I am sick and tired - and I mean SICK and TIRED - of hearing Christians say "Don't judge me!" in response to someone pointing out a blatant sin in their life.
As Christians, we are allowed - no, REQUIRED and EXPECTED - to confront a fellow believer if they are in a pattern of sin. It is our duty as a brother or sister in Christ. That kind of "judging", if you so wish to call it that, is perfectly acceptable and is in fact necessary for the body of Christ to flourish.
The kind of judging we are instructed to stay away from is judging another in an area unspecified in Scripture - that is, in an area of Christian liberty. Christianity is not a set of rules that we must follow or else. We have guidelines set by our Heavenly Father for our own good. But aside from those guidelines, we may live as we please in order to glorify God.
I am slowly learning what all of this means. It is hard for me to accept the fact that, regardless of how my children pick up their toys, I should be happy they are picking them up. It doesn't matter if they put the puzzles away first and then the cars or the other way around. There is nothing unbiblical about either, so I should not bother getting upset about it. Just because I would put the puzzles away first doesn't mean they are doing it wrong by putting the cars away first.
Here's another example: When I bake a cake, I get all of my ingredients out and put them on the counter. Then, as I use each ingredient, I put it back in the cupboard or fridge where it belongs. That way, when I'm ready to stir, everything has already been put away. It's easier for me because I hate a big cleanup and doing it this way tricks my mind into thinking I haven't cleaned anything up. HOWEVER my husband does things the exact opposite way if he bakes a cake. He gets out the ingredients as he needs them and then leaves them all out until he is finished stirring and has put the cake into the oven. Does it matter what order these things are done? Of course not! But if I walk into the kitchen toward the end of his process, I can very quickly get my toga in a bunch (as our pastor says) over the mess. But it doesn't really matter.
Now, if I walked into the kitchen and my husband started swearing at me because I had missed a spot when I cleaned the bowl, that would be a different story. But in the case given, there is nothing unbiblical about either method of making a cake, so it is not my place to judge how he does it. I can have an opinion and offer suggestions, but that is the end. I cannot insist that he do it my way just because it's my way and I think my way is better. (Even though it is, of course). :)
But here's my point: Stop walking around in sin and telling people to stop judging you for doing it. That IS their place.
2 comments:
As I understand the scripture and as my minister has preached, holiness and sin vary in strength, degree, and category. With that in mind perhaps the people telling you not to judge are doing that because they believe they are not sinning. For example, I have a major issue with Evangelical Christians supporting republican candidates who don't see social programs as critical to a Christian nation. I believe one of the most important lessons Jesus has taught us revolves around helping your fellow man especially in times of need not cutting social programs under the guise of balancing the budget or funding wars based on imperialism and capitalism. As I see it being Christian is a complex issue in a very complex world. I don't judge because in my eyes only the Lord and his son can figure out these complexities. Thanks for your time
UNSELL:
Thank you for your input. While I agree that there are some "gray areas" in our lives, it is extremely biblical to confront a fellow believer when they are in a pattern of sin that is blatantly wrong - that is, something the Bible specifically names as a sin. The purpose of the confrontation is to restore that believer to a right fellowship with God.
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