Let me tell you something about the heart of God. God’s love isn’t out here throwing stones. His love doesn’t dig through the trash to pull up what He already cleaned up. Yet, somehow, we as believers can find ourselves doing just that. We can feel justified, like we’re standing for righteousness, but in reality, we’re sowing discord and tearing down what Jesus gave His life to build.

So let’s look at this clearly, because it’s a big deal. What happens when someone’s past—something dealt with privately and forgiven—gets dug up years later? What happens when the crowd shows up, not to love, but to throw stones? I’m telling you, we need to be careful. We need to ask ourselves if we’re walking in the heart of God or just following the crowd.

When the Past Resurfaces

Think about it: years ago, a sin happened. It was handled. Maybe the leadership addressed it biblically. Maybe there was confession, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. The church wasn’t harmed, the body wasn’t shaken, and God moved forward with His plans for that individual and the ministry.

But now, out of nowhere, someone brings it back up. Maybe they feel justified. Maybe they’re hurt, bitter, or even offended. And suddenly, what was once buried by grace gets dragged into the open, and it splits the church. People take sides. Half the congregation gets offended. Relationships are strained, and trust is broken.

And here’s the kicker—some members now say, “I feel lied to and betrayed.”

But hold on—why? Why do you feel lied to? You weren’t involved in the situation. You weren’t there when it happened. You don’t have all the facts, and you don’t know how it was handled. So why are you taking on offense that was never yours to carry?

This kind of reaction often comes from misunderstanding and deception. Just because something wasn’t announced to the whole congregation doesn’t mean it wasn’t handled properly. Some things are better dealt with privately—for the sake of the individual, the leadership, and the health of the body. Not every issue needs to be a public spectacle.

Does feeling left out of the loop justify reopening wounds and creating division? Absolutely not.

Are We Walking in Love or Justifying Offense?

When someone brings up a past issue, we need to stop and ask: Why is this happening? What’s the heart behind it? Is it truly about protecting the church, or is it rooted in offense?

Here’s the problem: we often think our offense is justified. We call it “standing for truth” or “holding others accountable.” But offense disguises itself as righteousness all the time. And if we’re not careful, we’ll convince ourselves we’re protecting the body of Christ when, really, we’re tearing it apart.

Listen, it’s not about ignoring sin. Sin matters, and accountability matters. But when something was already dealt with—biblically, privately, and effectively—what’s the fruit of bringing it up again years later?

The Fruit Test

Jesus said you’ll know a tree by its fruit. So what’s the fruit of digging up the past?

Here’s what I’ve seen:

• Division. The body of Christ splits, relationships break down, and trust erodes.

• Offense. People who were never involved in the issue suddenly take it on as their own and get hurt or bitter.

• Mistrust. Leaders who handled things well at the time are now questioned and criticized.

Does that sound like the fruit of the Spirit to you? Because the fruit of the Spirit is peace, love, and unity. It’s restoration, not destruction.

When we stir up something God already handled, we’re not building up the body of Christ—we’re tearing it down.

Protecting the Body of Christ

People will say, “Well, I’m protecting the victim,” or “I’m protecting the church.” But let me tell you, you can’t protect one part of the body while wounding another. You can’t tear down a brother or sister in Christ and call it righteousness.

Think about this: nobody watching a football game wants to see teammates fighting each other on the field. If the players start arguing and tackling their own teammates, how will they win? They won’t—they’ll lose, every time. The same is true for the church. When we turn on each other, when we dig up old issues and fight amongst ourselves, we’re not moving the ball forward for the kingdom of God—we’re handing victory to the enemy.

That’s why we’re sharing this—not out of judgment, but out of a pure desire to protect the body of Christ. We need to help people understand just how detrimental this kind of division is. We are one team, one body, and we need to fight together, not against each other.

Paul says in Ephesians 4:3 to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” That’s the call—to protect unity, to walk in love, and to seek restoration.

God’s Forgiveness Is Final

Here’s what blows my mind: when God forgives, He forgets. He doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. He doesn’t bring up your past mistakes 15 years later. He doesn’t dredge up your sin to shame you or divide His church.

Psalm 103:12 says He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. Think about that. If God has forgiven and restored someone, who are we to pull it back up? Are we claiming our standard is higher than His?

Love keeps no record of wrongs, friends. If God has chosen to forget, why are we choosing to remember?

What If It Were You?

Let’s make it personal. What if it were your past? What if it were your failure, your sin, that someone decided to dig up 15 years later?

How would you feel if your moment of weakness—something you confessed, repented of, and were forgiven for—was suddenly used to split your church? Would you feel loved? Would you feel built up in Christ?

Friends, Jesus didn’t call us to be stone throwers. He called us to be restorers. He called us to love.

Choosing the Way of Jesus

In John 8, Jesus didn’t join the crowd of stone throwers. He didn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery, even though the law gave Him every right to. Instead, He extended grace and told her, “Go and sin no more.”

That’s our example. That’s our call. To love, to forgive, to restore, and to build up the body of Christ.

The next time you’re tempted to pick up a stone—whether it’s in the form of a word, an accusation, or a memory of someone’s past—stop and ask yourself: Is this the heart of God?

If it’s not building up the body, if it’s not producing the fruit of the Spirit, if it’s not aligned with the love of Jesus, then drop the stone. Choose grace. Choose unity. Choose to protect the body of Christ, not divide it.

Let’s walk in the love of God, friends. Let’s be known for our mercy, our compassion, and our commitment to unity. That’s how we honor Him. That’s how we represent His heart.

Let’s leave the stones where they belong—on the ground.

—Joshua L Mullins