To Judge or Not to Judge: What does Scripture Teach? (Part 2)

If Jesus warns against passing hypocritical judgment on others (Matthew 7:1-5), and Paul urges us not to judge "outsiders" (i.e., those who are unredeemed, "outsiders" - 1 Corinthians 5), are there ever times when in fact God expects us (Christians) to make evaluations, even to "judge"?

INSIDE THE FAMILY OF GOD - HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE

It is quite clear the answer to the question is "yes."  We are called to humbly and yet decisively hold one another accountable within the family of God, within the company of the redeemed. 

First, Jesus gave his followers a process for dealing with sin which occurs between them.  In Matthew 18 the Lord instructed,

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault--between him and you alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  If he refuses to listen to the witnesses, tell it to the church.  And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector."

This process could hardly go on without some evaluation or discerning, some "judging" (if you will).  Of course, this must be more than a "he said" vs. "she said."  Witnesses of the wrong should be brought in, when necessary, to make verify objectively that sin has been committed and needs to be confessed and left behind.

Realizing personal interests can become selfish and harmful to others, Jesus outlined a simple way of keeping our accounts clean and clear with one another.  His method implies that people will trust each other's appraisals and respond humbly to one another.  Defensiveness will only aggravate and create distance.

Second, Paul asks the Corinthians to evaluate (or judge) a man in their congregation who was openly living in sexual sin, "having his father's wife" (cf. 1 Corinthians 5).  He was someone who claimed to trust in Christ and follow Christ, but saw no need to step out of a relationship that was even shameful among unbelievers (i.e., incestuous).  Within this family of God, such open, sinful, and unholy behavior was not to be tolerated.  It shamed the reputation of God's holiness among His people.  Within this family of God, there was to be a call is man's life to step away from this relationship, repent, and honor the Lord and His Word.  Should he refuse to do so, he was to be set outside the fellowship of believers.

Paul was embarrassed that the believers had tolerated such open sexual sin for so long.   Some were even arrogant about it, rather than mourning over it.  "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greed or swindlers, or idolaters,  since then you would need to go out of the world.  But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of  'brother' if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater...Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?" (1 Cor 5:9-12).

So the family of God should humbly yet firmly deal with those who claim the name of Christian but want to live in open, unchecked sin.   Evaluation and clear consequences must follow for anyone who wants to claim Christ but live by Satan's license.

Third, there are a number of examples where fellow disciples needed to rebuke other disciples in order to urge obedience to the Lord and His Word.  Paul called out Peter for being a hypocrite with the Gentile believers in Antioch (Galatians 1).  Paul urged the believers in Philippi to help two women sort out their disagreements and disputings (Philippians 4).  James had some straight to those who were not demonstrating true faith and religion by refusing to help those in need (James 1).  He urged that Christians "confess sins to one another and be healed" of spiritual discouragement (James 5). 

CONCLUSION - the Family of God humbly judging one another

All of these things call for a "judging," that is, a discerning of what behavior dishonors the Lord and must be corrected.   Christians are to humbly look to themselves first, but also be willing to hold one another accountable for a living that pleases God.  Again, Paul urged this mutual sharpening when he wrote, "Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the week, be patient with all men" (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

In these ways -- when we are humble with and responsive to one another -- do we become more like our Savior.

To Judge or Not to Judge: What Does Scripture Teach? (Part 1)

Haddon Robinson (in What Jesus Taught about Successful Living) once suggested that Matthew 7:1 was perhaps the best known quote from the lips of Jesus of Nazareth.

"Judge not, lest you be judged."

But, that's not the end of it.  Jesus continued.  "For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye.  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is a log in your own eye.  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye"  (Matthew 7:2-5).

THINKING ABOUT WHAT JESUS MEANT

So, in light of ALL that Jesus said, what did he mean by "Judge not, lest you be judged."

