October 4, 2010

• Scripture Abuse, P5: Judge NOT! (AKA: LEAVE ME ALONE!!)

  I started this post on Sept 2nd.  I continued working on it on Sept 13th, then again from Sept 29th thru Oct 1st.  Today is Oct 5th and I hope to finish it… if it takes me all day to do so.
  

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  It is going to sound strange, but one of the first verses I ever memorized was not a typical “Evangelical” verse.  Yes, I learned John 3:16 and Philippians 4:6 and Romans 3:23 at some point — but I also took the time to memorize Leviticus 19:17.  When you consider that this is not a part of the 10 commandments (those are found in Exodus 20) nor anything to do with grace or forgiveness (cause those are always the passages we LIKE TO pick to memorize) — it makes you wonder where my mind was at the time. 
  
  Leviticus 19:17 is about my personal responsibility to others.  My personal responsibility to tell them about their sin.  It is an Old Testament echoing of a New Testament truth: we have a responsibility to lead men to God — by showing them their sins and not sugar-coating our message.   
  
  

  For the record, Leviticus 19:17 states — Rebuke your neighbor frankly, lest you share in his sin. 

   

  Another version puts it this way “Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.” (The New Living Translation)
  

  Without question or doubt, the most abused verse in all of Scripture is something ripped out of context and usually thrown in our faces when we are trying (politely or bluntly) to tell someone about their sin.  The grevious thing is — this verse gets abused by Christians and Non-Christians alike.  In effect, people quote the verse to say “LEAVE ME IN MY SIN!!!  I’m quite comfortable with my sin and I would prefer that you mind your own business.“ 
  

  I’m talking about the ever-misquoted, completely abused Matthew 7:1.

  Matthew 7:1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

  It’s sadly funny and ironic that most people, Christians & Non-Christians alike, can quote this verse — know it quite well in fact — and yet come the day of God’s wrathful judgment, when God judges the sin of the world, this verse will come back to haunt billions of people as an example of how they have DESPISED the true and living God. HATED him, to be blunt about it.  This verse isn’t about being silent — it’s about our responsibility FIRST TO DEAL WITH OUR OWN SIN… then to deal with the sin of others. 
  

  Let me restate that.

  This verse is about
  

  1. Dealing with my sin
  2. Dealing with sin in other people

  It is not,
  

  in the least,
  

  about keeping silent
  

  and saying nothing
  

  when we see people
  

  around us
  

  falling into sin. 
  

  
  For that to be true, Leviticus 19:17 would have to be false.  So would 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 & 10:15 & 11:13; Luke 12:57; Acts 4:19 and every other passage where “Judge” is used to remind us that we have a responsibility to be our “brother’s keeper”.  (Galatians 6:1-3 readily comes to mind all of a sudden…)
  
  Before we move forward though, allow me to expand one thought: that billions of people HATE / DESPISE God, and by quoting this verse they bring His very judgment upon themselves.  I’m talking about billions of people world-wide who seek God APART FROM CHRIST… seek to show God how “good” they are by their “good” deeds, acts, works, thoughts or / and words.  (Romans 3:10-18 easily puts those thoughts to rest and Ephesians 2:8-10 shows the honest path to God)  Those who believe they can be acceptible to God by coming to him in their own way, after their own fashion, in their own manner…. cause surely every path leads to God, right?  This group includes multiple MILLIONS of “christians” (so-called) who take Christ’s name, but do not bow to His authority.

  These all will be judged by the true and living God who is holy, and who cannot look upon sin — because they used this verse to chase someone away who was attempting (biblically) to help them SEE their sin.  In effect, they are showing their hatred by their very refusal to acknowledge their sinfulness.  They refuse to acknowledge their Sin — and then want to claim to be seeking after a God who does not, will not, cannot and shall not — EVER — look upon sinful man apart from the Blood of Christ.

  There’s a wonderful verse in Proverbs 28 that reminds us of how careful we are to be in our paying attention to God’s Word. 

