Episode 32: Misplaced Compassion

Christ Mandates Compassion

Jesus said, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

Biblical Examples of Misplaced Compassion

1 Samuel 15: Saul refuses to kill Agag King of the Amalekites.

• And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

1 Kings 20: King Ahab spares Ben-Hadad.

Three Reasons Misplacing Compassion is Harmful

• It fails to bring needed repentance from the wicked, who are in danger of God’s eternal punishment.
  • Ezekiel 33
  • Jeremiah 6:14-15; 23:32
  • 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
• Misplaced compassion harms others, because the sinful behavior spreads.
  • 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
• The robs the victims of justice.
  • Luke 8:1-8

Misplaced Compassion in the Family

• A spoiled child. Proverbs 13:24: Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
• Hebrews 12:7-11: 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
• 1 Samuel 2: Eli’s worthless sons.

Misplaced Compassion in the State:

• Opposition to the death penalty for heinous crimes.
  • Genesis 9: 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.
  • Exodus 21:12: “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.
  • Romans 13
• Pardoning of murderers.
• Abortion, IVF, surrogacy, homosexual marriage, homosexual adoption, light sentences against pedophiles, etc.

Misplaced Compassion in the Church

• Openly unrepentant not being disciplined, open Communion. These souls are not brought to repentance.
• Sin spreads like leaven.
• Victims of abuse, divorce, adultery, and such receive no justice.

Rightly Placed Compassion

• Luke 15:11-32
• John 8:1-11
• Matthew 18:15-35
• 2 Corinthians 2: 5-11
• ἐπιείκεια: gentleness, mildness, fairness, equity.
• 2 Samuel 14; Genesis 4
• Compassion is always for Christ’s sake, for the sake of repentance. 2 Peter 3:9