A Warning to all Judgemental Christians
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I just wonder how many people out there realize the damage that they cause when they step out and judge or criticize those who are non Christian-and proclaim to be a Christian themselves?
This is definitely NOT the way to win people to Christ. This is NOT emulating God's grace and mercy; or His Love. For example: how many times in your church have you found out that a church member or family friend is pregnant and not married......only to talk about what a shock and disgrace it is.....but we certainly would not want her to have an abortion either right?!...so what outcome do we want?
Another example: Church people picketing their views about God Hating Gays.....well guess what? That is a fallacy too. God doesn't hate gay people. Yes you heard me right! He loves them very much. Just like He loves me and you regardless of OUR sin -whatever it is. He is not a respecter of persons. He doesn't love one of His children more than the other.
Think about it...
My mother is not a Christian today, but was raised in church. She will tell you to this day,with tears in her eyes, how she was publicly humiliated and ridiculed as a youth by her Sunday school teacher. That was over 50 years ago and it is still painful to this day. She has a tainted view that ALL CHRISTIANS are that way. I often wonder if that Sunday School teacher knew the impact,the negative impact, she would have on one small child by the simple statements she made that particular morning. Probably not. She obviously did not think at all. Folks, we especially have to be careful with our children when we are in those leadership roles in our churches.
I have attempted to explain to my mother how we are not all that way. We are Christians but we are also human and have moments of lapse and fault.Unfortunately, I can not undo the hurt that was done and the hurt that she has carried and harbored for all those years.
When I was young, I thought that being a Christian meant that you were perfect. Then I looked at those "Christian" people and thought-that in comparison -I was a better person than that even if I didn't attend church.
Today,what I know, 1. we have to be SUPER careful how we act: what we do and what we say - people are watching and listening....2. never underestimate the impact that your words and actions have on those around you 3. only speak goodness and honor over those you love 4. pray for your enemies (this is still my biggest obstacle) 5. let your life be the witness.....being a Christian is a personal relationship with God and the church is the people...not a building.6. Tell people about Gods mercy and grace and love. Tell them what knowing and accepting Jesus has done for you...Don't cram your religion down their throat only with hell and damnation (although very true and scriptural); you will harm the Kingdom rather than promote it. Exude His Love!
I pray if I have unintentionally hurt anyone that God show me and I ask them for their forgiveness. I would not want to prevent anyone from knowing what I know now........... His Love, His Mercy and His Grace.
Matthew 7:1-2
1Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
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Thank you so much for this hub. You are a special lady indeed.
This is great talking! Being judgmental is a bad idea and your words can be applied to any religioun or race. Nicely written dear.
Thank you for your kind words...They matter to me!
GREAT Job Amy !!! ... I hear this very thing from many people outside of the Church, What a shame. I agree, God accepts us just like we are, so we the Church should accept people the same way. The Only way to change is to Love others first and Live the life by example. We didnt get in this mess overnight, I dont think were getting out overnight either.
With Much Love,
Will and Bunnie
Hi There
Very well put in your descriptions, I dare to agree with you, it might sound like I am judging
Bless ya
Jesus died for all, even homosexuals. I agree that picketing against them is not a good thing but is actually an evil thing to do.
I love this hub. A word of advice for your mother if it is OK. She can hold a grudge until the day she dies, but it will not do anything tot hose who she holds the grudge against. Forgiveness is not for the person who hurt you actually, it is for the person doing the forgiving.
SirDent- You are exactly right. I will continue to pray for her.Thanks again for your comment.
We must consider the context of Matt 7:1-2. One thing we must establish is that Yeshuah observed the Torah of Yehwah our father, and so He was obedient to it in every way.
Also, we must see the fact that Yeshuah was teaching Torah in chapters 5-7. When He was talking about judging, He understood that the Pharisees were judging people, but the judgements were hypocritical in nature.
The word judgement means to make a decision on something. It is nothing wrong with Christians judging, but in context of how Yeshuah spoke it, we are not to judge anyone hypocritically. Which is why verse 5 says,"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.
So, its ok to judge, but never let your judgement be hypocritical, because then it would be sin.
Yes- Good Judgement vs. Bad Judgement
Good Point!
It is a mistake for any Christian to have a condemning, "holier than thou" habit of looking at others, seeing the sins that they commit and saying "they are going to hell" etc...
God does the condemning - Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Our duty is to guide all those professing Christians that we see with sin in their lives in a kindly, brotherly and not a superior or condemning manner. Thanks Great Content!
Hello,
You said:
"I just wonder how many people out there realize the damage that they cause when they step out and judge or criticize those who are non Christian-and proclaim to be a Christian themselves?"
Unfortunately, this is caused by two things:
1) Mainstream Christians think that the Father is calling all mankind to The Lord Jesus Christ now in this age when He is not. This in turn puts pressure on certain mainstream Christians usually of the Fundamental variety who go around saying God hates fags etc etc etc or get saved or you are going to hell. Both of which are not true.
