We recently talked about how “Hate the sin, love the sinner” is NOT a Biblical concept. It is NOT part of a Gospel (truth)–which IS about unconditional love and grace, and commands us to love our neighbor. Something else is “missing” from the Gospel.
This past weekend, I sat through my all-time favorite musical: Godspell. I was in tears pretty much immediately, as I knew I would be! The love and beauty and joy… it moves me every time. But the music—those songs I still know word for word since my own high school’s production of it—that music conveys the message of God’s love for us as nothing else does, just as Jesus lived it for us.
All the songs and stories of Godspell, in case you haven’t seen it, are taken from the gospels, mostly Matthew. The story of making way for God in our hearts. The story of hearing God’s voice and being faithful to follow. The story about our humble dependence making us right with God, not our holier-than-thou behavior. The story that says we have no business trying to address someone else’s minor issues when we are blinded by our own pride and lack of mercy. The story to love not only your friend—who doesn’t do that?—but to love your enemies as well. The story that God alone knows the condition of someone’s heart. The story that says when we do something for even the most overlooked person on earth, we are doing it for Jesus, and for God.
It is about loving each other, forgiving each other, being kind to each other. It is about a redemptive love.
You know what’s missing from Godspell? Anything about where God expects us, and holds us accountable, to judge each other and fix each other and say harsh words to each other and call them “love.”
Weird.
What’s weirder is that part is also missing from the Gospel! The Gospel focuses on the love of God and calls us to love each other; it does not in any way focus on our need to fix each other.
Quite the opposite.
We are to give each other grace upon grace, mercy upon mercy, love each other as fully as if we are loving God.
Love so good it continues to bubble up throughout centuries of misrepresentation and war and hatred. Including today’s condemnation, rejection and hate conveyed to our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, and justified and defended with terms like “tough love” and “hate the sin, love the sinner”–all done “in Jesus name.”
That is not love.
That is not truth.
That is not the Gospel.
The Gospel gives us abundant opportunity to receive God’s immeasurable love and then pour it out to each other.
Love so big it overflows.
Love that never fails.
Day by Day, from Godspell
Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day
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