Friday, August 16, 2013

"You Can't Judge Me!"

Just ran across a Christian websites facebook page and they received an email from someone saying they were wrong for judging. I don't know what they were being accused of "judging" but I see this most often when a Christian says someone is committing some type of sin (ie: homosexual lifestyle, lying, cheating, sex outside marriage, etc...). Then you get someone that comes back and says you cannot judge me/them only God can judge and I would have to say you are CORRECT! Jesus said, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:1-2). Only God can judge when speaking of legal judgment like passing "legal judgment on; [to] pass sentence on (a person); to decide or settle authoritatively; conclude about or assess" (Dictionary.com, 2013). This is correct because only God knows the heart of a man ("But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'" 1 Samuel 16:7). This does not mean that we cannot point out something someone is doing that is contrary to the word of God as we are called to help build one another in Christ and His qualities. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." God tells us that we'll know what someone is about by their conduct. Matthew 7:16 says, "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" So, can we tell someone that by what we see them doing that their final verdict is Hell? No. But can we tell someone that what they are doing is against God's will (based on what we know from the word) and living in this warrants Hell? Yes. We are called to preach the unadulterated truth of Christ. Those who have truly received Christ have received a heart change and with that comes a life change. We will know you by your fruit. Reference: judge. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved August 16, 2013, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/judge