— “Love everyone, but you don’t have to stay close to everyone.”
📖 Summary
Christians are called to “live peaceably with all” (Rom 12:18),
but that does not mean pleasing everyone or maintaining every relationship.
Love is unconditional, but fellowship requires discernment.
God commands us to pursue peace, yet also to guard ourselves from evil and manipulation (Matt 10:16).
Healthy distance can be an act of love rooted in wisdom.
1️⃣ Introduction | “If I avoid someone, am I being unloving?”
Many believers struggle:
“If I keep distance, isn’t that un-Christlike?”
“Didn’t Jesus love everyone and welcome all?”
Jesus loved everyone, yet He did not entrust Himself to everyone (John 2:24–25).
Love does not mean unguarded access—it means seeking God’s good, not human approval.
2️⃣ Biblical Foundation | Love Everyone, but Walk Wisely
📘 Romans 12:18 (ESV) — “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
📘 Matthew 10:16 (ESV) — “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
📘 Proverbs 22:24–25 (ESV) — “Make no friendship with a man given to anger.”
📘 1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV) — “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
📘 Luke 23:9 (ESV) — “He gave him no answer.”
→ True love includes discernment and boundaries.
3️⃣ Theological Insights
📜 John MacArthur — The Peacemaker’s Character
“Peace is our goal, but never at the cost of truth.”
📜 R.C. Sproul — The Pursuit of Holiness
“Holiness involves separation from sin;
love does not mean tolerance of evil.”
📜 John Piper — Love Your Enemies
“Loving enemies means praying for them, not tolerating their wrongdoing.”
📜 Jonathan Edwards — Charity and Its Fruits
“True charity pursues what is good before God, not what feels comfortable to man.”
📜 Westminster Confession of Faith, Ch. XVI
“All good works aim to glorify God, not to please men.”
4️⃣ False Views vs. Biblical Corrections
| False View | Problem | Biblical Correction |
|---|---|---|
| “I must like everyone.” | Emotional confusion | Love everyone, but limit harmful access. |
| “Avoiding someone means hate.” | Guilt-based thinking | Boundaries can be holy love. |
| “Jesus accepted everyone.” | Misinterpretation | Jesus loved sinners but did not join their sin. |
| “Good Christians never have conflict.” | People-pleasing faith | Truth sometimes requires separation. |
5️⃣ Practical Application | Biblical Responses to Difficult People
1️⃣ Discern Their Fruit — Evaluate motives, not just words (Matt 7:16).
2️⃣ Keep Healthy Distance — Separation can protect holiness, not hinder love.
3️⃣ Pray Instead of Retaliate — Let God handle justice (Rom 12:19).
4️⃣ Set Loving Boundaries — Help wisely, not endlessly.
5️⃣ Seek Counsel in Community — Invite spiritual oversight and wisdom.
6️⃣ Conclusion
Christian love is not naive tolerance but holy discernment.
We are to seek peace without sacrificing truth,
to show grace without inviting destruction.
“To love wisely is to walk in holiness —
near to God, yet discerning with people.” — Revito
Faith. Wisdom. Renewal. — Revito
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