Don't Hate Me Because I Sin Differently Than You Do

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Sin is a very misunderstood thing. It isn't a laundry list of "do's and don'ts" like most people think. Yes, there are some "do's and don'ts, but it's a pretty short list. The word sin doesn't mean to break the law or do things someone else doesn't like. Sin means knowingly rebelling against God. We all sin at one time or another. The entire purpose of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is so that we can overcome our sinful nature. Because he took on the pain and sorrow caused by the sins we commit, we are able to return to Heaven, because we will be forgiven. Another problem that comes with our sinful nature is using the sins of others as an excuse to hate them. This makes no sense because hate itself is a sin. Yes, if we break laws we can be prosecuted and fined or sent to prison, that is part of living in a community. But no one's sins can be used as an excuse to hate them. In fact, as Christians we are commanded to forgive them. So no, there is no excuse for a Christian to hate anyone. We don't have to like them, we don't have to be friends with them, we don't even need to be part of someone else's life. On the other hand, we are told to pray for them and love them. In other words, the only thing we can't do, is hate them. Accepting Christ as our Savior doesn't put any responsibilities on anyone else. It only puts responsibilities on ourselves. With salvation comes the responsibility of living up to our sacred covenants with Christ.