First, Jesus is rebuking hypocrisy.  He is talking about the unbalanced blindness that we can have when we conclude that the small problem someone else has, but can't see, is more important than the large problem we have --  one which we refuse to see or deal with.   Paul spoke of this when he said to Christians (cf. Galatians 6:1-2), "If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in in a spirit of gentleness, keeping watch on yourself, lest you be tempted.  Those who are proudly unwilling to deal with their own "logs" shouldn't be eagerly running around looking for others' "specks."

Interestingly, Jesus does suggest that once we've removed our own "log," and humbled by that, we may be ready to help someone else with their "speck."  This leads to the second point.

Second, Jesus urges we live humbly and relate humbly with others.  That is, we humbly understand and address our own faults first before looking to deal with the faults of others.   The truth is that we live in a critical age.  Our societal habit is to quickly look for fault in others and assume that they do things we consider wrong for reasons we consider unacceptable.

The reality is that we don't know the full picture of why people do what they do.  Sometimes, after being quickly critical, we later get the full picture and feel embarrassed we drew the wrong conclusions.  Humility forbears, and admits that it likely doesn't understand the full picture.  James put it this way, "Let every one of you be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (cf. James 1:19).

Third, Jesus warned that our applied-on-others standards will be surprisingly applied to us.  There is a hint of the disciplining work of our Father in this.  Should we be in the habit of always correcting others with our pet-set of "things that should be," we may find ourselves failing in the same ways, only to feel the stinging condemnation of others that we previously dished out.

Fourth, Jesus is teaching that God alone is the only Righteous Judge, and we should leave the job to Him.  Paul spoke of this to the Romans: "Don't pass judgment on another...It is before his own Master that he stands or falls.  And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand" (Romans 14:4).

CONCLUSION to Part 1

To this end, Paul told the Corinthian believers that we (the church) should not be engaged in judging those outside of Christ by the moral standards we have as God's redeemed children.  "For what have I to do with judging outsiders," he writes (1 Corinthians 5:12).  "God judges those outside."

We who belong to God are urged to relate to the unbelieving world in several key ways, all which flow from a genuinely humble heart.

We are to be "salt" in a tasteless world and "light" in dark places...winsomely expressing the love of Christ to those outside, far away, hurting.  However, we are not called to lead with criticisms of them nor condemning judgment upon them.

Jesus served those far from God.  He prayed for those who hated him, spent time in relationship with some of the most notorious sinners in his society, told them stories about lost coins and lost sheep and a wayward son whom a father still longed for.

Does God "knit together" defective children in the womb?

Recently, as I taught from Psalm 139 on God "knitting me together" in a mother's womb, I was asked about how this applies to children who are conceived, develop in the womb, and are born with some kind of defect or deformity.  Does God knit together defective children?

One email put it like this:  I'm just wondering if you would answer the question about handicapped babies differently if given more time?  I thought I heard you say, "God does knit them that way (handicapped)..." and then you made the excellent point that these precious people - so born - cause us not to be so self-centered....If I had a handicapped child and had to live with that 24/7, I'm not sure I would be comforted by the thought that God knitted my child in my womb that way.  On the contrary, I would probably be angry with God for choosing that life for me. 

My response to this thoughtful email is below.  I wonder if you agree?

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Let me dare take up the important question you raised.  Namely...[Did I hear] you say, "God does knit them that way (handicapped)..." , and then you wondered if I would answer differently if I had more time to process the larger issues, and not be on-the-spot (so to speak).   Candidly, I did say this because I anticipated the question (as you know, most good teachers try to anticipate what questions may be asked when presenting any new idea or material.  I'm working at trying to be "good" at this, though I've a ways to go).

So, how could I give such a response to the question raised?  

