"Loving" the Lost

Then Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Do you help the wicked and love those who hate Yahweh? Because of this, Yahweh's wrath is on you." - 2 Chronicles 19:2

This little piece of Jehoshaphat's story raised a lot of questions for me. King Ahab had asked for Jehoshaphat's help, he had agreed to offer it, Ahab had been killed, and then Jehoshaphat had limped back home, probably wondering what had gone wrong.

It is clear that though Ahab "knew" God, he did not follow him. Was it wrong for Jehoshaphat to help him? Is it wrong for a Christ-follower to help a person who does not follow Jesus? Does God love the lost or does He detest them? Don't all those who are without Christ, "hate" the Lord? Is God angry with us if we help the wicked? How do we love them without helping them?

Yes, all this ran through my mind.

First of all, yes, God loves the lost. The Cross of Christ is all the proof we need. At the same time, God hates wickedness. Again, the Cross of Christ is our proof. God was angry with Jehoshaphat because he aided a wicked man in the accomplishment of his wicked plans and purposes. While we may find ourselves in a position to offer help to those who are without Christ we must be careful not to promote evil, or become an unwitting partner in it.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is lovingly say, "No, I cannot help" It is also, often the most "loving" thing to do.

Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? - Paul (2 Corinthians 6:14)