Friday 6 March 2020

Not my Job

Not my Job
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2
Do you judge the world and those around you? Do you look on people you disagree with, people who are living a lifestyle you disagree with and judge them?
We should not be doing this.
We however are told to by Paul to not associate with immoral people who call themselves brothers in Christ. Paul says,
“I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.  
But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”  1Corinthians 5:9-13.
Unfortunately all too many Christians do the opposite to what Paul says. They judge those outside our faith and turn a blind eye or refuse to speak out against anyone who claims to be a brother in Christ and is,
“..sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler.”
We as Christians seem to have a bad record when it comes to speaking up against those who are doing wrong within our faith. Things that makes us look bad.
Likewise we have a very bad record when it comes to judging those outside the church. Some outside the Christian community, because of the negative actions they see done in the name of Christ,  going as far as calling Christians hypocrites and bigots.
We need to be open and honest. Christianity like any group will from time to time find people in their midst that are Christians in name only. Their actions are not actions of true believers.
We need as Paul says, to, “Expel the wicked from among us.”
As for judging others outside our faith we need to stop doing it period. There is a quote I am fond of quoting from the late American evangelist Billy Graham who said,
“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 
God's job to judge
 and my job to love,” 
                         Billy Graham
He’s right. We would not want people judging us simply because we disagree with their beliefs of lifestyle.
Rather than judging others we should remember the words of Jesus who said,
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.
If we remembered just these words of Jesus we would be able to present the Gospel of Christ far more easily and win more souls for Christ.
Please think about it.

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