So Much For My Private Divorce.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam spent some time encouraging us to engage righteous passion.

• We are righteous. We are people who know, love, and live the word of God without compromise. 
• We are passionate. We are people who demonstrate kindness and care to the lost, even when we incur personal cost to do so.

Our pastor went on to encourage us to demonstrate righteous passion as an act of grace. He said, and I paraphrase, engagement of righteous passion is not an endorsement of the lost person's acts of sin. It is an important point to keep in mind. After all, if we abandon our relationships with lost souls, what opportunity will God have to show His grace to them?

We are to live exemplary lives, even in the face of those who remain defiant in their sin. In doing so, we love like Jesus loved... and we love like Joseph loved. "Joseph, being a righteous man, did not want to expose Mary to public disgrace." (Matthew 1:19) Joseph's alternative to public disgrace was to secure a private divorce-- a gracious response to what appeared to be the most grievous sin a man could encounter: a violation of the betrothal contract.

But God took the grace a step further. In noting Joseph's intent to show grace, God sent an angel with an incredible message: Keep Mary. Don't divorce her. Keeping her is not a compromising of your faith. It is the ultimate demonstration of My love. And Joseph, being an incredible man, obeyed God.

Of course, Joseph had the privilege of experiencing a clear word from the Lord that explained Mary's pregnancy was a Divine miracle. But what of us who have had no dream, no angelic encounter, yet we face the challenge of engaging righteous passion towards the lost? Well, we are to follow the example of Scripture. Joseph, even before he had the explanatory dream, chose to demonstrate grace. His demonstration of grace did not dissolve his own integrity. We must be convinced that God, in His greatness, has done the same for us through Jesus. He sought us out: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He then gave us the choice to accept or reject the truth He presented. God's demonstration of grace certainly did not diminish His own integrity.

It is painful and challenging and heart-breaking when those we love choose to violate God's law. And if it hurts us deeply, imagine how it hurts the heart of Him who is the ultimate Lover! But His commandment builds up our faith and crushes the challenges: Love. Save. Keep. Protect. Live.

God is a rewarder of those who demonstrate righteous passion.