Judgment

I was listening to one of Brian's sermons on judging the other day and thought it was wonderful, so I want to reiterate the key points of his message.

There are those who say that the Bible says not to judge. If you tell them that what they believe is wrong or that their behavior is wrong, they may say "hey, your judging me, man, Jesus said don't judge". Well that's not true. We must make judgments about various things, but what we must not do is judge incorrectly, such as the following:

1) Going beyond God's requirements. The Pharisees Jesus rebuked were experts at this. They didn't want to break God's law so they put a mile hedge around it. Unfortunately what happened is that their standard became to them what God's law said instead of what God's law ACTUALLY said. Then they applied judgment to other people based on their man-made standard rather than the laws of God.

We do the same sort of things today I think in some circles. Well I think we ALL do it in some form or another, but there are various groups that focus on this thing or that thing and pass judgment on people based on something that is traditional to them but is not actually forbidden in God's word.

Examples today may be smoking, drinking, going to the movies, playing cards, drinking coffee, keeping a particular day as the Sabbath, and so on. The list could go on and on. For some of these various arguments can be made about the body being the temple of the Holy Spirit and we shouldn't defile it, and so on. But then again the same kind of argument can be made about eating hot dogs and nachos or breathing air in Los Angeles. Also there is a valid argument about the great freedom we have as Christians -- many things are permissible but not everything edifies. Really it does build a person up more spiritually to spend two hours studying the Bible than watching a secular movie. Completely valid, but it does not call for passing judgment. God's word is very clear on many subjects about what is and what is not permissible, and in those areas where it is silent, we are not to judge.

So do we look down on people because of their hobbies, because of what they eat, because of what they drink, because of the religious organization they do/don't associate with, because they do/don't use only the 1611 KJV Bible, or because of the day they choose to go to church on?

Or do we, as we should, get our standards from the word of God, and file "traditions" in the proper location -- under that which is man made.

2) By appearance. "Oh he can't be a Christian. He's got green hair, and long hair, and a tattoo, and body piercings, and shabby clothes". We better sit HIM in the back, while this nice guy in a suit can sit up front. He's MUCH more holy, obviously, just look at the way he looks.

Back in the day before my time there was discussion in various churches about whether or not to let people with long hair attend. What?! "Brothers I KNOW there's a SINNER among us! A lost sheep!" And the poor guy with the long hair with his Bible sitting in the front just came to worship with fellow believers, not get indirectly berated by the pastor because he had long hair.

So are we Samuel searching for someone to replace Saul and looking at outward appearance only? Are we like some of the early Christians James rebuked for fawning over the same rich people who were oppressing them just because they had the money?

Or do we, like our father, have a greater concern over what's inside a person than what's on the outside?

3) Self-righteously. The Pharisees Jesus rebuked were good at this one too. The opinion of some was that everyone else was around to fan the fires of hell. What hubris! Any kind of self-righteous judgment comes out of a failure to remember one thing: we're ALL sinners and in the SAME boat. The only reason believers are not in a worse off state is by the grace of God alone, not because of anything good in them.

So are we like the old Peter who pretty much said "Lord, THESE may desert you, but NOT I, I love you MORE". Are we like those who think they're saved because their so good on their own? Are we like the Pharisee in Luke 18 who thanks God that he is not like "those sinners"?

Or do we, like the tax collector in Luke 18, have proper humility before God and avoid judging self-righteously?

4) Mercilessly. The Pharisees Jesus rebuked were good at this one too. You're sick? Secret sin. You're a prostitute or tax collector? Must be wicked and God judged you already. Yeah God, get THEM!

There are people in some churches today that come down overly hard on certain sins. Sin is sin, but some people go to the extreme about particular sins. Guess what happens when the leader is weak and commits the sin he came down so hard on? His congregation comes down incredibly hard on him. Makes one wonder where that extra effort and loudness was coming from in the first place. We're all susceptible, and when people stumble, yet are genuinely grieved and repentant, mercy is called for, not judgment.

So are we like those dragging the adulterous woman before Jesus wanting her to be stoned?

Or are we, like our Lord, willing to show mercy?

5) Finally. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. Concluding someone, anyone, is beyond God's grace is not something Christians are to do. There was a vicious murderer a while back who said he repented, turned to Jesus, and was assured he was doing to heaven. I don't know if its true or not, but if it is, good for him. Others were appalled by such a statement -- even some Christians. "Oh there is NO way THAT man is going to heaven." What about the thief on the cross next to Jesus? What about the parable where the one working all day and the one working for one hour receive the same reward? What about the sick needing the doctor? No, there is no sin too great for God to forgive outside of rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

I know I've judged in all these ways at some time or another, and I know I ought not do it. That is not what we as Christians are to do. However, neither are we to stick our head in the sand because people say we shouldn't be judging when it comes to things like salvation, false teachings, clearly sinful behavior, etc. No, we are called to tell people the truth -- the actual truth that is grounded in the word of God, not tradition or man-made ideas -- and come from a proper attitude of meekness.

Grace and Peace