Christians are often accused of judging people outside of Christiandom when they give voice to things that are written in the Bible. Please realize, there is a big difference between judging people vs warning people. Love is always the motivator behind warning people of danger, whether referring to the natural or spiritual sense. Consider this scenario: Imagine you are the passenger in a car with some of your friends. The driver decides to be an imbecile and park in the middle of a railroad crossing at 11:59 a.m. You are well aware that the Union Pacific Big Boy #4014, weighing 1.2 million pounds passes through that same railroad crossing each and every day at 12 noon sharp.
Christians who read their bibles not only know what consequences there are if you remain on the "track of sin", but they know what's coming in the future. God has given them the revelation! To everyone who follows Jesus, He reveals His knowledge. A Christian's concern for others is motivated by the love Jesus taught them to have for all people. They speak out. And it's easy for them to speak out because each and every Christian used to park on that same railroad track until someone warned them. I have often heard the words, “Don’t you dare judge me" coming from the mouths of non-believers. Likewise, I have heard DISOBEYING Christians shout to other Christians, "You know what God said, “Judge not lest ye be judged” (Rom. 7:1). Both believer and non-believer throw that verse around like a pigskin on Sunday Night Football. So many people interpret it to mean that no one should tell us what we’re doing is wrong. After all – the Bible says not to judge, right? Here is the bottom line. Read it 2-3 times if you have to. We can WARN the world of the danger they are in, (as in the example of the oncoming train), but we are not to judge them. That's God's business. We CAN, however, JUDGE OTHER CHRISTIANS when they have fallen out of the way. Do you need to read that again? Warning and Judging are 2 different things! Let me clarify. Passing judgment on an unbeliever, a "worldly" person, means to declare that person guilty and pass on them a sentence, thus taking the place of God (James 4:12). I cannot tell a homosexual, adulterer, pedophile, or rapist they are going to hell! How do I know they will wind up in hell when they may come to Jesus someday. I can WARN THEM what God says about their behavior and what will happen if they don't get off the track, but the truth is, they may change today, in a month, in a year, or even in 20 years and be saved. Then my "sentence" upon that person would have been wrong. I can only warn, not judge. James 4:12 says there is only one judge, one lawmaker ... the One who can both save and destroy.
Now, let me be clear. Though as Christians we are not to pass individual judgments or declare what punishment a non-believer deserves, we can most definitely judge what is under our authority. What is under our authority? Fellow Christians ... brothers and sisters in the faith. Refer to 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 NIV. Paul said, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside." One more time from the Living Bible, "It isn't our job to judge outsiders. But it certainly our job to judge and deal strongly with those who are members of the church and who are sinning in these ways. God alone is the Judge of those on the outside." As a Christian, I have never nor would I ever scream or point my finger to pass judgment on a homosexual and yell that they are going to hell. THAT IS NOT MY JUDGMENT CALL. I can, however, and am allowed to WARN them what GOD has said in His Word about the subject. We can warn people where dangerous behaviors and lifestyles lead (every Christian has been there, we've all sinned) but I should never take it upon myself, based on my own feelings or opinions, to tell someone they are going to hell. Remember the controversial Westboro Baptist Church? These supposedly "Christian" followers of Jesus Christ spoke openly of their hatred and carried vulgar signs that did not reflect Jesus' love or His message. They held inflammatory signs bearing messages like "God Hates Fags," "God hates Jews," "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "Thank God for AIDS." These people do not represent the God I worship! I totally disagree with their message. It's one of hate, not of love.
Until next time,
-Pat-
thank you for this, pat! what you said is so true. i've been told i'm judging people when i'm not. example: a particular fellow employee opened up one day to tell me how he is cheating on his wife. after he described his relationship with his wife and his mistress he asked my opinion about the situation. in fact, i said i understood his desire to cheat because passion and lust can sometime blind us when making the right decision. i even shared that i once was living unmarried to a lady and that a baby was conceived but later died. so i could relate to his choice though i didn't agree w/his choices. i never called him an adulterer. i never shamed him. in fact, i empathized w/his weaknesses, but it was him who asked what i thought. i told him "I" understood, but that God did not condone such behavior and gave him a scripture regarding adultery to help him realize i wasn't lying to him. he actually got made at me and accused me of judging him! i wasn't judging him. iI felt bad for him. i understood his weakness that drew him to cheat. i simply told him the truth how GOD feels about his situation. christians get slammed all the time! telling someone what God said is not judging them personally, it's simply telling them what God said over 2,000 years ago. i didn't make the rules. besides, he asked me! i did not approach him. i simply spoke the truth yet he really believed i was judging him personally. i wasn't!
ReplyDeleteIt's a catch 22, Dan! People ask for our opinions or for prayer and when we speak the Truth, even in an understanding way, they get deffensive. It's their guilt that causes them to behave like that! The whole world knows that no one thinks cheating on your spouse is okay!!! In those circumstances, it is hard to have a "win" but it should not keep us from speaking the truth in love! God will deal with your colleague's heart...He probably already is!!
DeleteUnderstandable, Dan! I get it. You're not alone. People are offended when hearing the truth. Just know your friend was not lashing out at you personally, but it was the sin in him resisting God's truth. The man is torn between good and evil. He came to you and confided in you as a friend. That tells me he wanted the truth, yet the other side within him was going to rebel against that same truth. THIS is the struggle human have when they've been deceived by sin. Don't take it personally. You didn't make the rules, you were simply repeating a page from the handbook. He asked you, you read the instructions. It's not that he doesn't like you, he doesn't like the rules. His argument is with God.
DeleteThis may not be a good example to illustrate judging, but this subject reminds me of the wife who was sitting beside her husband who was attempting to put together and assemble a "do it yourself" computer table. he is the kind of man that will not read or follow directions. As he struggles to get things right, she decides to pick up the instructions and read what it says he must do to "get things right." immediately he becomes offended and doesn't want to hear what she has to say. he wants to figure it out on his own and snaps back, "do you think i'm stupid? Stop telling me what to do!" This is exactly how a Christian feels when someone is struggling with sin, who cannot seem to "get things right" with their life. The analogy is, the Christian picks up God's "instructions" to share with the struggling sinner what he must do to fix things, to get things right. The Christian does this because the sinner won't pick up a Bible to read what he needs to do to fix his life. The sinner snaps, "Don't tell me what to do" but it isn't the Christian telling him what he must do, it is God. We are only reading the instructions back. The truth is, the Christian is only sharing what could be read by the sinner if they'll only pick up a Bible. But like the husband in my illustration, they won't follow instructions whether they read them for themselves or even if they are read to them. The attempt of a Christian is to help, not judge.
ReplyDeleteGreat teaching on this! Now, we just have to remember to walk in love! We need to remind ourselves, that we too, needed redemption from our sin!! We did not like to be judged, nor do others.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as you mention, we ARE called to judge sin within the body of Christ, the Church! We are to do it swiftly and unequivically by the Word of God. Sin cannot be allowed to continue within the Church and give the devil opportunity to infect the whole congregation!
Blessings, Pat!!
Thx. :)
DeleteYes excellent teaching. Great comments. I'm still with you all just not saying much...love love
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy! Oh how I wish we could all be in one room studying together! Have great day.
DeleteOmg,I would love that also..someday🐝🌺🌻🌲
ReplyDeleteYes, someday!
ReplyDeleteAmen
ReplyDelete