The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment Psalm 37: 30 (KJV)
Yet we shy away from it in the western church for concern about offending people. It is far easier to point to those in the world and shake our fingers than take a hard look in our own eyes or the eyes of our brothers and sisters. Don't judge? The Prophet Malachi says differently:
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. Malachi 3: 18 (KJV)
Jesus Himself addresses the churches at the start of the Book of Revelation. To the church at Ephesus He is critical of them for forgetting their first love but first He commends them:
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Revelation 2: 1-3 (NIV)
You have tested them and found them false. Other translations say that they tried them. The truth is we are not supposed to turn a blind eye to what is wrong within the body. Cain once asked God "Am I my brother's keeper?" The answer from God has not changed down through the centuries. It is a resounding yes! Remember the words of James:
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5: 20 (NIV)
Now, this does not mean to suggest that we should be running through the church judging everyone. A judgmental spirit can be just as destructive to the body. Paul realized this and when instructing the Church at Ephesus he teaches us:
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4: 15-16 (NIV)
If there is no love in your message of truth then it will fall on deaf ears. There are too many barbed wire preachers these days too. Everything we do is not good enough for God to them. The Christ they preach is wrapped in barbed wire waiting to cut us to pieces. The Christ they preach is devoid of the love we know God embodies. There has to be a balance. The speck is important but removing it with an axe is not the way to go. The Bible is a sword, not a blunt instrument to be used to bludgeon people with. So what are the guidelines? Whenever faced with that question it is always wise to defer to what the Bible says the Lord requires of us:
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God Micah 6: 8 (NIV)
First, is there justice in your judgment? Is your motive about God or yourself; some unseen pettiness or jealousy? Is your concern genuine for the condition of the person's walk with God? Remember that the point Jesus makes about hypocrisy is made because hypocrisy removes justice. There is nothing just about someone who is committing adultery judging another who is doing the same. The Lord loves justice:
For the L ord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die. Psalm 37: 28 (NLT)
Secondly, is there mercy in your judgment? That may sound contradictory until you realize how much mercy God has shown us already in our matters of judgment. Mercy is not making excuses. It is understanding the position the other person is in. remember the oft-misunderstood verses from earlier. Jesus says that in the same manner in which you judge others, so you will be judged as well. If your judgment is filled with unmerciful behavior so it will be visited upon you. It is a reminder that we all have fallen short of the glory of God.
Lastly, and possibly most important, is there humility before God in your judgment? Are you lording the judgment over them? Are you taking some unforeseen pleasure in their position of sin? Are you actively praying with them and for them? Do you refuse the temptation to gossip about the situation, even by using the cover of seeking prayer? If we approach whatever uncomfortable situation we find our brother or sister in with these guidelines, we increase the likelihood of a receptive heart. If we speak to them justly, mercifully, and with complete humility before God then we will be protecting them, the body of Christ and ourselves. Because then in the same manner, when we have someone approaching us about the speck in our own eye, will we be met. Leave the world to God. He will draw those who will come to Him. Those that do not answer His call sit under His judgment already. But your dear brother and sister sitting next you...we are their keeper as they are ours.
Reverend Anthony Wade July 5, 2011