First, I agree with your understanding that in a fallen world (spiritually and physically), disease and death seem to indiscriminately take its toll on everyone.  As Billy Graham once said, "The stats on death are pretty consistent.  One out of every one person dies."  And yes, it feels very random, with wild-card dice in the genetic pool compounded by all the unhealthy things we either breathe in or eat.  More broadly, good people tragically die (police officers die leaving a family of wife and kids while the drunk driver somehow lives) and committed-to-evil people seem to live longer than they deserve (cf. Psalm 73).  

But the question remains - is what happens in wombs actually "random"?  Again, it feels like it, but Scripture puts a different (and more truthful) frame around the creation of human life, according to Psalm 139.  No human life is random; God continues to create human embryos which bear His image and are the product of his hands' knitting.  Such a viewpoint is hugely out of step with present-day conventional wisdom, but then again (Isaiah 55:8-9) God dares to tell humanity that "My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts."  Since (as I am convinced) Scripture is God-breathed and thus a very personal expression of truth as God sees it, no human life can be rightly seen as random.

Second, it seems to clearly follow from this that even as human beings are being "knitted" in a physically compromised universe (again, with compromised genetics, disease, etc.) by the hands of God, that He must be also involved in those children who are born with what we call "defects" or "deformities."   Admittedly, we shrink from this very idea.  We wonder, If God's hands are involved, and He is "good," why would He not do the corrective work needed so that every baby is born healthy?  

Should we take the view that He is NOT involved in the knitting together of deformed children--that His hands are not involved--we land in Rabbi Kushner territory, to wit, that God too is grieved when "bad things happen to good people," but He can't do anything about it.  With all due respect to Mr. Kushner, his approach is not only uncomforting, but it is remarkably unBiblical.

Biblically, at least in two other places, God takes responsibility for defects.  To Moses He declares, "Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?"   Notice the language is not, "I permit this to happen to some (i.e., mutedness, blindness, deafness)," but rather "Who has made...who makes."  Active tense.  Sobering.

Also, you'll recall that one day the disciples wondered about a man who had been "born blind" (cf. John 9).  Their framework -- the CW -- was that someone had screwed up (i.e., "sinned" - that is sin and fallenness was the cause, and blindness was the divine punishment).  "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

Jesus rejects the two possible answers, and goes outside the box for the third.  "It was not that this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him," and then Jesus adds, "We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no man can work."   As I read Jesus' response, I conclude Jesus saying, "My Father (God) so willed that his man suffer blindness for decades until this moment, so that God's works can be displayed in and through his life (and healing)."  Briefly put, God made him to be born blind.

Your tender empathy is well-placed.  If I had a handicapped child and had to live with that 24/7, I'm not sure I would be comforted by the thought that God knitted my child in my womb that way.  On the contrary, I would probably be angry with God for choosing that life for me.  

Surely, we all might struggle with, "Why did God give me/us this overwhelming challenge?  Surely He can't be in this" we might conclude.  Yet, for example, one of the couples in our church, whose daughter has been severely handicapped mentally and physically since birth, approached me after the morning service.  Once again they demonstrated that, as hard as it has been over the past 30 years, they've adopted God's sovereign hand in their experience.  "You were on target today, David," Kevin kindly said.   As difficult as struggling with a less-than-fully healthy child can be -- and I don't diminish the difficulty one iota -- there is a good sovereign God that has greater purposes for those who are knitted together in ways that are less than ideal.

Well, I've bent your ear longer than I have a right to.  If you're still reading, you deserve a DQ Blizzard of your choice!  But perhaps this helps clarify my answer.  

When Paul asked God 3 times to remove "this thorn in my flesh" which he described as a "messenger of Satan to buffet me," God answered him three times, "No...but my grace will be sufficient for you."  Paul then concludes, "If that is true, then I will rather boast in my weakness, that the power of God might be seen in this" (cf. 2 Corinthians 12).  Wow...again, not the CW we often hear.  But this is the framework God's Word puts around these things for us.

Thank you for asking about these things...I hope we can continue to interact on important ideas.

