![[Shelbyville Times-Gazette]](http://www.t-g.com/images/nameplate-small.png){kind=small}
Shelbyville, Tennessee ~ Sunday, October 12, 2008
| Blogs | 
|
|
To Judge or Not to Judge
Posted Sunday, February 10, 2008, at 10:09 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
"Judge not, that ye be not judged," MAT 7:1
Satan's gimmick is to use our text to come against those who identify sin. People will say one should not be judgmental if they come against sin. This gimmick clearly comes against the authority of God's Word. We must identify sin; if we do not identify sin, we are hypocrites. It is that important. This is the mystery of the truth that Christ is preaching. We are able to discern the difference between identifying sin and being judgmental; there is a tremendous difference between them. Satan will take the Word of God and use it out of context to destroy its authority.
In ROM 16:17 we read, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." In other words, identify those who violate God's Word and have no company with them. Is that being judgmental? No! It's the sin we are judging, not the person.
A principle I have always lived by is, "I love the man, even though I might hate what he does." We must hate his sin even though we love his soul. There is a difference. I have constantly prayed for the men who have come against me. I was not attempting to harm the men; I was defending against their sin.
Jesus teaches us that we must be able to identify sin in our closest brother in Christ. We must also identify sin in ourselves, and if we are truly walking in love we will thank a brother who helps us identify a sin in our lives. Identifying sin is not being judgmental.
Satan's interpretation of love is akin to, "Oh, you can't be judgmental; you can't point at someone else's sin." That mentality is designed to embolden people in sin and to take away all shame. That is a satanic substitute for love! Look at EPH 5:11-12, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret." We absolutely must reprove those committing such sin.
Glorying in our tolerance for sin is not good. The Apostle Paul not only identified sin, but he said to purge it out. We must deal with sin; we cannot use the excuse of not being judgmental. We must identify sin and aggressively put that sin out. 1CO 5:6- 7 says, "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" The Corinthians were glorying in a false love as though they should not identify sin; it was a synthetic love. There was a grievous sin in the camp which must be purged out. Paul said it was not good. V:7 continues, "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us."
That leaven is sin; unleaven is clean, not sinful, and not puffed up. In other words, we may not trample on the sacrifice of Christ's blood by claiming it can cleanse us from sin that we still cherish and serve. If we see a sin, we must identify it because it took the blood of Christ to cleanse that sin. We may not just sit back and watch someone live in sin.
We are to mark those among us who walk in sin and have no company with them so they may be ashamed and repent. We do not put them out of our company because we are "holier than they." They must be made to feel ashamed in order to bring repentance. 1CO 5:9-11 says, "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." In other words, don't let them come to your table; they are not to be treated as company. We do this so they will be ashamed and repent. If we were to say that to every person in the world, we would have to come out of the world. Reprove those who profess to be in Christ who walk in sin. We are to use discipline to correct; that is not being judgmental.
We are to turn away from people who pretend to be Godly by perverting the meaning of our text saying, "Oh, you can't be judgmental!" Oh, how Satan loves that expression! He promotes sin with that perversion thereby making people tolerant of sin. 2TI 3:1-2 tells us we are to beware, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy."
2TI 3:5 says, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." In other words, those who pretend to be Godly but have never had the power of sin broken are to be shunned. They still live in sin, and we are told to turn away from people like that. A group of people may pretend to be religious, holding church services and behave as though they were most Godly, but they have never come under the authority of God's Word. We are to turn away from such people; we are in danger of learning their ways, doing their things, and becoming one with them.
We must not only identify sin, we must admonish those who commit sin. Admonishing sin is NOT being judgmental. TIT 3:10-11 says, "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." A heretic is a person who has been admonished, he knows what his sin is, that it is sin, and he continues in it. Reject him and leave him alone. His own conscience will tell him he is living in sin. He is justifying his sin, passing judgment upon God, making himself righteous and God unjust. He is a heretic. You must reject him if he refuses reproof based on Scriptural principles. This is not the same as the person who understands the reproof and seeks to conform to God's Word. Amen.
