Colossians 4:5-6

Behave yourselves wisely [living prudently and with discretion] in your relations with those of the outside world (the non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the opportunity. Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you]. Colossians 4:5-6

“God Hates Fags.” “You’re Going To Hell.” “Sinner.”  I hear these words from so called Christians all of the time. There are whole denominations that devote their entire existence to expressing these kind of phrases. Yet, the Holy Spirit tells us here in Colossians that our speech should at all times be gracious and pleasant. Some would say that these kind of phrases are gracious. I have had the wolves in sheep’s clothing tell me that these phrases, and the others like them, are loving so many times that it makes my head spin. To see if these kind of words are truly gracious and pleasant, we can look at Jesus and see how He spoke.

When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? John 8:10

The woman here in John was caught in the very act of adultery, she was what so many religious wolves today, and then, would call a whore. This woman was dragged out into a public place and was being used as an example by the religious leaders to keep the people in fear. The leaders showed her no compassion, their words were not gracious and pleasant towards her. Their hope was also to get Jesus at the same time that they got her. Yet, Jesus didn’t threaten her with Hell, or publicly ridicule her to side with the religious wolves, even though the woman was guilty. Jesus was pleasant to her, He was kind, and merciful and as He was, He ran the religious bullies away, humiliating them. These so called leaders would later have Him killed for it, just as the religious wolves today will try to destroy us as we are gracious and kind towards notable sinners.

Whenever someone wants to talk about another’ person’s sin, remember how Jesus acted towards sinners. Remember how His Grace abounded towards everyone, even the leaders who would call for His death. Also remember this Truth: our righteousness is as filthy rags. Remember too how Jesus said that even He wasn’t good when the people called Him good. Remember how the Holy Spirit had Paul write that no one is good, not even one us. And when we are empowered to understand these things, our words will always be gracious and pleasant. 

The Truth is that we all screw up and thank God that our righteousness is not based on ourselves. Our righteousness is only based on the free and complete mercy of our Father. We are blessed because our Father will never remember our sins and He has given us righteousness apart from our works. Our liberty and righteousness does not have to be understood or even believed by us to be active for us. God’s Grace is never dependent on us. Grace is not reactive to us, we are reactive to it.