All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Correcting one another, is it scriptural? Are we called to Judge?
20 YEARS AGO THE MOST KNOWN VERSE BY THE WORLD WAS JOHN 3:16
John 3:16 (New International Version)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,a]'>[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
However that has not been the case for a long time now. The text unbelievers and believers alike are extremely familiar with today is found in:
Matthew 7
Judging Others
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For 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? 4How 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? 5You 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. 6"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
What do you think is the biblical stance, are we to judge or not?
Why do we have such a hard time correcting one another, doing the work of reconciliation?
What is Matthew 7 really teaching?
Views: 2491
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
-
You know people of God as I read over and over and over again throughout the discussions the following statement: "I do not want to judge," "not that I am judging," etc... I get a sense of how the Church is losing its back bone and caving into the ways of the world.
The bible commands us to judge all things with Godly Judgment. We understand that we do not know the mind or heart of a person, but we sure can see the fruit and there are cases where people truly love God and live in defeat for multiple reasons and we too understand that, but when someone is teaching heresy etc and we say: "well, not that I want to judge him or her," Family - is biblical to judge actions and doctrine, that is completely scriptural. We have the God given authority if we are walking in fellowship with God to tell someone - you are going to hell, because you want nothing to do with God. We are simply proclaiming a biblical truth at that point.
Yes - yes - yes - we are not to judge like the hypocrites, but we are to judge with righteous judgment and according to the relationship we have with God.
-
-
For sure sister,
John 20:22 - the Lord "breathes" on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins. John 20:23 - Jesus says, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
These verses do not give authority to Christians to forgive sins. Jesus was saying that the believer can boldly declare the certainty of a sinner's forgiveness by the Father because of the work of His Son if that sinner has repented and believed the gospel. The believer with certainly can also tell those who do not respond to the message of God's forgiveness through faith in Christ that their sins, as a result, are not forgiven and hence are heading to hell.
God has giving us that authority.
-
-
Linda
I could not agree with you more sister. We are given the ministry of reconciliation and not of condemnation. The verses you quoted deals with a believer, who has fallen into sin, but I was talking about unbelievers who reject Christ, we then can tell them hell awaits them.
Like LT mentioned that is not always the best way to approach every circumstance.
It is best to treat each individual as such, as an individual and do according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings
-
Permalink Reply by The Shearer. on
-
Hi David ,what bible version did you use for ...John 20:22....... .(and then gives them power to forgive and -retain- sins) ?
-
-
Andrew -
John 20:22-23 (New King James Version)
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
John 20:22-23 (New International Version)
22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
-
-
Thank you David ,the words you just sent are correct ,but different from the box above.I can see now that you were putting part of John20 :23 into John20:22 I feel that we should never try to retain the sins of any but to allways forgive........blessings ..Andrew.
-
Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
-
David,
Agreed, with the understanding that every situation is unique and often times different methods are employed to reach a person. Sometimes it is straightforward, while other times it is with much gentelness, care and longsuffering. The judgment is in discerning right from wrong and presenting truth for the benefit of others in a way they can understand and hopefully receive it..
Lord Bless,
LT
-
-
A big 10-4 beloved
You got it my brother.
-
-
Tearing Down Strongholds:
This Message is from the Conference War on the Word: 2002 National Conference.
About the Conference, War on the Word: 2002 National Conference
In Ligonier Ministries’ 2002 National Conference, “War on the Word,” Sinclair Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey, Ken Jones, Erwin W. Lutzer, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and R.C. Sproul Jr. examine the Word of God to help equip Christians to better defend and proclaim the holy Word of God. Demonstrating how the Word of God is under attack, they explain that the assault comes from both inside and outside the church, as those outside claim that Scripture is not the Word of God and those inside fail to handle the Word rightly.
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/conferences/orlando_2002_national_con...
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/conferences/orlando_2002_national_con...
-
Permalink Reply by RoyW on
-
There are some excellent thoughts on this subject in this forum. It is obvious in Scripture that we are to correct our brother. However, that kind of correction is not judgment. All believers still at some point succumb to sin. We cannot say to that person, "You are not a Christian since Christians don't act like that." I certainly have had reason to say that and have said it only to be corrected by this sight as well as others. If doing something unkind, ungodly or in anyway bad means you are not a Christian, then none of us are. We all sin. All believers have their own problems. We all have something in our eye. If you are looking to find fault in me I guarantee you would not have to look very far. However, as bad as I am, you do not have the right to say I am not a follower of Christ. You can certainly say I shouldn't act like or think like that but never say I don't love Christ. Jesus is referring here to two believers with one finding fault in the other. This is not the love He wants us to show one another. How silly it is for us who are full of sin, say to another in a critical way, "You have sin in your life."
Since it will take our lifetime to get rid of the plank in our eye, we never reach the point where we are allowed to judge a brother. That responsibility belongs to Christ and only Him. Now, what about a so-called brother who teaches things that are blatantly not true according to Scripture. For instance, let's suppose a person calling himself a believer says to us, "There are many paths that lead to God. Jesus is only one of those ways."
This is obviously an anti-Christ statement. How are we instructed to deal with something like that. We are to go to that individual, show him in Scripture that what he is saying is against Christ, gently encouraging him to repent of this statement. If he is a true believer, he will repent. If not, we are to warn him again hoping for repentance. If he refuses again to repent, we are to remove him from the congregation still hoping and praying for his repentance. Eventually, a true believer will repent. A false believer will not. However, only Jesus can truly judge the true believer. We can not. However, He expects us to encourage one another to walk away from sin and live closely to Him. This is all of our responsibility to one another - to love each other and encourage one another. Those who do not acknowledge their own sins are not much use in this Kingdom we are a part of as Jesus points out in this teaching. Those who understand their own sin can easily encourage their brother. That person will never encourage in a condemning way but in a loving way. We are all equal in His sight. We might as well get used to that. None of us can assume we are better than others. To the person who says, "I have already gotten rid of the plank in my eye." I guess I would have to say based on that statement alone, "I doubt that." If Paul insisted he was the greater sinner, what does that make me? Is Paul trying to tell me he is a greater sinner than I but that I should still follow him in his actions? The answer is a yes. Actually, however, I know Paul is not a greater sinner than myself but I can only listen to him and take correction from him because I really know he feels that way. The teaching Jesus gives here is a very practical one exemplified by the Apostle Paul himself.
You guys are great! Thank you David for your insightful and encouraging comments. God bless you.
-
-
Well said Roy.
I am happy you are among us beloved.
-
Permalink Reply by forgiven on
-
Well, this is how Jesus judged. We should follow His lead.
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Welcome to
All About GOD
The Good News
Meet Face-to-Face & Collaborate
© 2024 Created by AllAboutGOD.com.
Powered by
