If you turn on the TV you will find an interesting epidemic. Every night we sit on our couches and judge. We watch Donald trump fire people. We watch American Idol, Survivor, So you think you can dance, got talent, the voice, x factor. It doesn’t matter if you’re a model, chef, singer, bachelor, bachelorette, we will deem you unworthy. We send you home.
I find myself doing it in life. I went through a drive through and the lovely girl who took my order had her ear pierced so many times I’m sure getting through airport security is an issue. I looked at her and thought, “My goodness what did you do to yourself girl?” I judged. I judged her parents. The only conversation I had with her was to tell I wanted two items of the dollar menu. She had done nothing wrong, and yet my mind went in directions that I don’t feel were Christian.
A listener of the show sent me a great quote, “I’m glad that Jesus Christ of Nazareth did not act like a Christian.” – George Bernard Shaw.
John 8:
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus did not judge her. He called her to repent.
Matthew 7:
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
In John 7:24 Jesus says, “24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
Jesus does tell us to help each other stay on track.
If a believer sees another believer sinning, it is his Christian duty to lovingly and respectfully confront the person with his sin (Matthew 18:15-17). This is not judging, but rather pointing out the truth in hope—and with the ultimate goal—of bringing repentance in the other person (James 5:20) and restoration to the fellowship. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We are to proclaim what God’s Word says about sin. 2 Timothy 4:2 instructs us, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.” We are to “judge” sin, but always with the goal of presenting the solution for sin and its consequences—the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
Christ was the one who was blameless, and he was judged guilty. He is was judged unworthy in our place. Becuase of this we get to go home to be with him some day.
Mentioned on the show