No, not despairingly come I to Thee; No, not distrustingly bend I the knee; Sin hath gone over me, yet this is my plea, Jesus hath died.
Lord, I confess to Thee sadly my sin; All I am tell I Thee, all I have been; Purge Thou my sin away, wash Thou my soul this day, Lord make me clean.
Faithful and just art Thou forgiving all; Loving and kind art Thou when poor ones call; Lord, let the cleansing blood, blood of the Lamb of God, Pass o'er my soul. Horatius Bonar, 1808-1889 Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Hot topics Crossroads 08(0 ~ 10:01 AM, Oct 12)
Light for the Dark Times Ahead.
The Army of Christ
Maverick and more
Angels Among Us
|
![[Feed icon]](http://www.t-g.com/images/icons/feed-icon-14x14.png){kind=icon}
You who identify sin, are hypocrites, not those who don't identify it.. B/c everyone is guilty. It's like having 100 men on death row, all for murder, and each one saying they are less guilty than the other.. The point is, they all committed the same crime, exactly how they did it, isn't the point, who is more guilty than the other's isn't the point... The point is, they ALL are there for the same reason, and not a single one is better than the other. AND, not a single one can point fingers, b/c each of them have sinned.
"We are to mark those among us who walk in sin and have no company with
them so they may be ashamed and repent. We do not put them out of our
company because we are "holier than they." They must be made to feel
ashamed in order to bring repentance."
Then I am thinking that you don't go to church or have no friends or have sinless friends (and if that being the case then WOW...) do you indeed practice what you preach and shun ALL THOSE THAT SIN??? Because you would have to shun your entire congregation and your entire family...heck the entire planet...PLEASE SPARE ME..GOD SAYS THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE LEST THEE BE JUDGED END OF STORY..SATAN DOESN'T SPIN IT, YOU DO, TO MEET THE SICK NEED YOU HAVE TO FEEL HOLIER THAN THOU...THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT.
Oh and here's a thought..why don't you do what most bloggers on here do and respond to other comments on your previous blogs instead of ignoring them and starting a whole new topic?
This, Micheal, is why more folks doNOT go to church. If you go, you are a pious, judgemental hypocrite who still sins, if you don't go, you are still a sinner. Church used to be a good thing, now, its more of a social scene and heard sort of thing , and we need to quit trying to MAKE other countries believe what we believe as do they us. JMO.
I am not thru with the Islam blogs yet I was trying to practice and to study doing one sermon a week.
Geesh, are you ordained? If so, you need to be revoked.
Jesus did not shun or nor avoid the worst of sinners . . . he made it a point to walk amongst them and to be an example and to show them the true way of God and even washed their feet because he did not think he was better than anyone. God wants us to follow in Jesus' path and even though we will never get close to that perfection, we must at least try and that includes embracing sinners because we are all sinners and we all need love and to hear the word of God.
I don't appreciate someone saying I am doing the devil's work by saying what I said above . . . that is just wrong and goes against the foundation of Christ. Someone needs to read the WHOLE bible and not just certain passages from the book because that is what false prophets do . . . they only read what they want to hear and believe.
Also, tacky comments by some commenters on here are not needed either because it does not make you better than Michael. This discussion should be about understanding God's word and not some opportunity to degrade someone or call them names. It makes you no better than what you are accusing Michael of.
jaxspike,
I have never once claimed to be of god, a believer or a follower. I never claimed to be a christian, a muslim or anything else. BUT what I do know is the difference between right and wrong and what Michael is doing is 100% wrong. He says something and then when people want answers he goes off on another subject without regard.
Exactly Evil Monkey...
Michael starts topics he can't finish. Why is that? Simple... He has no clue what he's talking about. Don't come on here bashing religions of other faiths when you have NO CLUE as to how yours should work! It's easy to blaspheme Islam, but to understand Christianity would render a much greater reward. Christians are not perfect, the religion isn't universal, just remember one thing. You don't want Islam shoved down your throat, shown on your televisions, or planes over your head releasing bombs saying that is the way to live. The way to counter that is not by doing the same things only in the name of Christianity. Your talk only further weakens the Christian perspective, and shines a light on how truly out of touch you are with reality.