2) Mainstream Christians also think that man has the option to choose to be saved. They think it's man's decision when it's The Father's decision and His decision alone.
This false idea again puts the onus on the lost and unsaved and leaves them open to judgemental behaviour by poorly taught Christians who think the lost and unsaved choose to have a heart of disbelief. All this, when all the while a heart of disbelief is all that they can have until The Father calls them and gives them a heart of belief.
I hope this helps explain why mainstream Christians are so keen to judge.
Yes To Truth~
Please don't judge me 'cause I think that I may be one of those "Mainstream Christians " that you are referring to. :)
My point was simply to convey that we are sometimes unaware of the impact our actions may have on others. Collateral damage -if you will.
I believe :
1 Timothy 2:3-6 (King James Version)
3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4Who will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6Who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time.
I believe in that little three letter word "ALL".
Thanks for your opinion and God Bless.
Thank you for your reply.
4 Who will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
I totally agree and He will, but it won't happen in this age. There is a first and second resurrection. The first resurrection will take place when The Lord returns to this earth and He will take His throne and rule for a thousand years. After that The Father will come down out of heaven with a new heaven (sky) and new earth and make His home with mankind. This is when the second resurrection will take place and all those not called in this age will be resurrected to have their chance, their first chance.
This is the real Good News or real Gospel.
I like this hub, I agree we shouldn't judge, but shouldn't condone sin in any form not even our own.
Spiderpam,
If we are Born Again of the Holy Spirit and now live after the Spirit and not after the flesh, why would we condone sin? Perhaps a better question would be: How could we condone sin?
The Word of God will judge everyone on the last day, the Bible says. If the Word says something is an abomination to God, it is. However, repentance brings forgiveness. To revel in the grace of God and continue in a life of abomination is not being truly submissive to the Holy Spirit. These were known as antinomians in the book of Romans.
Jesus said He didn't come to judge the world, but His purpose was to save it. However, He goes on to say there is One who will judge, and that will be the Word of God on the last day. The Bible clearly does not teach that ALL WILL be saved. I have a hub called "Refute of Salvation for All Doctrine" that will present the Biblical refute of this dangerous doctrine. I say that boldly because to think one will be saved after physical death is not taught in the Bible anywhere.
I wrote a hub called "Love and Hate: Evangelizing the Truth" and it talks about HOW God loved the world and how He loves His children, which are two totally different kinds of love. Likewise, the way we love God and the world are to be two different kinds of love. If we love the world as we love God, the Bible says it is "hostility toward God". We love the brethren in the Lord with the same love God has for us, and also brotherly love.
I pray that we walk in the ways of Jesus, to rightfully divide the Word and share the truth, but not to think we are worthy to judge anyone, but rather turn to the Word, share it in love and let the Lord's Word do the judging, first of ourselves. Amen.
The Word of God won't be judging me, for there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
Romans 8:1 (KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
I have deliberatley left off the second part of this verse because it is not in the Greek MSS. Just another corruption in your infallible Bible for you to meditate on Ms Bradshaw.
"The Bible clearly does not teach that ALL WILL be saved."
The statement above is a lie.
Romans 11:26 (KJV) And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
1 Tim 2:4-6 (KJV) Who will have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified (witnessed) in due time. (brackets and emphasis mine)
Romans 14:11 (KJV) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, and every tongue shall confess to God.(emphasis mine)
yes2truth: You're right about one thing. We in Christ Jesus do not come into judgment or condemnation. Jesus makes this distinction many places, but look at John 17:9: "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours;"
Believing in God is not enough as shown in James 2:19 "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder."
Some people will not choose life as shown in Matthew 25:41 & 46 “Then He (the LORD) will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;” – “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Your doctrine that ALL will be saved, even the devil and his angels is cursed. Galatians 1:8 states "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" Indeed, those outside of Christ will be judged by His very Word, and we are to rightly divide it when we claim His Name!
Thanks Carrie- Well explained. I believe it is HIS desire that All be saved.I don't think I explained my view on that well enough..but Is that what will happen? No because it then goes back to free will. Great Articles! Thanks for coveying that so clearly.God Bless!
All will be saved. Read my hubs. Free will is not one bit scirptural either.
bloggin'momma, Praise God you are a child of His! And that you teach the Word of Truth. May God pour out His richest blessings of spiritual abundance and guidance as you continue in His precious ministry. Amen!!
Ms Bradshaw I won't thank you for ignoring the Holy Scriptures I quoted that clearly state that all mankind will be saved.
I am now beginning to wonder if you suffer some kind of word blindness or is it selective reading whereby you only want to read what fits in with your erroneously preconceived religious ideas.
Yes, a well enough hub. As Christians, however, we are to judge, but our judgment needs to be just as righteous as the Lord's, and should not be tainted by hypocrisy. Unfortunately, this world is tainted with sin, and even those who are born again still live inside their old bodies.
