by Doy Moyer<\/p>\n
If we must say we are sorry (and at some point, we all must), then do so over poor behavior and ungodly thinking, but never be sorry for the impact of the gospel itself and what it stands for.<\/p>\n
Further, be careful about conflating bad behavior with the gospel, for it is easy to act poorly, be ungracious, and speak uncivilly while thinking we are just defending the truth. But when we do that, we aren’t defending the gospel; we are selfishly putting ourselves over others and trying to manipulate or intimidate them into our mold. This can only hurt our cause and efforts to stand for truth because it does not point to Jesus. Let us not think that defending the reason for the hope within us (I Peter 3:15) is to be riddled with insults.<\/p>\n
Firmness for truth and kindness in demeanor are not mutually exclusive. We can be unashamed of truth and also speak with grace. In our current culture, both are sorely needed.<\/p>\n
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’<\/em>” (Romans 1:16-17). Cf. Also Colossians 4:5-6; James 3:10-12.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Doy Moyer If we must say we are sorry (and at some point, we all must), then do so over poor behavior and ungodly thinking, but never be sorry for the impact of the gospel itself and what it stands for. Further, be careful about conflating bad behavior with the gospel, for it is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[37,1201,578],"class_list":["post-67840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-apologetics","tag-politeness","tag-shame"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":53473,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/pride-and-preachers\/","url_meta":{"origin":67840,"position":0},"title":"Pride and Preachers","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bruce Reeves There has been some discussion lately about preachers and jealousy. Brother Tommy Peeler has pointed out that preachers are not the only ones who struggle with jealousy. I knew a man one time that told a gospel preacher that he did not think that it was fair\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63469,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-denominations-be-refuted\/","url_meta":{"origin":67840,"position":1},"title":"Should Denominations Be Refuted?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 18, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 119:97-104 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some brethren are, well, squeamish when denominations are publicly refuted \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There is a fear that visitors, their friends and relatives, will be offended by such plain language \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In the end, there is more allowance for sin to continue unchecked. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Is it possible\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":90842,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/mixing-the-law-of-moses-and-the-gospel-of-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":67840,"position":2},"title":"Mixing the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Christ","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton When brethren at Galatia tried to bring over circumcision from the Law, it was a faith problem. It essentially inferred that the gospel of Jesus is not sufficient without the Law of Moses. It states that Christians are incomplete with Jesus as head over all things\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52318,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/right-message-wrong-audience\/","url_meta":{"origin":67840,"position":3},"title":"Right Message, Wrong Audience","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford At first glance, the narrative of Exodus 2:11-14 appears to be one of impulsiveness and immaturity. Moses, a 40-year-old resident of Pharaoh's household, decided to visit his Hebrew kinfolk. He sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, strikes the tormentor dead, and hides the body. The next\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68782,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-the-gospel-political\/","url_meta":{"origin":67840,"position":4},"title":"Is the Gospel Political?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer No\u2026 and yes. First, no. The gospel is not about parties and political power. It is not a brand of worldly government, for it transcends all governments (see Isaiah 2:1-4; Daniel 2:44-45). We can be Christians regardless of the political system in which we live. 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