It is normal on any given day for me to read several people saying "We shouldn't judge." And though the Bible says in many places to not judge, I think it is being misinterpreted (since many places also tell us to judge).
The issues addressed range from homeschooling vs public school, daycare vs mommy care, breastfeeding vs bottle, pre-marital sex vs abstinence, divorce vs fidelity. What most people mean when they say we shouldn't judge is that there is no right and wrong so it doesn't matter what choices we make; they are all equally right. This is simply not true.
The Bible is clear that there is a right and a wrong. It also tells us to judge:
"But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." 1 Corinthians 2:15
"For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, [concerning] him that hath so done this deed," 1 Corinthians 5:3
"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" 1 Corinthians 6:2
Moses and many others judged and were rewarded for it.
Ezekiel was called to judge (Eze 3:17-21) and was told to judge and preach in chapter 20 and 22.
When the Bible tells us to not judge, if you read the scripture in context, it means "don't condemn." That is, don't hate or disfellowship a brother because of the choices they make. If you believe they are wrong, you are to go to them and lovingly talk to them. Find out what is going on. Help them if you can.
Now if they are clearly sinning and refuse to repent, you are to judge them and disfellowship. but the door should always be open to welcome them back if they repent.
"Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:9
"Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." Isaiah 1:17
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."Matthew 6:33
"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Matthew 7:5 (You ARE to take the wood out of your brother's eye. You just have to take it out of your own first.)
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." John 7: 24
"Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; [but] ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment [is] God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring [it] unto me, and I will hear it." Deuteronomy 1:17
"For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?" 1 Peter 4:17
The Bible says it is a sin to divorce except in cases of adultery or abandonment. I can see separation being allowed in cases of abuse (honestly, if you are being abused, call the police and have them arrested. We are to obey the laws of the land and our laws say it is illegal to abuse someone.) If you are divorcing because you just don't feel the love anymore, you are sinning and in danger of hell. I tell you this because I don't want you to go to hell. I want you in heaven with me.
Sex outside of marriage is a sin. See the above.
Putting the mere desires of a healthy, mature parent over the real needs of a baby or child is violating Jesus command to love others as we love ourselves. It is a sin. Yes, mom, this means you need to move to a small apartment and take the bus so you can stay home and nurse your baby and not have him in daycare. Small children NEED mommy.
And as far as homeschooling, The Bible is clear that Christian parents are required to give their children a godly education, something they CAN NOT get in public school no matter how "different" yours may be. The courts have ruled.
(Let me give a disclaimer though: single parents and couples where one is too ill to work or teach and those who have temporarily lost a job and whose church won't take up the mandate to help them educate their children are NOT WHO I AM TALKING TO! They honestly may not have a choice, though I have known as many single parents who homeschool as couples.)
And homosexuality? The Bible clearly puts it in the same category as murder, stealing, lying, child sacrifice, and adultery. In other words, it is clearly a SIN. To not tell people so, to ignore or "tolerate" it, to pretend there is no difference between homosexuality and heterosexuality is to condemn our neighbors to hell, the epitome of HATE.
The issues addressed range from homeschooling vs public school, daycare vs mommy care, breastfeeding vs bottle, pre-marital sex vs abstinence, divorce vs fidelity. What most people mean when they say we shouldn't judge is that there is no right and wrong so it doesn't matter what choices we make; they are all equally right. This is simply not true.
The Bible is clear that there is a right and a wrong. It also tells us to judge:
"But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." 1 Corinthians 2:15
"For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, [concerning] him that hath so done this deed," 1 Corinthians 5:3
"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" 1 Corinthians 6:2
Moses and many others judged and were rewarded for it.
Ezekiel was called to judge (Eze 3:17-21) and was told to judge and preach in chapter 20 and 22.
When the Bible tells us to not judge, if you read the scripture in context, it means "don't condemn." That is, don't hate or disfellowship a brother because of the choices they make. If you believe they are wrong, you are to go to them and lovingly talk to them. Find out what is going on. Help them if you can.
Now if they are clearly sinning and refuse to repent, you are to judge them and disfellowship. but the door should always be open to welcome them back if they repent.
"Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:9
"Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." Isaiah 1:17
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."Matthew 6:33
"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Matthew 7:5 (You ARE to take the wood out of your brother's eye. You just have to take it out of your own first.)
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." John 7: 24
"Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; [but] ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment [is] God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring [it] unto me, and I will hear it." Deuteronomy 1:17
"For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?" 1 Peter 4:17
The Bible says it is a sin to divorce except in cases of adultery or abandonment. I can see separation being allowed in cases of abuse (honestly, if you are being abused, call the police and have them arrested. We are to obey the laws of the land and our laws say it is illegal to abuse someone.) If you are divorcing because you just don't feel the love anymore, you are sinning and in danger of hell. I tell you this because I don't want you to go to hell. I want you in heaven with me.
Sex outside of marriage is a sin. See the above.
Putting the mere desires of a healthy, mature parent over the real needs of a baby or child is violating Jesus command to love others as we love ourselves. It is a sin. Yes, mom, this means you need to move to a small apartment and take the bus so you can stay home and nurse your baby and not have him in daycare. Small children NEED mommy.
And as far as homeschooling, The Bible is clear that Christian parents are required to give their children a godly education, something they CAN NOT get in public school no matter how "different" yours may be. The courts have ruled.
(Let me give a disclaimer though: single parents and couples where one is too ill to work or teach and those who have temporarily lost a job and whose church won't take up the mandate to help them educate their children are NOT WHO I AM TALKING TO! They honestly may not have a choice, though I have known as many single parents who homeschool as couples.)
And homosexuality? The Bible clearly puts it in the same category as murder, stealing, lying, child sacrifice, and adultery. In other words, it is clearly a SIN. To not tell people so, to ignore or "tolerate" it, to pretend there is no difference between homosexuality and heterosexuality is to condemn our neighbors to hell, the epitome of HATE.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you so much for commenting! I love to talk to my readers.
I do ask that there be no anonymous commenters, though. If I am brave enough to put my name on this blog, you should be too:-)
Please keep it civil. Remember we are all human and make mistakes, and that since we can't see each other's faces or hear each other's tone of voice, it is very hard to get the emotion in what we are saying each other. Use lots of emoticons! :-) And show grace and love to each other.