Empathy, sympathy and caring for humanity is something that we must understand as Christians living in a fallen world. First, the world is in a fallen state, and everything we desire is antithetical to God. This is called the Doctrine of Original sin, and in order to love humanity, we must wrap our heads around the fact that we’re born sinners and we will sin knowingly and unknowingly to satisfy our desires.

When we understand this, we can work from what the word of God says about loving others.

Biblical Truth For Loving People

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

When we’re wrestling with our faith, compassion and empathy for others in this fallen world, how do we show love without casting judgement? Hard question, hard answer…With truth and love working in concert, adding salt and light into the darkness. So, how does love deal with faith in a sinful world? It all leads back to the gospel and the great commission.

Matthew 28:16-20 ¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Spreading the gospel with Christ as our anchor

How do we spread the gospel to a world that hates God, but wants to court His blessings, dance with spirituality and in the same hand reject obedience to the word while perverting the scripture to cater to their selfish desires? The key is leading with love and truth, and not being reductive, demeaning, shameful, or judgemental. The Bible is the ultimate book of judgement, we do not need to give it any help. Be nice to unbelievers, as we were once unsaved, far away from God, and on the fast track to eternal separation. It is a loving God who saved the adulterer from a stoning from a judgemental mob, and said to her, “get up and sin no more”. The only thing we should be doing is preaching the gospel, not inciting people to turn away from their ways, or stop sinning..that is not our jobs as Christians. Our job is to spread the word of God so that all can hear…Not so all can feel judged.

Why you might ask? Because The gospel is the only thing that saves, and The Holy Spirit is the only thing that convicts, our job is to share the gospel message and be armed with truth, knowledge, and understanding for how to live our lives as believers, but the conviction of non believers it not ours to lay down…That is the Holy Spirit’s job. We are called to be sounding boards, friends, and community to other believers, but people outside of that family need the gospel in an unfiltered way, because humans are pre-destined to be saved, and since we’re not all knowing, we are called to spread the good news until all have heard.

What does the Bible say about judgement?

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Romans 14:10-12 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

The resounding narrative throughout the Bible is not not pass judgement on others, as we have been forgiven and shown mercy by God. This is a complex truth as depicted in the Bible, because the entire world, even in the Christian sphere has been bent on convicting others for their wrong doings, not teaching, loving and spreading the gospel to the lost and unsaved. In the same hand do we turn a blind eye to sinful lifestyles, or worse, condone and enable the lost? Absolutely not, but as Jesus did, taught with compassion and empathy to those who desperately need a savior. As we grapple with what Jesus has done for us, we must deliver the same good news to those who need it. And while it us not up to us to save the lost, it is surely our responsibility to spread truth, light and love to those who live in darkness.

But what about Judging Righteously?

And for all those John 7:24 people who say to judge righteously, it does not apply to judgement of non believers, but within the body of the church, and even with that, it calls for us to look at a situation wholly before judging it, as in not forming an opinion until you have seen the entire context of the situation, not acting as the judge in situation. There is only one judge, God.

The passage of John 7:24 in context

¹⁴ About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. ¹⁵ The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,^[d] when he has never studied?” ¹⁶ So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. ¹⁷ If anyone’s will is to do God’s^[e] will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. ¹⁸ The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. ¹⁹ Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” ²⁰ The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” ²¹ Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. ²² Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. ²³ If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? ²⁴ Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

But does the Bible says to Judge in Matthew?

In short, yes, the Bible calls us to confront unbiblical living within the body of believers. And even in this, Jesus says take the Log out our your eye before you take the Speck, meaning that we should be reflective and vigilant about the condition of our own soul, and seek to help others to stay on the path through confronting in love, not condemning or judging.

Matthew 7:1-29 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

How do we navigate people who do not follow God?

And how do we know they are unsaved or believers? In all honesty, by their actions. Although we cannot examine the hearts of men, understand what motivates them, or what kind of relationship they have with Jesus, and if Jesus knows them, the Bible gives us pre cursors for how Christians should conduct themselves, and what their generalized moral compass should be.

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 John 2:6 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

As we understand, the devil is the prince of this world. Ephesians 2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Satan’s job is to make us comfortable, give us the false assurance that we do not need God or salvation, and that the things of this world will comfort us. As a believer, we should understand when someone bears the poison fruit of walking far from from God, and be able to lovingly spread the truth of God to them, and continue on as disciples.

And this does not come into judgement of someone’s salvation, but using our discernment as believers, and Biblical truth to navigate if someone’s actions either need rebuked as a brother in Christ, or prayed for and delivered the gospel as someone who is far from God.

Confronting a fellow believer

1 Timothy 5:20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

In other words, your brothers and sisters in Christ need to be called on their sin so they. Love is truth and truth is love.

How we spread the gospel to unbelievers

Colossians 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

All we can do is use our discernment, understanding of Biblical truth, and the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel and show love to the lost. That is why Believers need to read and understand the word of God, to know the outward signs of a non believer, but not to cast judgement. More than that, we need to know how to walk with the love of Christ. The Bible is our blueprint to disciple in a fallen world.

Take aways

1. We are called to love unbelievers by delivering biblical truth through the gospel, not venom. Do not use God as air cover to spread hate or to implement some kind of agenda. Spread the word until all have heard.
2. We are not called to judge the sins of others. If someone is not living according to the will of God, all they need us to do is spread truth with love through the gospel, and show them love of Christ through ourselves, so they do not have to incur the wrath of a Holy God.
3. It is not up to us to save people. We are seed planters, only God can make it grow. The Gospel saves and The Spirit convicts, not humans.
4. There is such a thing as good and evil, and there are many people who are far away from God. Believers are not being judgemental by understanding sin, or that others are not living according to the will of God. Our job is to lead with love + truth (Salt + Light), not judgement.
5. Church family, reading your Bible and getting to know God and His will is paramount for being a disciple of Jesus, loving people properly, and living your life as a believer. You cannot claim the cross while not understanding the will of God, and how He wants us to lead the lost to Him. Get plugged into a church, join a small group, listen to some faith-based podcasts or sermons, and READ YOUR Bible…The Bible is the unfiltered word of God, and a direct link to the creator of the universe, understanding how to walk with God, love others and steward the gifts we’ve been given.