Another problem too are the mainstream Christians who believe that they're on a divine crusade to bring converts to God. They do this by judging people; how does that make a convert? Did Jesus judge people? Well, yeah, he did, but it was righteous judgment, and the ones he judged didn't convert.
That in itself says something big.
Acts 17:30-31 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everwhere should REPENT, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man who He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
Acts 18:6 "And when they had RESISTED and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, 'Your blood be upon your own heads! I am clean. From now on I shall go to the Gentiles."
These scriptures prove two things: 1) Jesus is the Judge by His Word, and 2) the Jews, as well as Gentiles today, have the CHOICE to RESIST and are held accountable for their judgment upon themselves. AMEN.
Bloggin' Momma,
I really appreciate your views and your efforts to encourage Christians not to be judgmental. It's amazing and somewhat ironic that such teaching is even necessary amongst those on whom God has showered His unconditional love, and provided for us such a perfect example of how to walk in that same love.
When it comes to being tolerant and respectful of other people's opposing viewpoints, I've come to find that knowledge of God's love and His Word is good, but living by it is far better. We don't have to fall all the way out just because we don't see eye to eye from time to time, now do we? :D
Thank you again for the example you have set here in this hub.
Continue To Be Blessed!
Bloggin' Momma,
Thank you for sharing your heart, and I am sorry in advance for the soap box I am about to step on. You got me to thinking. which is the mark of a well written HUD! Well done.
I believe there are two sides to every coin. I agree with you that judgmental and critical behavior is harmful. But at the same time, so is winking at sin!
I have found that often simply living the christian life convicts those around me. Giving new meaning to that old saying "preach every day and sometimes use words" The christian lifestyle when conducted in accordance to scripture is convicting to those around us. There is no getting around this.
When a person holds onto an offense, then unrealistically blames the Church or All believers for the action of a few, The greater problem is not in the church but within the offended individual. They are using the hurtful encounter as an excuse not to serve God. I have been hurt with in the church. We all have been unfairly and critically judges by individual people in the church. If you haven't hang on because I guarantee you will be before it is all over.
Consider what Jesus said to the church at Laodiceans in Revelations 3:15
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
When God decides to spew a church out of his mouth. No amount of money, marketing, or group hugs are going to save it. The only hope this church has is repentance.
Change, inspired by sound doctrine, empowered by God's Grace, and evidenced by repentance. Results in spiritual growth or forward motion.
Like you, I am calling every follower of Christ to stop and take a look at their OWN spiritual Growth. Are you personally overcoming sin in your life? Can you sense a forward motion in your Christian walk? Or do you seem to be stuck in a rut, stagnate going nowhere.
Those who are stagnate often refuse to take responsibility for their lukewarm state. They look around and blame their lack of growth on others. Or the Church as a whole.
When a person comes in contact with truth or sound doctrine that person has a choice to make. To accept the truth or reject the truth. It is that simple. Those who reject it walk away accusing and pointing fingers. In their pride, they accuse those who spoke the truth. often, it is the Church they accuse.
Then there are those who say "I was an innocent lamb" when I went to that Church. They hurt me when they did thus and such. Through self-pity, they accuse the bride of Christ for their lack of gentleness and understanding or their judgmental and critical attitudes. Yet it is they that lack grace when they leave angry, not willing to offer forgiveness and mercy to those who offended them.
failing to look at their own actions or refusing to consider the truth of the criticism. They may be the ones with the Log in their eyes. Forgetting that God is the one who placed these people in their lives. That His purpose is to conform them into the selfless likeness of Christ.
Change inspired by sound doctrine, empowered by God's Grace, and evidenced by repentance. Results in spiritual growth or forward motion.
A man is not persuaded unless the Spirit of God beckons him.
you can not always blame the church or the accused christian. If a person is fighting conviction they are going to be the one pointing fingers. Our faith started with beckoning of the Spirit and will end in the Spirit, only if we have chosen to walk (Forward Motion) in the Spirit.
In Christ
ABR
No apology needed for your soapbox :) I agree with you. Many people DO use an offense as a cop out, as an excuse-afterall it gets them off the hook....they are no longer accountable---somehow it's justified. It has just been my personal experience that well meaning Christians have imposed religiosity or have had that "Holier than thou" mentality that have really HURT people...and maybe the question is their personal walk...right....maybe they are as the Pharisees. I dont know their hearts but I pray we become more aware of our actions, and behaviors.
I want you to know I am not condoning or winking at sin----not condoning just understanding how people are pushed away by our actions.
We walk a fine line- accepting individuals and not accepting sin...calling sin-"sin" and guiding the lost---not pushing..it harms more than helps. There is a difference!
Loving them through it with His Love.
Thanks Abrush...good comment!
I a do heartily agree. :)
And thanks for your endulgence
no body says:
5 months ago
This was a great, great hub BMomma. You are so precious to love as you do. You tell how to direct where to be cautious and still love people as you win them to the Lord. I really enjoy your writing. Keep doing it and I and others will keep reading. Love ya bunches