief and hope, Eph. 4:15; Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 1:16

Tolerating Sin is not Loving your Neighbor, 2 John 9:10-11 Love rebukes sin, trying to save the lost, Proverbs 27:5-6 Rebuking sin must be done without being mean! How can you be salt when all you are is sugar? Matthew 5:13 Loving your neighbor does not mean giving up your convictions, Mark 8:38; Revelation 2:10 Does not mean changing the definition of sin

Continuing to love even when you are rejected by unbelievers Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Means… Continuing to love even when you are rejected by unbelievers

Love Never Fails, 1 Cor. 13:8 Christians do not treat sinners the way the world does, and the world hates us for it, John 15:18-20 We can expect to be hated by the LGBTQ community and their sympathizers Not because we are unloving, but precisely because we love them the way Jesus loves them! 1 Corinthians 13:6; Romans 12:21