To judge or Not to Judge...

It is often said that the Bible says we are NOT to judge, but is that really true? The truth is, Scripture seems to give a mixed message on this topic. In one place it says we are not to judge, lest we be judged. In another place it states that we should not only judge, but we should condemn and expel others from fellowship based on that judgment.

Can these two teachings be reconciled? I believe so, and rather simply. We are not to judge others on how they worship, but we are to judge others on how they live. The context for not judging others in the New Testament is around religious observation: holy days, unclean food, etc. The context for judging others in the New Testament is on the basis of morality.

Though none in the church are perfect, all should be seeking to live by the guidelines God has established.

Someone caught cheating on their taxes or having a baby out of wedlock should not be shunned. Neither should a homosexual. But all should be counseled on what the Word of God says about their life, their choices, and their sin. The truth should be spoken in love, but it still should be spoken.

I am so grateful that God loves me, unconditionally. He loves you unconditionally too! He loves me, despite the fact that I am a sinner. That doesn't mean he loves it when I sin. That doesn't mean my sin doesn't grieve his heart. It just means that he is committed to me anyway.

Romans 2:1-3
¹You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. ²Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?
Romans 14:13
¹³Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
1 Corintians 5: 1-13
¹It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. ²And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? ³Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. ⁴When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, ⁵hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature^[a] may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

⁶Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? ⁷Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. ¹¹But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

¹²What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? ¹³God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

A Right Response to Sin?

The following is a post left on a community website I occasionally visit. The first part was written by a member of an ELCA church and is a request for guidance in how to respond to what her local congregation is currently going through in response to the ELCA decision to ordain active, practicing homosexuals for ministry. (for more on the decision, click HERE or just Google it.)

The second part is the response I left on the website, one of 50+ comments, from a fairly wide variety of opinions.

PART ONE
Churches leaving the ELCA
I currently attend a church whose Pastor is working actively to get the congregation to approve leaving the ELCA after the recent acceptance of Gay Pastors. I personally feel that this goes against the Lord as it is against rule number one, Love thy neighbor. This seems so much like people judging others and I say, let he who without sin cast the first stone. I also believe that the Lord created each of us in the manner that he wanted and he or she does not make mistakes. That being said, we are all his children, and we didn't get to decide if we are straight, gay, blue eyed, blonde, transgendered, etc, it was decided for us and we are the way we were created for God's reasons.
So with all this, how can I support my church financially when I cannot agree with their actions. I am going to find another church that loves all of us as we are. So where should I place my financial support until I land? Do others feel as I do

Here is my response:

PART TWO
Great dialogue, what does the bible say about it?
Very interesting dialogue going on here. I commend everyone for the civility with which you have expressed your opinion. This issue is not personal to me, for I am not a member of the ELCA. Nonetheless, I believe that it is important for all to be wrestling with this issue.

For me, the question Rachael raises in her original post is, “What does it mean to ‘love thy neighbor?’.” Is love and accept the same thing? Does love mean we overlook all wrongs? On the surface the answer should be an easy "YES". Yes, we love everyone, the way God has loved us, unconditionally. Yes, we accept people just the way they are, warts and all. Yes, we overlook their shortcomings and offer them grace, knowing that we too need grace and have shortcomings.

But the discussion can't end there.

The truth is that God loves us and accepts us, but does not overlook our shortcomings. He loves us unconditionally, but he accepts us on the basis of the Son's righteous death. It is the blood of Christ that makes me clean and whole and acceptable in God's sight. And the greater my sin, the greater his grace. Does that mean I should keep on sinning all the more. Of course not (see Romans 6) for in Christ I died to sin. Do we all agree that SIN is always bad? If so,the the real question becomes, "Is homosexuality a sin?" Some say no based on the evidence that people are born that way. I have been told the same is true for alcoholics and drug addicts; that there is a natural propensity to become such based on genetics. If we do something "by nature" does that make it acceptable in God's eyes? Your answer to the question may depend upon your view of the nature of mankind. Are we by nature sinful? In other words, do you have a sinful nature? Scripture teaches that you do. Therefore it is un-biblical to state that because “we are born a certain way” it is acceptable and right to act on. Scripture treats homosexuality as sin that needs to be repented of, just as all sin does. Repentance means we turn from the old way and live in the new way.

Personally, I would welcome some input on how so many can justify accepting homosexuality as a "designed by God and therefore is good" activity.

What do you think about the discussion as a whole and when you form an opinion, what do you rely on as a basis for that opinion: your leaders (government, church, parents, etc.), your experiences, expert testimony, Scripture, or something else?