Liberal tolerance mongers seem to have found the one absolute that they are willing to live by. How many times have you heard it said, “don’t judge (or similar)?” In our society, this statement has become the great open-mindedness theme when someone, anyone has the courage to stand up and declare that someone else’s beliefs, actions or lifestyle is morally wrong. Let’s clarify, the all too often misquoted Matthew 7:1. After all, aren’t we training to be judges in the coming Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:1-2)?
In times past, one of the most quoted verses in the Bible was John 3:16, but I think it is obvious that it is now Matthew 7:1, which states: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. It is paramount, for our understanding, to note that the Greek word translated as judge is “krino.”
This is taken from Strong’s #2919 “(kree'-no): properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish: --avenge, conclude, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law. Tolerance and compromise are today’s formula— “Your truth is your truth, and my truth is my truth,” or “It may be true for you, but it’s not true for me.” Live and let live—that’s the concept of today! Of course, this is just as stupid as saying that green and blue are the same color. Being color blind does not make it so.
Jesus Christ is making it abundantly clear that as human beings it is not our personal responsibility to condemn or sentence others—in fact, this is a job that expressly belongs to Him (Deuteronomy 32:36, 1 Chronicles 16:33, Psalm 94:2, Isaiah 66:16, 2 Timothy 4:1,8, Hebrews 12:23).
We are admonished to examine ourselves first—for the problems that we so easily see in others. Only then can we help someone else remove a speck—assuming that there is one there (Matt. 7:4-5). In my experience what sometimes results are that what we see in others we have! Jesus Christ is condemning a critical, judgmental and sentencing spirit—an unholy sense of superiority. Ironically, those that tell you not to judge, quoting Matthew 7:1 grossly out of context, are often some of the most mean-spirited, judgmental people that you could ever want to meet.
There are over 600 corporate “Church of God” groups today all professing to follow the truth and most claiming the mantle of Mr. Armstrong. “We are not to judge or condemn or sentence them!” However, as Matthew 7:15-20 shows, IT IS our personal responsibility to prove and discern right from wrong and to discern where God’s One true church is today (Ephesians 4:1-6, 1 Corinthians 14:33, 1 Thessalonians 5:21). We can discern—how—based on Biblical truths (Matt. 7:15-20) as the rest of the chapter shows. Each one of us must evaluate and judge the doctrines we are being taught (Phi. 2:12). This requires judgment. You must evaluate what you hear and make sure that it complies with Scripture (Isa. 8:20).
Christ makes it clear that we are to discern between the right and wrong actions of others, we are to discern between true and false teachings. These are the words of Jesus Christ—He teaches us that there is a big difference between condemning and discerning. Condemning is God’s job, but discerning IS our job—based on the Word of God!
The last time I checked it was impossible for two chairs to occupy the same space around the dining room table. However, apparently, such rules of time, space and logic don’t apply to tolerance and compromise philosophy. Developing righteous, godly judgment is one of the most important aspects of taking on the mind of Jesus Christ and preparing to be kings and priests in the World Tomorrow.
Comments