I’m often accused of being “unloving” for writing in a direct or firm tone against false doctrine and other unbiblical issues in the church.
I received another such accusation recently on one of my older articles, “Nine Reasons Discerning Women Are Leaving Your Church“. I thought I’d share my response to the reader with you, because it seems there’s a misunderstanding among Christian women as to the biblical definition of love. It ain’t always “sugar and spice and everything nice” y’all…
“I don’t think you have a complete understanding of the biblical definition of love. You seem to think that “love” is restricted to always being sweet and nice to people. That’s not biblical.
–Was Jesus being unloving when He cleared the temple? (Matthew 21)
–Was Jesus being unloving when He rebuked the Pharisees? (Matthew 23)
–Was Jesus being unloving when He instructed us to disfellowship unrepentant sinners from the church? (Matthew 18:15-20)
–Was Paul being unloving when he turned Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan so they would learn not to blaspheme? (1 Timothy 1:19-20)
–Was Paul being unloving when he anathematized anyone who preaches a false gospel? (Galatians 1:6-9)
–Was Peter being unloving when he described false teachers in 2 Peter 2?
–Was Jude being unloving when he wrote to the brothers warning them about the evils of false teachers instead of writing about the gospel?
Am I being unloving in writing this article? No. Reproof, rebuke, and biblical instruction are all part of godly love. I am demonstrating love for Christ, His Bride, and His Word by pointing out biblical error that needs to be corrected. I am demonstrating love for ignorant pastors and churches by explaining to them why their most spiritually healthy members are leaving. I am demonstrating love for the thousands of doctrinally sound Christians out there who long to attend a healthy church and can’t find one because so many churches are in error in the areas I mentioned. And, I am demonstrating love for you by helping you understand what God’s definition of love is.
Is this article loving? You bet it is.”
Michelle Lesley 
Great piece, Michelle, and long overdue!
Precise, clean, scripturally succinct and accurate and so true.
A man 🙂
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Lol, thanks, Thad. :0)
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So appreciate your honesty. Your spot on, love is NOT always sugar and spice and everything nice. Love is speaking the truth and sometimes the truth of God’s word is hard to give and to receive! I appreciate your direct, firm tone. So thankful that you are willing to point out biblical error within the church, so few are willing and less, sadly, can even discern the errors taking over! Come on people!
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Thank you for the encouragement, Melanie. :0)
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I personally am very thankful for the love you demonstrate for Christ, His Bride, and His Word. I share your site and articles often to those in my church and ladies in my Sunday school class as well as other churches. It is so important as Christians to be informed and not ignorant, to have discernment and not lackadaisical. We are warned of False teachers in several places of the Bible and it is not to be taken lightly and as the scripture states “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” I John 4:1
I can’t thank you enough!
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Thank you, Jennifer. It is my pleasure to serve you in Christ. :0)
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Great article, Michelle! I often get this complaint myself from the nice word police who believe that Christianity means saying some cute words. I think they missed out on the Bible because it is not all nice and cute words!
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Thank you for standing firm. As Christians, the challenge is always to tell the truth in love. Love without truth is not God’s love. Truth without love comes across as hate. Promoting behaviors that are abhorrent to our Lord is neither truthful or loving, nor is sitting quietly by while people are being deceived by false teachers, false prophets, and false doctrine. We are to be salt and light, not facilitators who go with the flow.
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