"Today, if you hear His Voice..." Psalm 95

Do you hear God's voice?

Sojourning through the Psalms in recent months--especially from Psalm 90 and forward--I've discovered some wonderful treasures.   Most of these I've tucked away in a leather-covered notebook received years ago from East-West Ministries.

The Scriptures often stun me, because they openly speak of  experiences considered normal, things today we don't normally experience.  Isn't that odd?

Why are we not experiencing what Scriptures describe as something to be expected?

GOD'S VOICE: then, and now

Hearing God's voice is one of those things.   Psalm 95, for example, after calling for songs for the Lord's ears coming from a posture of humble worship, exhorts, "Today, if you hear God's voice, do not harden your hearts [as your forefathers did]."

This song, prompted by the Spirit through the pen of an unnamed Israelite, was written hundreds of years after the incident it cites: the choice of heart-hardening by the congregation in the wilderness of Sin just after the exodus from Egypt.  Rescued from brutal slavery, God's people began complaining at God, charging Him with a lack of understanding about their situation and a lack of care (i.e., not enough water).   In fact, this happened twice, in Exodus 17 and again in Numbers 20.

Centuries later, the Psalmist urges his contemporaries to understand that (1) God continues to speak in a way that can be heard, and (2) as they hear God's voice, that a heart-hardening like that which was chosen by forefathers should not be chosen now.

This begs two questions today.  First, do we hear God's voice?  And second, when we do, how do we order the posture of our hearts?

Unless I'm getting this wrong, the first experience should be normal, and our response should be purposeful.

GOD'S LONGING:  then, and now

Over and over again, Scripture reveals a God who loves to speak and longs to be trusted.  One who will prove faithful when people hear and believe.

Centuries back (i.e., around B.C. 1450), most of God's people -- the people of His pasture -- heard the Voice but hardened the heart.  Psalm 95 remembers God's assessment:  they are a people that go astray in their hearts and thus, they have not known My ways (cf. Psalm 95:10).  Strikingly, God admits that "I loathed that generation" (of His people).

Whew!  God disgusted with an entire generation of His redeemed people, and as a consequence, He pledged out of His righteous wrath, "They shall not enter my rest" (i.e., the promised land of Canaan).

Are we too casual with God's voice today?  Are we listening for it?  Or are our hearts too astray to be attuned to a Divine communication, too disinterested in God's ways to be bothered?

The consequence, back then and perhaps today, is to not experience the promised rest of God which follows hearing, following, and obeying.

A PLEA

God is a communicator.  He speaks, and we have ears that can listen.  Remember the spiritually off-line hearts of the ancient Israelites.  Refuse to recapitulate their experience.

Today, if you hear His voice, sing to the Lord, bow down before your Maker and the Rock of your Salvation.    Head where He points you.  Enter His rest.

A Good Question - What exactly is ADULTERY?

Recently, in response to some O.T. Law teaching I did on a Sunday, this question came: What exactly is adultery?  [And] What is the line that should not be crossed before marriage?

This arose as I noted that God's righteousness, expressed in the Hebrew "Torah" (or Law) proscribed capital punishment for a number of offences, including adultery.  So, what are God's answers to these good questions?

ADULTERY - VIOLATING AN EXCLUSIVE COVENANT

Our English word "adultery" comes from a French word, avoutre, arise from the Latin verb adulterare, which means "to corrupt."  The verb "adulterate" means "to debase or make impure by adding inferior materials or elements."

The Hebrew concept of "adultery" is very similar.  It means to debase and violate the intimacy and commitment of an exclusive relationship by either "unfaithfulness" to it or "intruding into it."  This violation of an exclusive relationship, defined by the promises of a covenant, was identified as heinous, sinful, a violation both of the holiness of God's character and of the holiness of the relationship. God hates when something exclusive, pure, promised and life-giving is violated by introducing what is impure, inferior, and debasing.  Like all sin, adultery destroys the life of what is good and holy.

