Hi, I am new here. I was wondering if any of you would have something to say about having compassion towards those who are suffering? My husband believes that tough love is what people need when they are going through pain or depression, but this seems to be driving a wedge between us. My pastor is not big on compassion and love, because he believes it's misused to accept people's sins and do nothing about it. I just don't think we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. I told a story to my husband that when someone has heartburn they take tums to help alkaline their stomach but that it is actually making it worse. Acid reflux is there because there is actually not enough acid. The same with people who crave compassion is because they actually are not getting enough compassion in their lives. But instead those that are in their life withhold compassion to try to make that person "less emotional".
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Proverbs 11:17
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
1 John 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Philippians 2:1-3
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Dear one,
This is what we have heard apostle Paul have said :
They have become
CALLOUS ... -Ephesians 4:19
But that is not the way you learned Christ!' -Ephesians 4:20
What is the meaning of CALLOUS?
The meaning of CALLOUS is said to be
insensitive and cruel disregard for others.
If tough love is considered to be insensitive and cruel disregard to others, we
can consider that NOT to be the way Christ teach. So those who treat not others with sensitivity and have cruel disregard — they are considered to be CALLOUS.
Dear one, you said that there is a person who believe COMPASSION is misused to accept people's sins and do nothing about it. How is that person accept people’s sins without compassion and do something ? Isn’t that person insensitive and having forgotten his past sins that was cleansed ? What can we consider from his disregard ?
Then, how we not neglect to be sensitive and the right kind of regard to those who have suffered wrong !
This is what we have heard :
Brothers,
if ANYONE is caught in ANY TRANSGRESSION, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. -Galatians 6:1
Just like Jesus was gentle to the woman caught in the act of adultery. Did the Lord not RESTORE her ?
Was not the woman found guilty? Yet the Lord have said :
She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "
Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."]] -John 8:11
Wouldn’t the world first want to see that you sin no more ? Then the world would not condemn you !
Yet, our Lord said first “neither do I condemn you” then He said that “ go and from now on sin no more.”
Do we perceive not His grace or COMPASSION to those who are sinners ?
What actually happened?
Didn’t the Lord bear her guilt on the cross ? Yes, He did.
Though we are not under the Levitical priesthood though which we received the law; for we now receive the law of God through Christ after the order of Melchizedek; let us consider what had been said so that we may understand how the Lord bore the guilt of the guilty on the cross and
restore that persons, that they may go and sin no more.
This is what we have heard:
6 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “
Suppose one of you
sins against your associate and is unfaithful to the Lord....4 If you have sinned in any of these ways,
you are guilty. You must give back whatever you stole, or the money you took by extortion, or the security deposit, or the lost property you found, 5 or anything obtained by swearing falsely.
You must make restitution by paying the full price plus an additional 20 percent to the person you have harmed. On the same day you
must present a guilt offering. 6 As a guilt offering to the Lord, you
must bring to the priest your own ram with no defects, or you may buy one of equal value.7
Through this process, the priest will purify you before the Lord, making you right with Him, and you will be forgiven for any of these sins you have committed.”- Leviticus 6:1,4-7 NLT
Do we perceive the COMPASSION of our Lord Jesus Christ? So that woman caught in transgression, that is, adultery, — she was guilty. But our Lord took her guilt on the cross and make restitution for her. For the Lord Jesus Christ, inasmuch, hers and our High priest after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus Christ, the high priest purify her before God the Father, and that was how she was forgiven for the sin that she committed.
That is the COMPASSION OF THE LORD.
Also, this is what we have heard how the Lord responded to a woman whose sins are many:
Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but
she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. -Luke 7:44
You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in
she has not ceased to kiss my feet. -Luke 7:45
You did not anoint my head with oil, but
she has anointed my feet with ointment. -Luke 7:46
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven'for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." -Luke 7:47
So how this woman whose sins were many RESPOND TO the Lord’s COMPASSION?
She has received testimony from the Lord that she LOVED MUCH.
Yes, she has loved much the compassion of the Lord.
For the compassion of the Lord give her strength— the strength of the Lord ! To love the Lord.
For we heard:
We love because He first loved us. -1 John 4:19
Then, apostle John said :
If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar;
for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. -1 John 4:20
And this commandment we have from Him:
whoever loves God must also love his brother. -1 John 4:21
So the woman who had many sins, having first tasted the compassion of the Lord. She loved much the Lord. The compassion of the Lord gives her the strength of the Lord of the Lord. As we heard:
You then, my child,
be STRENGTHENED BY THE GRACE that is in Christ Jesus, -2 Timothy 2:1
When that woman was strengthened in the grace or compassion that is in Christ Jesus.
She was enabled to love those who sinned against her ; for she was given the strength of the Lord to release forgiveness to those who offended her. Having forgiven others, she met the condition to be forgiven by our Heavenly Father. For we heard:
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, -Matthew 6:14
Wouldn’t we loved much for the compassion of the Lord ?
For the Lord not only bore our guilt, but also make restitution, and purify us before God.
So dear one,
Are we only to show compassion on those who only suffered wrong ? No.
We are also to told to show our compassion to those who have suffered for what is right.
For we heard:
For as we
share abundantly in Christ's sufferings,
so
through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. -2 Corinthians 1:5
So who show compassion to those who suffered for righteousness’ sake or Christ’s sake,
we will also share ABUNDANTLY the comfort of the Lord’s love.