Judge Not

 

Yea sure.  We hear this a lot, both in church and out of church.  While we take this out of its original context a lot, I want to talk to y'all about the importance of not judging other people and their decisions.  I recently had a conversation with someone about someone who he thought was making bad choices for their kids.  I disagreed with him because we don't know who they are in "closed doors" situations.  We don't need to judge why they make the decisions they do because one, it's none of our business, and two, they don't care what we think, and neither should we care what they think.  

People think that the verse in the Bible that says "Judge not, that you be not judged" means literally to not judge.  This is taken out of context so much.  It's like eating just the cake without the icing.  Jesus isn't saying "Don't judge".  He's saying to "take the plank out of your own eye before you take the speck out of your brother's eye."  Basically, don't judge in context is saying don't condemn.  However, the difference and where this takes a turn is if someone is openly sinning in your church, or someone you know has an issue with sinning, call them out.  First, talk to them.  If they don't listen, talk to them with another person.  If they don't listen then, talk to them in front of the church family.  This is stated right in the Bible.  

Matthew 18:15 -17  Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone:  if he will hear you, you have gained a brother.  But, if he will not hear you, then take with you two or three more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.  And if he will neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church:  but if he neglects to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican. 

We can always be a good influence for Christ and His ways, just by the way we live!  That is something that a lot of people who want to tell people about Christ and change hundreds a day to the Christian's beliefs, don't believe.  They think that you have to tell them the gospel and just leave them to figure everything out themselves.  That's not the case.  You can be their friend, be a good influence, and when the time presents itself, share your faith.  Then, if they decide to follow Christ, guide them.  Help them understand things they have questions about.  Study the Bible with them.  Guide them through their new relationship with Christ.  If not, they'll just be like the weeds in the Bible.  The good seed fell on rocky ground.  It grew, but without cultivation, it'll die.  As the Bible says: 

Matthew 13:18-22 Listen then to the parable of the sower.  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.  This is the one sown with seed beside the road.  The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away.  And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 

So, in conclusion: While it's good to be concerned about someone and how they live their lives, we can't try to fix them without first fixing ourselves because Christ tells us to do so. 

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