This is why "adultery" is the term used by the Spirit in Scripture to describe idolatry, the worship of other gods other than the One True God.  God made people (in His image) for a love and worship relationship.  Thus we are not to love nor worship what is made, but rather only the Uncreated One who made all things.  GotQuestions.org explains

The Old Testament often referred to Israel’s idolatry as a wanton woman who went “whoring after” other gods (Exodus 34:15–16; Leviticus 17:7; Ezekiel 6:9, KJV). Further, the entire book of Hosea likens the relationship between God and Israel to the marriage of the prophet Hosea and his adulterous wife, Gomer. Their marriage was a picture of the sin and unfaithfulness of Israel which, time after time, left her true husband (God) to commit spiritual adultery with other gods.

"Adultery" also describes actions which violate an exclusive, love-covenant relationship between a male/husband and a female/wife.  When someone pledged to exclusively love, in the marriage covenant, his/her partner, to pursue the love-benefits of that covenant-relationship OUTSIDE of that relationship is to commit adultery, and this can be done emotionally (one's affections) and physically (one's sexuality).

God created the one man-one woman for-life marriage covenant relationship for the purpose of creating life and nurturing an exclusive one-ness (i.e., "one flesh" relationship).  To violate this is to destroy it and to dishonor God.

Jesus taught that to lust after another woman in one's heart (apart from the physical act) was to commit adultery.

Indeed, God's holiness and word requires that all sexual experience and pleasure be a celebration within the marriage covenant, and of the exclusive marriage relationship.

FORNICATION - SEXUAL PRACTICE and PLEASURE OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE

The Biblical word "fornication" is actually a distinct term from the word "adultery."  Fornication is seeking and having the experience of sexual pleasure before and/or outside of the marriage relationship.  It comes from the Greek word porneia, from which we get the English "pornography."

While it may appear remarkably "out of step" with today's widespread sexual practice, the experience of sexual union and pleasure was designed by God for three distinct reasons.  First, to celebrate the exclusive marriage covenant.  Second, to create a one-flesh bond between a husband and wife.  And third, to provide a means for a couple to "be fruitful and multiply," having children who reflect God's image and walk with Him in the world.  Sexual experience, by God's definition, should not happen outside the marriage covenant relationship.  When it does, God considers it to be sexual sinning.

Soberingly, and without apology, God maintains through Scriptural revelation this moral standard.  Passages like 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, Ephesians 5:3-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, and Hebrews 13:4 are crystal clear - God will judge the "fornicatious" and "adulterous."

FINALLY - THE QUESTION: Is there a line before marriage?

Perhaps the clearest passage is 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.  Before marriage or between marriages, one believer should not "defraud" another believer in how one uses his/her body sexually.  Sexuality is to be controlled in holiness and with the help of the Spirit of God.  "Each one of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God."  We are not merely to get our cues from unredeemed culture practices, as "normal" as they are argued to be.

This means that before the marriage covenant is made (i.e., before marriage), we must not stimulate one another sexually nor engage in sexual pleasure UNTIL the exclusive marriage covenant is made (i.e., marriage vows).  Genesis 2 sets the steps.  God made the woman for the man, brought her to the man.  The man recognizes God has made the woman for him, and pledges himself to her.  Then, and only then, do they become "one-flesh."

Here is where the godly leadership of the male is key.  No young man should ever ask the woman he is seeking to marry to dishonor God through pre-marriage sexuality with him.  He should set the pace.  He should give leadership, saying to her, "Let's do this God's way.  And I promise, in my pre-marriage relationship with you, not to lead you into fornication, nor will I ever, once we are married, adulterate my exclusive love relationship with you."

Out of step with today's sexual practices?  Without question.  Holy, and honoring to God, and life-giving to a life-long marriage?  Again, without question.

In our day and age, only the enabling power of the Holy Spirit can bring about our holy obedience in sexual practice.