  Proverbs 28:9 God detests the prayers
        of a person who ignores the law. (New Living Translation)

  Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from hearing the law [of God and man], even his prayer is an abomination, hateful and revolting [to God]. (Amplified Version)

  Proverbs 28:9 God has no use for the prayers
     of the people who won’t listen to him. (The Message)

  Proverbs 28:9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
         even his prayers are detestable.  (New International Version)

  I gave you several versions cause I want this clearly understood — if we don’t listen to God’s Word AND WE STILL QUOTE IT LIKE AN AUTHORITY — then our judgment will be profound, and true.  By true I mean
  

  • right,
    
  • sure,
    
  • without question,
    
  • honest,
    
  • just
    

  —- in short, we’ll be judged and have no defense for ourselves.  If we quote God’s word — and in quoting it we reject it’s message that we are sinners in need of a savior — where else can we turn when the judgment falls?  Reject God’s Word and you reject God.
  

  Now because I want this perfectly and clearly understood, I want everyone to know that I’m not just talking about punishment at the end of the world — I’m not just talking about Hell — but even here and now.  Right here, right now, when we want to turn to him with our wants and desires, wishes and prayers.  You reject God’s Word — and then want to pray to Him when things are falling apart… seeking him to fix things, give us what we want, be our magic genie… God will, does and shall refuse to listen to your prayers. 

  Reject God’s Law and you reject God, how then could you expect him to listen to you when you want a new car, girlfriend, lottery winnings or any of the other foolish things we chase after thinking they will give us peace and satisfaction.  Reject God’s Law = God rejects your prayers.  Pure & Simple.  (Read also Psalms 18:41; 66:18 and 1 Peter 3:12)

  So the situation usually plays out like this. (ME / YOU if you want to shorten the following, just read the highlighted portions.) 
  

  I tell you about something in your life that is not in accordance with God’s standard.  ( Let’s pick Homosexuality since it is the hot-button topic of the day.)  God said clearly, plainly & certainly that Homosexuality IS a sin and I approach you sensibly about the sin in your life.
  

  You want to tell me God didn’t mean it, he couldn’t mean it cause he made you the way you are. 
  

  Newsflash —- we’re all sinners.  We were born that way.  That doesn’t excuse us, that only makes us MORE responsible for our actions.  Why?  Because we choose sin more readily, more quickly, and more selfishly than we choose God’s way or even common law.

  What’s the Speed Limit?

  How fast do YOU go?

  We CHOOSE to sin (and break the law), and we then excuse ourselves as being above the Law.  So you have CHOSEN to sin in homosexual fashion.  That doesn’t make it right just because you “FEEL GOOD” about it.  Adultery “feels good” to the persons involved — but it’s still wrong.  You are still a sinner, and you’re still ignoring God’s Law.  You are CHOOSING your own way over God’s Way (law).

  Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
         but in the end it leads to death.  (also Proverbs 16:25 — this verse was so important it was repeated)

  So now at this point you are getting tired of hearing about it so you pull out your trump card:

  STOP JUDGING ME — You’re sinning too by doing so!!!  You’re such a hypocrite to tell me I’m sinning when by condemning me you’re sinning just as much.  The Bible says “Judge not lest you be judged” so quit telling me I’m sinning cause I’m not — you are. 

  
  and so it always seems to go.  We hear “Judge not lest you be judged” thrown at us when we are (lovingly or unlovingly) trying to tell someone that their lifestyle is sinful.  That their actions are sinful.  That their attitude is sinful.  That their lives are full of sin. 
  

  So,  just what does this verse really mean?

  I want you to read the next sentence out loud.

  Obama is a Muslim who converted to Christianity later in his life.  He and his family have long attended a church in Chicago regularly and were valued members of it’s congregation.
  

  Now see where the following thought proceeds from what you just read….

  THERE!!! YOU SEE!!! OBAMA IS A MUSLIM!!!!  We shouldn’t trust him.

  That is how people approach this passage.  They quickly read the first verse and ignore everything else around it.  Yes, Jesus did say “Judge not lest you be judged” but he followed it up by giving us SPECIFIC instructions on how we were to actually approach the matter of judging others.  Why, because it is our responsibility to tell people that they are sinners in need of a savior.
  

