Cruel Compassion
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster will come upon you.’” (Jeremiah 23:16-17)
In today’s world, calling sin “sin” is itself sin! To hurt someone’s feelings by suggesting their attitudes or actions bring judgment or displease God is labeled bigoted and cruel. What’s needed, we’re told, is compassion. But, in this case, compassion means affirming every person’s choice. Compassion means praising every person’s lifestyle. Such is the “compassion” that drives our world today.
In the name of compassion, states are liberalizing abortion laws to “help” women burdened with unplanned pregnancies. In the name of compassion, “right-to-die” and assisted suicide legislation is seen as a means to provide terminal patients an escape from depression and pain. In the name of compassion, gay marriage is embraced as a civil right because, “No one should be denied their right to marry the person they love.” In the name of compassion, those identifying as transgender are urged to be true to themselves. If your feelings don’t match your body, change your body. Submit yourself to hormone treatment and genital “reconstruction.” This will end your turmoil. This will bring you peace.
But will it? Does today’s “compassion” deliver what it promises? Does abortion really set a woman free (baby conveniently ignored)? Is offering a depressed patient an irreversible “way out” a genuine act of kindness? Does men marrying men—and women marrying women—bring life? When your feelings don’t match your body, is it possible that addressing your feelings might be the better option as opposed to mutilating your body? In other words, is today’s “make no judgment” compassion genuine compassion—or will it ultimately prove to be cruel?
Make no mistake about it. Today’s compassion is infinitely cruel. Here’s why. Today’s compassion is cruel because it willfully discounts God. Rooted in self-worship—and an unwavering commitment to self-determination—today’s compassion dismisses the Creator of heaven and earth. It’s no surprise, then, that today’s compassion exalts human desire over God’s design, seeks present happiness over eternal joy, and refuses to acknowledge God’s holiness, our sin, the authority of Scripture, and the reality of eternal judgment. Stubbornly refusing to acknowledge human depravity (and, yes, “depravity” is the right word), we refuse to call sin “sin.” Not wanting to hurt feelings (after all, feelings reign supreme), we affirm (often by our silence) murder, sexual immorality, self-deception, and an obstinacy against God that can only lead to hell. Such “compassion” offers no opportunity for repentance. It shuts the door on God’s salvation, forgiveness and grace.
That’s why “compassion” that refuses to call sin “sin” is cruel compassion. If the God of the Bible is real, any “compassion” that leaves a man—that leaves a woman—enslaved to their sin is a “compassion” that forever condemns. The hope it offers is vain (Jeremiah 23:16).
How different God’s compassion is! God’s compassion always speaks the truth we need to hear—not the lies we want to hear. Refusing to affirm our sin and participate in our self-destruction, God confronts our rebellion. God defines right. God condemns wrong. Unwilling to turn His back on us, God lovingly convicts us of our brokenness by compassionately calling sin “sin”! In this, God shows us how desperately we need a Savior—the Savior He Himself provides in Christ. In Jesus, God Himself paid our sin penalty when He died on the cross. In Jesus, God Himself conquered death so we can live forever—and forgiven—with Him.
And so we see. Genuine compassion cares more about eternal destinies than soothed feelings. Real compassion refuses to affirm people in their sin! Why? Only when we call sin “sin,” do we find opportunity to repent. Only when we see how desperately we need a Savior will we find the Savior we need in Jesus.