Luke 10:30-3330 Jesus, [a]taking him up, replied, A certain man was going from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him of his clothes and belongings and beat him and went their way, [[b]unconcernedly] leaving him half dead, as it happened.31 Now by [c]coincidence a certain priest was going down along that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.32 A Levite likewise came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side [of the road].33 But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled along, came down to where he was; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity and sympathy [for him], (AMP)
To me, this has always been the classic lesson in what Jesus meant when He issued the command "do not judge" in Luke 6:37. I think Tony does a good job of highlighting what it really means to judge. Prior to WWII, we had looked upon blacks as unable to do so many skilled jobs to include piloting airplanes. Clearly, this "judgement" was in error. I think, however, that Christ was talking about something wherein the stakes are much higher, our spiritual health. To me, this passage has always been about not looking at someone and deciding that they are unworthy of the gospel message. This is clearly articulated in the story of the good Samaritan wherein the "best society had to offer" refused to get involved in the dirty work of helping someone genuinely in need of physical assistance. We aren't commanded to stay in the comfort of our homes, church buildings, or workplaces and discuss or have meetings about the lost, we are to get out and help them find Christ.
I find that Satan has turned this whole principle around today and is trying to convince us that we can't judge sin. Looking at a person and deciding that because of their skin color they are unable to be taught advanced skills is to judge incorrectly. Working with a person of sub-par intelligence and determining that they are unable to learn skills is not judgement, it is discernment. Similarly, looking at someone and determining that they are unworthy of the gospel message is to bring judgement upon ourselves. Seeing someone commit a sin is an observation and the sinner has pronounced judgement upon themselves. In fact, scripture says that when our brother sins against us, we are to confront them in that sin. We don't teach this skill of accountability and reconciliation in the church anymore. Instead, we teach a lesson of tolerance to the point that we must accept sinful behavior or we don't love someone. Clearly a lie by Satan to undermine a core mission of the church and individuals.
The message for me in this is I've got to 1) learn that not everyone struggles with the sins that I do nor do I struggle with the sins that they do, but we may not be inherently different; and 2) just because someone is different (physically, politically, ideologically, etc) doesn't mean that I have any less obligation to love them and share the good news of Chris with them. I confess that I struggle with today's fashion in this regard. There are so many needy people today. Many call attention to themselves through outlandish fashion, piercings, and tattoos and to me they become spectacles. I confess that I often rush to judgement that these people are somehow beneath me in some way (you can see it in my choice of words as I already categorized them as "needy"). This is a problem at my core. I am not at the place where I view everyone as equal.
2 comments:
I don't think I have enough good news to share. Haha. Had to point that out (typo in last paragraph).
I think you are right on with your call out on the church and it not willing to put itself in the judgmental eyes of non-Christians by calling sin, sin. Isn't it ironic that the Christian church is more afraid of the judgment of non-Christians than of God!! ... It says, "If we preach hard messages the world won't like us," but I have really bad news for the church, the world already don't like you and it never will because it cannot understand the message of God until each person understands that His call is for them to come to Him. The rest the Message is just a foreign language. ... So the church's answer is to "lighten" the Message as a way to attract more people. Isn't this the exact same problem the Republican Party is having in our political system? They believe if they will lighten their conservative views that more people will like them and then they might be able to win an election. I don't understand how the church or the Republicans fail to see that if they would just stay on their message unapologetically that they would attract many more people. People are attracted to strength and to people who wholeheartedly believe in what they believe.
How should we ever be able to say the people pushing the liberal theology believe in it in more depth and strength than we do who know the Truth? This should be the most condemning and shameful thought to us who claim faith in a Risen Savior.
Well thought out response, oh ye with good news!
Its clear to me we are failing to reach some of the "elect" because of a watered down message and poor accountability. The message and action of the church is not different from many other worldviews today. John 14:6 isn't even believed by most.
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