  Jesus said his great mission was “to sinners”.  He said that he came to seek and to save that which was lost.  It behooves us to make sure people understand just this point.  If they do not see their sin — if they do not see themselves as “Sinners” — if they do not acknowledge their sinfulness before God, they cannot be “saved”.  
  

  John 9:39-41 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

   Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

   Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

  Jesus also defined his ministry this way

  Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  Have you thought about that — that everyone you know who isn’t specifically following Jesus (1 John 2:6) is blind, spiritually?  Is dead, spiritually?  Is incapable understanding TRUTH without direct intervention of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:21 & 2:14)?  Can’t even know they’re sinners without the Holy Spirit’s conviction upon them. (John 16:8-11)  Paul spells it out pretty clearly in Ephesians 4:18

  They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

  Did you know that there is not one of us out there who seeks God properly until we come to Jesus?  That means that ALL Muslims, ALL Jehovah’s Witnesses (who reject the divinity of Jesus), ALL Mormons (who reject the uniqueness of Jesus position and authority), ALL PEOPLE regardless of their religious (or non-religious) affiliation —- ALL PEOPLE are blind and dead in their sins — blind to their sinfulness, dead to God.  This is why Jesus said “You must be born again.”  A Dead person cannot approach, please, or offer anything to God.  Our responsibility is to speak the Gospel of Repentance to one and all… and that means telling them they are sinners.  It means being specific if necessary.

  So let’s get back to our verse… actually verses.  Everyone loves Verse 1 — let’s look at 2 through 5.

  Matthew 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  
  

  Another version puts this verse this way

  Matthew 7:2 For you will be treated as you treat others.  The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.  (New Living Translation)

  What standard are you using?  it’s a simple question.  Are you judging other’s by the 10 commandments?  Are you living by them yourselves?  Are you judging others by the Levitical Law?  Are you applying it to yourself first?  Or are you making excuses for your own behavior?  What standard are you using — yourself?  Are you really the standard you’re judging by?  In most cases, that’s the way of it.  Paul even used this line of logic in Romans 2.

  Here’s where the rubber meets the road.  Verses 3-5

  Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
  
  

  Ok, so that’s verses 3 & 4, and again it’s verses we are all familiar with.  It’s where Non-Christians love to point out that we are the plank-bearers and they only have a speck which is honestly meaningless — probably not even remotely sinful.  We need to pay more attention to ourselves and quit bothering them.  Here’s the verse they love to omit.
  

  
  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.  (Matthew 7:5)
  
  

  Here is where instruction is given — the how and they why.  Jesus states specifically what order of procedure we are to take
  
  

  1. Deal with my sin
  2. Deal with the sin in other people

  The world lives — exists, moves, breaths, works, functions — in darkness.  Only those who’ve come to Christ, as we saw above in the John 9 passage, can “See clearly”.  Only those following Jesus have light. John 3:19-20, 8:12, 9:5 as well as —-
  
  

  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46)
  
  

  all point to this fact = only Christians can see clearly, cause only Christians have “the light.”  (A good verse to consider in light of this is the John 3:19-20 passage I pointed to a second ago.)

  Likewise, only those who have come to Jesus can honestly say that they’ve taken care of their sin — that they’ve removed the plank from their eye.  Thus Jesus is making this pointed statement to his followers:  Humble yourselves before me, seek me first above all else.  When you do this, you’ll be able to help others by showing them their need of me as their savior.

  Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest man born of women.  Have you ever considered his life in comparison to these verses?  All that John needed to do in order to live — to keep his head on his shoulders — was to shut up and quit telling the King that he was a sinner.

  John the Baptist — greatest man born by Jesus estimation — judged the sins of others.  And Jesus praised him.

  Where is our responsibility here?  Our responsibility is to those around us, lost in their sin, dead to God, blind in their understanding — and all while claiming to be “seeking after God in their own way, their own manner.”  That is our responsibility.  And Matthew 7:1 points us to directly that.  It is not a “SHUT THE HELL UP” trump card intended to keep us silent.

  I have so much more I could say here — I think I’ve said enough.  My point is hopefully made… and prayerfully understood.  If we can’t tell people they are sinning — we cannot fulfill the great commission.

  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  (Matthew 28:19-20)
  

   

  • 8:52 pm
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