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Should we be surprised that someone who does not know Jesus acts in ways that do not reflect Him? How can we expect someone to live and love like Jesus who hasn’t been transformed by Him or have the Holy Spirit to guide and empower them?

Too often, the Church has been known for judging the world’s ways while trying to impose our morality on it. Paul addressed this issue with the Corinthian church as a body of believers who lived in a hedonistic society. His message was clear. Stop judging the sins of those who don’t know Jesus. As for believers, we must take sin seriously and hold each other accountable so that unrepentant sin does not spread throughout the body.

Reflection: What is your attitude toward unbelievers? Through what lens do you view the sins of those who don’t know Jesus? Is it through a cold, judgmental attitude or one of kindness and empathy? When we recognize the lostness of someone living apart from God, it should foster our desire to help them discover a relationship with Him, not judge them for the rules they refuse to obey.

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