Jesus did not shun or nor avoid the worst of sinners . . . he made it a point to walk amongst them and to be an example and to show them the true way of God and even washed their feet because he did not think he was better than anyone. God wants us to follow in Jesus' path and even though we will never get close to that perfection, we must at least try and that includes embracing sinners because we are all sinners and we all need love and to hear the word of God.
by jaxspike
That's right jaxspike yes Jesus did. When the bible is saying, "Do not keep company with sinners", it is stating do not "DO as they Do" "Live as they live" "Sin with them".
You are to turn away from doing sin with them, but you are to teach and preach Gods' word so that they may turn from their sinful ways and live as God will have them.
There is "STRENGTH IN NUMBERS" no one is perfect, christians have to learn to "SUPPORT" one another in Christ. Be a mentor, "Big Brother" "Big Sister" mentality in Everyday life. I'm not saying being all up in someones business and "Hounding them everyday", I'm saying be their for them when they need you; Spiritually, Mentally and Physically.
People that are not living right go through alot of Ups and Downs, and sometimes you have to step back, and sometimes you have to step in. But you need to have that type of relationship where you can do so. I believe God puts people in our lives to help them. I don't think you should turn them away.
"When I was hungry, you fed me; When I was thirsty, you gave me a drink of water;" You are not suppose to be a "FOOL" either, know when someone needs your help and when they are simply taking advantage of you.
But God is Good, and God is Love. That is always something to remember; so when it comes down to a situation that you are not sure of, You do have to think "What would JESUS Do"?
Micheal, we all sin, and we all live in sin, does say the bible. If God has placed someone around you that is not pleasing to God, do not turn your back on them. You do not have to do as he do, or "Keep company -as in living sinful ways with him" You let him know that God loves him and will forgive him if he is trully sorry for his sins and will turn away from them.
God Blesses us for what we do for Christ, "Good Deeds". That is what we all are going to be judged on. Don't miss out on your blessings.
ok Mike, Lets say for example one of my old friends from church has disappointingly "back-slid". I see his truck at a bar. Do I :
a. go home and tell everybody I know where I saw his auto and to pray for him(making myself feel superior while spreading gossip)?
or
b. go in the bar and talk to him like a friend and human being and risk my own reputation by my truck being seen at a bar?
When in doubt,let's arm ourselves with love and reason.
If sin is the leavening in our lives,then grace makes a wonderful cure for yeast infections.
(Now I know why that organization of Cold War villains was called T.H.R.U.S.H.)
Let's give truth in love and set a good example.
Then,we don't have to worry about whether we're hindering God's influence over people's lives more than we're helping.
Our souls-like our bodies- are best renewed by building on wellness.
It is the disease and injury that is a disruption of health rather than wholeness being a substitution for a norm of pain and dysfunction.
Stress that holy correction is a restoration of the sound and beautiful rather than demolishing something despised and replacing it with something more to our liking.
Too often,we come across as if one group hates corn and the other hates lima beans and the world is one big bowl of succotash.
Don't blame people for rejecting a mind-set that suggests that if all their imperfections were removed there'd be nothing left.
Let's add to others' lives enough to gain their trust before we start subtracting.
Neither you wait till he comes out of the bar then talk to him.
I like Paul am a chief sinner only through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Saviour not Mohammad or Allah or Ghandi or anybody else can one be saved.
And good deeds will get you nowhere only the saving grace of Jesus Christ will do that.
I talk to all kinds of people , ones in jail , homosexuals drunks and druggies and preach the saving grace of Christ some turn from their ways and some don't .
God will judge them.
I will be judged to but because Jesus is my advocate I will not be sentenced to eternal damnation.
There is a right and a wrong , most people want to stradle the fence.
To evil monkey only men need proof of ordainment God calls who he wants.
What do you actually believe asfar as right and wrong?
Michael,
Jesus didn't PREACH to those people. He led by example. He used his ACTIONS, and he was judged by HIS ACTIONS. You are judged by your words yet you have no action. Do you honestly think people take you seriously?
