"It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." Phillippians 1:9-11
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Condemnation
"Judge not that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 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?" Matthew 7:1-3
This comes from the sermon on the mount where Jesus is talking to the Jews who started following after him. He was teaching them how they should treat each other. The word for judge would probably be better translated by using the word "condemn". Quit condemning each other! Why condemn someone in something when in another area of life you are just as bad as the one you are condemning. Seems like we still haven't learned to do that.
It's sad how each denomination uses certain doctrines to condemn each other with. One says that if you're not baptized...you are not saved. One says if you take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner...you're history. One says if you don't follow the law then you are missing it and not worthy of being called a believer. If you don't do it our way, believe our way, exactly the way we believe...you are a heretic and not a "true believer" and are condemned.
I try to read and study as much as I can. Because of the internet, I am able to find a massive amount of material to study and learn from. But it's a bit scary out there. I fell into some blogs the other day that at first glance, seemed to be decent blogs. Then I realized their whole purpose was to condemn others for not following the "scriptures" exactly the way they believed. I think pretty much every known minister, church, author, was found to be heretics and sinners that were damned to hell for preaching "another gospel". Now, believe me, some that they were talking about are clearly walking outside of the Christian faith...but most of them were believers who just didn't see certain scriptures the way they understood them. Because of this, it was not just judging them by their fruit...but it was pure "condemnation". How sad that some feel that their purpose is to destroy others by making fun of them, calling them names, and never trying to teach and rebuke in love. Love..was the last thing I saw coming from these sites. Love...was not the point. Love...had no place to try and restore those whom they thought had walked away from the "truth".
I admit that when I hear or read things that I disagree with...it's hard not to just slam them for being so ignorant of the Word! But...as believers we need to be careful. We need to be reminded that none of us see the complete picture yet. We all see in part by our lack of knowledge, experience, maturity, faith, understanding...and as we condemn each other for that, we will also reap condemnation.
Sure...some purposely teach false doctrines for their own personal gain or glory. But we need to be stronger than that and be wise on how we present the "Gospel".
This comes from the sermon on the mount where Jesus is talking to the Jews who started following after him. He was teaching them how they should treat each other. The word for judge would probably be better translated by using the word "condemn". Quit condemning each other! Why condemn someone in something when in another area of life you are just as bad as the one you are condemning. Seems like we still haven't learned to do that.
It's sad how each denomination uses certain doctrines to condemn each other with. One says that if you're not baptized...you are not saved. One says if you take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner...you're history. One says if you don't follow the law then you are missing it and not worthy of being called a believer. If you don't do it our way, believe our way, exactly the way we believe...you are a heretic and not a "true believer" and are condemned.
I try to read and study as much as I can. Because of the internet, I am able to find a massive amount of material to study and learn from. But it's a bit scary out there. I fell into some blogs the other day that at first glance, seemed to be decent blogs. Then I realized their whole purpose was to condemn others for not following the "scriptures" exactly the way they believed. I think pretty much every known minister, church, author, was found to be heretics and sinners that were damned to hell for preaching "another gospel". Now, believe me, some that they were talking about are clearly walking outside of the Christian faith...but most of them were believers who just didn't see certain scriptures the way they understood them. Because of this, it was not just judging them by their fruit...but it was pure "condemnation". How sad that some feel that their purpose is to destroy others by making fun of them, calling them names, and never trying to teach and rebuke in love. Love..was the last thing I saw coming from these sites. Love...was not the point. Love...had no place to try and restore those whom they thought had walked away from the "truth".
I admit that when I hear or read things that I disagree with...it's hard not to just slam them for being so ignorant of the Word! But...as believers we need to be careful. We need to be reminded that none of us see the complete picture yet. We all see in part by our lack of knowledge, experience, maturity, faith, understanding...and as we condemn each other for that, we will also reap condemnation.
Sure...some purposely teach false doctrines for their own personal gain or glory. But we need to be stronger than that and be wise on how we present the "Gospel".
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