In today’s climate of cultural compromise and spiritual confusion, many professing Christians—especially in so-called “progressive” or liberal churches—have embraced the mistaken belief that love requires silence. That truth must be tempered, dulled, or worse, concealed altogether when speaking to unbelievers. They insist that Christians must only affirm, never confront; that kindness demands affirmation, not correction. But this is not biblical Christianity. Christians are indeed called to speak in love (Ephesians 4:15), but that love is not passive. It is passionate, courageous, and—at times—confrontational. It is truth-filled and truth-driven.
Let us explore how faithful Christians should interact with unbelievers, particularly when addressing sin, false ideologies, and the need for repentance. We will examine how this approach differs depending on the audience: fellow believers, nonbelievers with some respect for Christian values, and antagonists who hate the Christian worldview. We will draw from the examples of Jesus, the apostles, and Old Testament patriarchs such as Abraham, Noah, Lot, and Paul. We will also address the misunderstood topic of judging others, clarifying what Jesus really taught and what Christian discernment demands. Finally, we will be reminded that the sinner we address is a fellow image-bearer of God—ensnared and blind—and that humility and gospel hope must shape every word we speak.
The Courageous Call to Confront Error
To begin, we must remember that Christianity is a faith rooted in objective truth. That truth exposes lies, confronts sin, and calls sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. It is not a vague spirituality. It is rooted in the historic gospel—the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Paul urged Timothy to “preach the word… reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). This is not a command to pacify. It is a command to engage.
Christians are not told to win popularity contests. They are called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16), preserving what is good and exposing what is evil. That includes confronting cultural lies—about sexuality, gender, abortion, materialism, idolatry, and all manner of rebellion against God.
As Jude exhorted the Church: “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This means warfare—spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10–17)—not appeasement. It means being willing to be labeled as “intolerant” or “judgmental” by a world that hates the truth.
Distinctions in Audience: Different Approaches, Same Gospel
The apostle Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). While the gospel never changes, the way we approach people may vary depending on who we are addressing.
1. Fellow Believers
With other Christians—especially those straying from the truth—we must speak the truth boldly but graciously. Galatians 6:1 says, “If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” Correction is not optional in the Christian life (see Matthew 18:15–17). Jesus lovingly but firmly corrected His disciples numerous times (e.g., Peter in Matthew 16:23). Love means we care enough to intervene.
2. Nonbelievers Open to Christian Ideas
When someone respects biblical principles, even if they are not yet a Christian, we appeal to their conscience. Paul did this on Mars Hill (Acts 17:22–31), reasoning with the Greek philosophers by pointing to the “unknown god” they acknowledged. He didn’t soft-pedal the truth—he boldly declared that God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (v. 30).
3. Hostile Nonbelievers
When addressing those who are openly hostile, we do not retreat—we reason, warn, and proclaim. Jesus called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” (Matthew 12:34), not because He hated them, but because He knew their hearts were hardened. Stephen, the first martyr, told the Sanhedrin, “You stiff-necked people… you always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). He died for it—but he died faithful.
Different approaches are applicable to different people. The Holy Spirit within the believer should lead him to discern the nature of the audience and what will help them to progress towards a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t break bruised reeds and he didn’t hold back from scathing indictments, either (Matthew 12:20).
Love without truth is sentimentalism. Truth without love can be cruelty. But truth spoken in love is obedience to Christ.
Combating False Ideologies
False ideologies are not merely wrong—they are dangerous. Paul told the Colossians: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit… according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Christians must not only hold to truth but contend for it (Philippians 1:16).
This does not mean physical warfare. Our battle is spiritual. “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). We destroy “arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God” (v. 5). This means we engage the culture—not with fists, but with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Francis Schaeffer rightly observed that “truth carries with it confrontation.” He lamented that the Church had grown too comfortable with being “respectable” instead of prophetic. Similarly, John MacArthur has stated, “You can’t preach the gospel without confronting sin.” These leaders remind us that evangelism is not mere invitation—it is confrontation with eternal stakes.
Biblical Examples of Bold Engagement
Let us consider a few biblical figures who modeled how to confront sin and error in a godless world.
Noah
Called a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), Noah warned a wicked world for 120 years while building the ark. He didn’t blend in—he stood out. His faith condemned the world (Hebrews 11:7).
Abraham
Abraham not only interceded for Sodom (Genesis 18), but he also lived in such a way that even the kings of the earth respected him (Genesis 14). Notably, he sat “at the gate” (Genesis 18:1), a position often held by judges or elders in the city (cf. Ruth 4:1–2).
Lot
Though deeply flawed, Lot was still called “righteous” (2 Peter 2:7–8). He also sat in the gate of Sodom (Genesis 19:1). When he tried to warn the men of Sodom, they mocked him: “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge!” (Genesis 19:9). Even in wickedness, they instinctively understood that righteousness brings judgment.
Jesus Christ
Jesus did not avoid calling out sin. He told the woman at the well, “You have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband” (John 4:18). He told the man He healed, “Go and sin no more” (John 5:14). He declared that those who do not believe in Him “are condemned already” (John 3:18). Yet He also wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). His heart broke for sinners, even while He warned them.
The Apostle Paul
No apostle demonstrated a bolder, more confrontational style than Paul—yet it was always motivated by love and gospel truth. He publicly rebuked Peter “to his face” (Galatians 2:11) when Peter’s actions compromised the gospel. He preached repentance to Gentiles steeped in idolatry (Acts 17:30), and he directly challenged rulers such as Felix and Agrippa about “righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment” (Acts 24:25). Paul’s passion was to save souls, not coddle sin.
Should Christians Judge Others?
