About once a week I see someone post o Facebook, “do not judge” (this is not a personal attack on anyone! ). I just believe it is often being used as a cop out of responsibility. If all behavior is OK ,what sets a Christian apart from the world?
Personally, I want to be judged. I’m surrounded by people who love me enough to get in my face and correct me, whether I like it or not usually not, which is normal (Hebrews 12:11). Those who truly love me judge my actions and motives to help me do right in God’s eyes, whether or not I’m right in man’s eyes. I want to be better and I need that help. I believe we all do. 1 Corinthians 5 says we should judge each other if we call ourselves believers.
The Bible did not mean for us to live as if everything each of us do is fine with God and no one has a right to correct me, hence I have no right to correct anyone else. In fact it says “He chastises those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6) . And also “speak the truth in love” (Ephesus 4:15). In love is not a tone of voice, but a concern for your well being. Who always wants to hear the truth about themselves? But the book says it’s that very thing, truth, that sets us free. And those who speak Biblical truth to you are loving you.
Everything is not acceptable. There is right and there is wrong. We all need correction at some point. No not condemnation. But I’d rather answer to you for my actions now, and correct when necessary, than to stand before an angry God, which the Bible also mentions (Psalm 76:7).
Are we so concerned about judging others because we’re so afraid of our actions and motives being judged? Help me Lord. Send me people willing to risk our relationship to get me straight in Your eyes. Put me under Godly leaders who realize and act on their responsibility to correct their congregations.
If I were a hooker who went to church every Sunday, I’d much rather have someone judge my current actions and help me get out, rather than say they love me and leave me in hell!
Remember, He will say to many who called Him Lord, “Depart from Me, I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). I do NOT want to be among those. If the discomfort of Biblical correction is what it takes, bring it on.
Go ahead and call me judgmental. If we truly believe someone’s actions will lead them to the line of “believers” departing from the Lord, and you say that you love them, you MUST confront! Even if it costs your relationship. Only one relationship really matters any way. The eternal relationship with Him.
I’m NOT saying we have been given the right to correct everyone. I am saying we have been given a responsibility for those whose lives we are in a position to speak into. If the Lord tells you to confront someone and you don’t, that’s disobedience.
I found this translation of what the Apostle Paul told us and I thought it was awesome:
“I wrote you in my earlier letter that you shouldn’t make yourselves at home among the sexually promiscuous. I didn’t mean that you should have nothing at all to do with outsiders of that sort. Or with crooks, whether blue- or white-collar. Or with spiritual phonies, for that matter. You’d have to leave the world entirely to do that! But I am saying that you shouldn’t act as if everything is just fine when a friend who claims to be a Christian is promiscuous or crooked, is flip with God or rude to friends, gets drunk or becomes greedy and predatory. You can’t just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior. I’m not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don’t we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 The Message