A Response To "Judge Not"

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

I’m still here! I know it’s been a while, but this summer has been filled with opportunities to fill various pulpits in the area and sermon prep has eaten up a lot of time. I continue to do my daily devotions though, reading through the Bible a chapter a day, Today I found myself in 1 Corinthians chapter five and verses 12 and 13 struck me as being the best possible response to those who would quote Jesus from  Mt 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.”

That verse has silenced many of us lambs amidst any attempt we may make to call out sin! I think 1 Cor 5:12,13 is most helpful here.

 

Paul writes: “For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."

Armed with this verse, I can tell the person leveling the charge, “You are exactly right! It’s not my place to judge those outside the Body of Christ, that’s God’s job!  But it is the place of every follower of Christ to judge those “inside.”  (Those who claim to be followers of Christ!) Looking the other way in the matter of sin in the body of Christ is that little leaven that spoils the whole lump! Another way to put this is, if you don’t want the church to judge you, then you must be on the outside looking in.

 

That may sound harsh, but it’s true.

 

But a word of caution for those calling out sin in the Body of Christ. Jesus said in  Mt 7:3-5,  "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

 

In other words, do a little soul searching yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your sins, so you can confess them and receive God’s forgiveness. Then you can approach the brother or sister who needs correction in the proper spirit of humility. And pay attention to the method of approach as outlined in  Mt 18:15 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  16 "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' 17 "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

 

Don’t be afraid to address sin in the church, just make sure you follow these procedures with “speech full of the same grace that God has shown you.

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.