The modern world loves to quote Matthew 7:1—“Judge not, that you be not judged”—without reading the rest of the passage. Jesus was condemning hypocritical judgment, not righteous discernment. Just a few verses later, He says, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). That requires judgment. In John 7:24, Jesus commands, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
There is a massive difference between:
- Condemning someone in pride, as if we are their judge and executioner, and
- Warning someone in humility that their sin will condemn them unless they repent.
Paul wrote, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). He rebuked the Corinthians for failing to judge sin inside the church (1 Corinthians 5:1–13), saying, “Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside” (v. 12–13).
Lot was accused of “playing the judge” when he confronted the men of Sodom (Genesis 19:9), and yet that was a mark of his righteousness, not arrogance. Similarly, both Abraham and Lot sat at the gates of their cities—places of governance and judgment (Genesis 18:1; 19:1).
The Christian must judge behaviors and teachings according to Scripture. What we may not do is judge eternal destinies—only God sees the heart fully (1 Samuel 16:7). But we can and must declare what God has said: “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21).
The real issue is not merely sinful acts, but the unconverted mind—the heart set against God (Romans 8:7). An unrepentant person practices sin as a lifestyle and thereby proves their alienation from God. In contrast, a Christian may stumble, but repents. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us” (1 John 1:9). That is grace. But grace never excuses sin—it redeems us from it (Titus 2:11–12).
The believer and his personal sin
Many believers feel that they are too sinful to approach others with regards to matters of sin and righteousness. Sometimes unbelievers will use knowledge of their former and current sins and shortcomings to discount them and their message.
This feeling of inadequacy is common and understandable, but it is ultimately rooted in a misunderstanding of the Gospel. Christians are not called to proclaim the truth of Christ because they are morally flawless; they are called to proclaim it because they have been redeemed by grace. The authority of the message rests not in the moral perfection of the messenger, but in the power of God’s Word and the truth of the Gospel. As Paul wrote, “we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Our brokenness does not disqualify us; rather, it magnifies the grace of God who uses weak vessels to accomplish His divine purposes. Even the apostle Paul referred to himself as the “chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15), yet this did not deter him from preaching Christ boldly. On the contrary, his awareness of his past deepened his gratitude and resolve.
Francis Schaeffer often emphasized that the Christian life is not marked by a sinless existence, but by a lifestyle of repentance and dependence upon God. We are not disqualified from evangelism or from calling others to repentance because we have needed repentance ourselves—indeed, this is what qualifies us. John Calvin remarked that “no man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keepeth us back from entering in, save only our own unbelief.” When we feel disqualified, it is usually because we are too focused on ourselves rather than on Christ. The Christian does not point to himself as the standard of righteousness but points others to Christ—the only one who is truly righteous and who offers forgiveness and new life to all who come to Him in faith and repentance.
The Image of God and the Heart of Evangelism
When we engage the unbeliever, we are not speaking to an enemy to be vanquished but a person made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). That truth transforms our approach. We must never dehumanize those ensnared by sin. Rather, we see them as captives—blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), enslaved by the desires of the flesh (Ephesians 2:3), and held captive by the devil to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26).
That is why humility is essential. We too were once blind. We too walked in darkness (Ephesians 5:8). We too were “foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures” (Titus 3:3). But God saved us—not because of works, but by His mercy (Titus 3:5). We must never forget this.
Therefore, our goal is not to shame the sinner, but to point him to the way of freedom. That freedom comes through repentance and faith—turning from sin and trusting in the risen Christ. It results in a restored relationship with the Father through His Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not mere morality—it is new birth.
Conclusion: Speak Boldly, Love Deeply, Proclaim Faithfully
In every age, the Church must resist the temptation to be silent. Love demands truth. Truth demands courage. Courage demands faith.
We speak because we love. We warn because we care. We confront because we long to see sinners saved. Let us follow the examples of Noah, Abraham, Lot, Paul, Jesus, and the apostles. Let us refuse to be cowed by the culture. Let us open our mouths for the One who has saved us, knowing that our reward is in heaven.
“Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16)
S.D.G.,.
Robert Sparkman
rob@christiannewsjunkie.com
RELATED CONTENT
Concerning the Related Content section, I encourage everyone to evaluate the content carefully.
If I have listed the content, I think it is worthwhile viewing to educate yourself on the topic, but it may contain coarse language or some opinions I don’t agree with.
Feel free to offer your comments below. Respectful comments without expletives and personal attacks will be posted and I will respond to them.
Comments are closed after sixty days due to spamming issues from internet bots.
You can always send me an email at rob@christiannewsjunkie.com if you want to comment on something afterwards, though.
If you have evidence that I am wrong about a material statement of fact, provide the evidence and I will gladly review it and make revisions if merited. Obviously, there are some assertions that are matters of opinion that I will not change, but I always strive to be truthful.
I will continue to add videos and other items to the Related Content section as opportunities present themselves.
I recommend these Youtube channels and commentators for good content on politics and news from a Christian and/or conservative worldview: Albert Mohler, Allie Beth Stuckey, Bill O’Reilly, CBN News, Hugh Hewitt, John Anderson Media (Australia), Nick Freitas, Ruthless Podcast (language warning), Scott Jennings, The Hot Zone with Chuck Holton, Vince Dao, and Verdict with Ted Cruz.
For livestreaming of political protests and riots by conservative commentators, check out Nate Friedman, Cam Higby, James Klug, and Nick Shirley. I don’t agree with the perspectives of all these commentators and the language of protesters is often obscene. Most news outlets will not cover these illegal assemblies, though, because it doesn’t promote their narrative.
Depictions of Jesus Christ are used in some illustrations. I realize that some including conservative Presbyterians consider this to be idolatry. I respectfully disagree with their position on this matter as the commandment forbids worshiping such depictions, and I do not worship these illustrations.