Evil Pursueth Sinners

“Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.” (Proverbs 13:21)

“You’re so judgmental!”

“Don’t judge me!”

“Who do you think you are?”

It’s important to understand not only the what, but the why. If someone is pointing out your errors (the what), you must understand the “why”, why are they are doing it. When a parent points out the errant ways of a child (the what) it is for the child’s personal growth, protection and edification. But that’s not the why. The why is because they love you.

God will point out the errant ways of His children. This usually occurs in two steps. First comes loss and/or adversity, then pain. This is where it stays here for the unregenerated soul. This person never seems to draw the connection between cause and effect. Yes, evil pursueth sinners. You suffer the consequences and reap the benefits of the environment in which you choose to live, breath and have your being. Just like it gets cold in Alaska and hot in Africa, certain conditions are conducive to promote sin and in other environments, righteousness.

Be it in this life or the next, there is a consequence to our actions and our lifestyle. The child of God will also experience loss, adversity and pain. Everyone sins because it is the nature of fallen man to sin. But for God’s chosen, their eyes are opened to both sin and salvation through Jesus Christ. What was punishment for the sinner is chastisement for the saint. The same thing happened to both saint and sinner, just the intent and purpose of the adversity was different as well as their reaction to it.

“For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” (Proverbs 3:12)

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:6)

The eyes of the saint are opened. But not for the sinner. Or quite possibly the sinner’s eyes have been opened, but God and His righteousness are refused by the sinner due to their hardened heart, rebellious spirit and subsequent self-will. These are the foundation of pride.

“Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom” (Proverbs 13:10).

“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.” (Proverbs 13:13).

And by the way, Jesus did not say, “Judge not”. The complete sentence is, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). But that isn’t His entire message. It is part of an over-all warning by Jesus that if you judge someone, then you will be judged by the same standard in which you judged by. In short, we need to make sure our house is clean before we go inspecting someone else’s home.

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” (Proverbs 3:11-12).

Jesus repeats this message in Revelations.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3:19)

Jesus tells us that, “It is impossible but that offences will come” and then proceeds to say that if a brother sins against us that we are to “rebuke him”. (Luke 17:3-4)

It is the responsibility of a Christian to “judge” a brother. It would otherwise be a grievance sin to idly sit by and allow a brother or sister in Christ to sin themselves to Hell when we can put a stop it and save them from self-destruction.

Christian judgment is pointing out sin. It is a course correction to get them back on the path of righteousness. Judgment is not pointing out someone’s deficiencies to put them down and lift yourself up. And judgment is not according to our standards, but rather God’s standard.

When Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went about setting judges throughout the land to judge people and their causes, Jehoshaphat told them, “Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.” (2 Chronicles 19:6)

Evil pursues sinners. We don’t want that. God doesn’t want that. We all want the sinner to repent and live. Sometimes a Christian must bring sin to the attention of folks. It is done in the sight of God, in the word of God, out of love, in an attempt to save someone from Hell. To do it any other way for any other purpose would be a sin.

Bill Hitchcock