How The Lord Feels About Apathy

[Posted January 29, 2024]

Hi Mike,

We discussed that it’s expected to have empathy and why it’s mandated to have this emotional intelligence. My question is what does the Bible discuss about apathy, the antonym of empathy? Obviously it’s not right to have apathy toward others, and it’s totally not respected for one to have it.

D____

Hi D____,

Thank you for this very timely question. Here is what the scriptures have to say about this specific question:

Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Now look at the context of that verse in 1 John:

1Jn 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

The Lord knows whether we love each other, and He tells us how to know whether we love each other:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

This principle was revealed even in the Old Testament where the Lord defines the ‘fast’ God has ordained:

Isa 58:6  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Isa 58:7  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

I have always appreciated how Christ’s true ‘body’ does not hide itself from its own flesh but ministers to every legitimate pressing need in His ‘body’.

Having pointed out all these verses which condemn apathy within the body of Christ, it must be noted that Christ Himself urges us to deal wisely with the resources He has given us and not squander them on an unappreciative self-centered poor world:

Joh 12:7  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
Joh 12:8  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Now look at the context of these words of our Lord:

Joh 12:1  Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
Joh 12:2  There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Joh 12:3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Joh 12:4  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
Joh 12:5  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
Joh 12:6  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Joh 12:7  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
Joh 12:8  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Mary had poured out her expensive ointment upon the body of Christ, and Christ is admonishing us to do good to all men but especially to them who are of the household of faith; they who are ‘His body.’

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

I hope this has answered your question about how God feels about apathy. One verse more needs to be added to this discussion, and it happens to be right here in this same 6th chapter of Galatians and in the very context of verse 10:

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Your brother who always wants to minister to my “own flesh… His body which is the church” (Isa 58:7, Col 1:24).