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Compassion or Treason?

By Glen Young

He is (you are) too hard on people. Have you heard that one lately? The point is that you need to soften up your expectations of the Christian life. You need to stay out of their lives! You should not inform them their miserable life is a result of their attitude and actions. 

Is it too hard to tell a fat man that his condition is caused by eating too much and exercising too little? Is it too hard to tell a hungry man that his laziness causes his hunger pains? Is it too hard to tell the beggar that his financial difficulties are a result of his failed stewardship regarding the things God gave into his keeping? Is it too hard to tell a man the truth when he wants to hear a lie? 

Christians must always function with compassion in their hearts. To do less, is to cease being like Christ. He was filled with compassion. However, the question is, does compassion demand that we soft-soap the truth? Does it demand a tiptoeing through the tulips, for fear we will disturb someone? 

If compassion demands this kind of action, Jesus did not know it. On many occasions, people became upset with Him for the things He said. One occasion occurred in Nazareth where He grew-up. He went into the synagogue, as was His custom. He stood and read from Isaiah concerning the messiah. He then sat down and told them that these scriptures were fulfilled through Him. The men became so angry with Him they threw Him out of the synagogue and would have thrown Him over a cliff (Luke 4:16-30) had He not escaped. 

Another incident occurred over His teaching regarding how the Jews had perverted God’s Law. Jesus’ statement was straight forward and to the point. The Pharisees had violated God’s law by following the tradition of the fathers (Matthew 15:1-14). Not only did the Lord challenge a long held belief; He referred to the proponents of the belief as hypocrites. Hard words, don’t you think? It is these words that the disciples reference when they said, “... Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying” (v. 12)? At this point, Jesus referred to them as blind guides. Was Jesus too hard? 

The apostle Paul in speaking of false brethren said of himself, “to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Galatians 2:5). He later writes, “So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth” (Galatians 4:16)? Paul loved the Galatian brethren, and yet, he was willing to risk their friendship to tell them the truth. 

The Christian must never speak words or act in a fashion that could be interpreted as being sympathetic with the ungodly. When a local church of which one is a member administers discipline, or makes a decision affecting the material aspects of the church, or stands firm upon truth, every member is duty bound to support those actions. Those members who give aid and comfort to the enemies of the church will suffer eternal retribution for their treason. Which will it be, true compassion for the lost or spiritual treason?