These are good questions! Everyone who desires to know the truth should ask such questions in their grasp to understand what God has revealed in His Word. Sadly, we live in a world today where truth seems to be an elusive concept; that God's Word is merely a matter of one's own interpretation. But if this is the case, then how can God's children learn to agree upon anything? Is not Christ our standard to which we should conform? His light has come into the world in order to lead us out of darkness. Therefore, we must approach the Scriptures as God's special revelation of truth; seeking unity as the Holy Spirit enables us with understanding and wisdom.
Let us first consider the nature of sin as it is found in the Bible. In a word, sin is a cause of error. But error according to what or whom? Generally, the concept is widely used in reference to God as a violation of His established authority and prescribed commands. Those who sin are in violation of God's holy standards.
The Scriptures reveal the consequences of sin are nothing to be taken lightly. The apostle Paul in the New Testament, an established teacher of the written law, says in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death... In fact, it was for this very reason that Jesus Christ came into the world - in order to pay the debt for the sins of mankind. Paul also explains that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory [standards] of God. In other words, sin has so greatly affected humanity that only God Himself was qualified to properly deal with it.
What does the Bible consider to be sin? A short list of categories can be found in Paul's letter to the Galatians: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
So how does this all relate to the question, "is it wrong to call someone out in sin?" Well, let me answer a question with another question: Is it wrong to ignore someone committing error if it leads them toward death? Jesus' half-brother James tells us, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." It appears James is saying that ignoring those who are living in sin - is a sin in itself! Why would we not want to help others turn away from behavior that injures our relationship with God and others?
But what about grace? Didn't Christ forgive our sins? and doesn't He command us to forgive others the same way? Well, who does God forgive? Throughout the Scriptures, those who are forgiven from sin have one thing in common. Repentance. Consider what the scribe Ezra wrote in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Why should a just and holy God give grace to anyone who has openly violated His will if they do not recognize their faults before Him and bear the sense of guilt from having acted against Him?
Jesus gave a parable to help us understand the nature of God's grace and justice. In Matthew 18:21-35 he tells of a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. One servant owed 10,000 bags of gold and since he was unable to pay, he was ordered to be sold into slavery until the debt was repaid. The servant pleaded with the king that he would repay everything. So the king forgave his entire debt (grace). However, upon his release, he found a fellow servant who owed him a mere 100 silver coins and demanded to be repaid. But rather than showing mercy as he was shown, he ordered the man be thrown into prison until the debt could be repaid. When the king learned of the servant's wicked behavior, he scolded him and had him thrown into prison to be tortured until his original debt of 10,000 bags of gold could be repaid.
Both men showed signs of humility. But the unmerciful servant did not walk with the attitude of grace he had received from the king. Jesus indeed offers us mercy and grace, but the will of God is for us to walk in humble obedience and recognize the enormity of our offense toward him with regard to our sins. If someone has sinned against us, or against God, we must approach them in light of the reality that we too are indebted to God for our own sins. We mustn't condemn them, but rather call their attention to the Word of God and what He has directed all of us to live by.
1 John 1:6-7 explains, "If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
It is possible to live by the standard of truth while cherishing the beauty of His amazing grace. This we must do with sincere humility and a divine passion to uphold the standards of God's will, in hopes that He may use us as instruments of righteousness to lead others from darkness into His glorious light. May God bless you in your journey of faith.
great job...thank you & remember ..Truth Has No Agenda
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