Two-Thingsism

WE HAVE ALL heard the old adage "love the sinner, hate the sin." This is something most of us take for granted, but because of this, a Christian is allowed to love all men regardless of their actions. As I was slowly dissecting Chesterton's Orthodoxy, I came across this great summary of Christian charity:

[Christianity] came in startling with a sword, and clove one thing from another. It divided the crime from the criminal. The criminal we must forgive unto seventy times seven. The crime we must not forgive at all. It was not enough that slaves who stole wine inspired partly anger and partly kindness. We must be much more angry with theft than before, and yet much kinder to thieves than before. There was room for wrath and love to run wild.

This is bold and unique unto Christianity. Separate a person's actions from the person and you will be hard-pressed to hold a grudge. You will also find yourself a better person for having learned to hate an action to the point that you avoid it yourself. The devil is in the details, and that is what makes a person great. A great person who will go the extra mile. This is what Christianity is about.