If you think going to church and self-ordaining yourself as a pastor/preacher/pharisee then you are the worse type of "christian" out there. You might as well be sleeping with Satan himself.
Amen.
well, i done b. I have a family to get home to also. I tried to encourage him to come to my home or I to his. My former church had a "row" over this. Most thought I'd done the right thing, considering. The only thing that seemed to concern the preacher was that I might have been dubed a sinning bar patron. Probably insinuating he hadn't done his job. I don't know or understand why he was so upset about it but my reputation was the least of my worries.
I did not get self- ordained fyi.
why don't you tell me just what or how a church service to your liking should be done?
Then you got ordained over the internet?
after attending a on line course for which I am still attending for ordainment is something that man needs not God.
For if one is called of God then what could the "school" tell him that God couldn't.
Besides if you go to a denominational school you learn a denominational God.
I guess you are my "thorn in the flesh"like Paul had and you probably aren't going to go away like his didn't either so my grace will be sufficient for you as I forgive you in all counts and hope you see the Love of Jesus.
LOL! If you truly forgave all these people, then there'd be no point in continuing to bring up others sins, as if yours are less likely to be accounted for!
michael,
I do not need forgiveness at all. I have done nothing wrong. You need some serious mental help. You have lost your frigging mind.
A- HEM!!!
A little calm and respect would seem to be in order.
Giving people something to think about that might make them re-evaluate their perspectives or behaviors is one thing.
Being dismissive or giving folks ten tons of grief is another.
If we close our minds and hearts to one another,we shut off access to what they can teach us.
We're also doing a lot to insure that they reject us.
Let's find the goodness and wisdom in the other person and direct ourselves in that direction.
That would make it easier to reach their minds and hearts when necessary.
We should lead by example and admonish but we need to be as ready to accept wisdom and support as we are to hand it out.
We are all flawed but we also all posess unique gifts and insights.
We need to become as aware of the virtues as we are of the shortcomings and when we address the problems,we need to offer support and solutions instead of stressing condemnation.
We shouldn't ignore one another's needs nor try to placate at the expense of truth.
We do need to recognize the value of the other person and relate to the whole being instead of limiting ourselves to attacks on the shortcomings we perceive.
Micheal
Everyone doesn't see eye to eye, and as long as people are talking about God there are going to be arguements.Don't let people be a stumbling block.You keep doing what you're doing.
A stumbling block? If "he keeps doing what he's doing" then essentially he will continue to contradict himself, mislead people, and scaring them away from God...
But, thankfully there are a few people who aren't afraid to speak up, when they see these informalities and incoherent opinions. I don't hate Michael either, just dislike his method of supposedly saving souls, by use of fear mongering.
Micheal could say the sky is blue today and someone is going to say no it's kinda purplish yellow.Everyone is so quick to judge him they don't see that he's only trying to study the word and learn himself.None of us know everything about the bible and God,but we can keep studying.He's giving his opinion and you think everything he says is wrong.How do you know so much?
christiangirl,
I can honestly say I know the bible and God. And I can honestly say I don't go out of my way to stretch the truth.
For instance, I am going to kick this dog just enough to make him yelp, maybe he will follow me home. Do you think the dog will follow?
Or better yet, The world is going to end because the Pagan Mayan Calendar said so. And alot of Satanic Soothsayers' like Nostrodamus and Edwin Kess says so... then say If it bring people to fear Jesus is coming, its ok...
Do you find it is justified to falsify fear through clearly satanic teachings (according to Christian Standards) to bring hope? If you think it is ok, then something is clearly wrong with today's teachings.
And BTW Michael, all the above verses are pointing towards your Church Fellowship, Not people you don't know. If you see a fellow christian in your care doing something wrong you are supposed to help them snap out of it.
And one last thing, Instead of copy and pasting what someone else has said, Why don't you think for yourself, Just once.
AMEN!
I commend you! Thoughtful and insightful.........Scary the amount of anger in the opposing views responce. Perhaps anger is the visage of lacking faith.