The favorite mantra of many today is "don't judge me." There are those who insist that a Christian has no right to judge and that any judgment of another is unchristlike. I was discussing this with one of my classmates and he brought out a good point. There is more than one meaning to the word judge. To judge can mean both "to pass sentence on" and "to discriminate or discern between."
If one is using the first meaning then it is certainly true that no human can decide the ultimate fate of another. Our understanding of the facts is limited. Ultimate heaven and hell judgment will be left up to God. Each of us will one day stand before the Creator and give account for the things he or she did while on earth. According to scripture, some will enter into eternal rest and some into eternal judgment on that day. As a Christian, I believe the criteria of who will enter into eternal rest (and who will not) is set out in the word of God. Those who have been born again, and lived a faithful Christian life, are promised the joys of heaven. The unregenerate do not have that promise. Only God will be able to decide on that day who is allowed into heaven and who will go to hell. Our understanding of the facts of each case it too limited to make such a judgment. God is not unfair, however, and the decision will be made based on the path to salvation he has laid out for us in his word.
The second meaning of judgment is to discriminate or discern. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is discernment (I Corinthians 12:8-10). Any manager knows that he or she will one day have to make a judgment call. One does not do this based on his own opinion but according to company policy. Every company has a manual somewhere that tells what is and is not allowed on the job. No one questions a manager's right to decide who is right in a dispute, even if they do not agree with her decision. A managers job often requires that he make a judgement. We make judgments on a regular basis while driving. Do I have time to merge or should I let that car pass? Should I beat this yellow light (not a good idea) or sit through a red light? These are judgment calls and a skilled driver will take them seriously. The same is true in one's relationship with God. Everyday I am called on to make a judgment. Is this music good for my spiritual life? How should I respond truthfully without being critical or sharing gossip? Is this preaching according to scripture or is this man stating his own opinions? All of these are judgments that a Christian can and must make to ensure her life is in line with the word of God.There is nothing wrong with making the statement that someone's lifestyle is contrary to the Word of God. Although these comments are not politically correct, they are necessary to practice Biblical and spiritual discernment. So is a Christian supposed to judge? The answer is absolutely YES! While I can not and would not wish to decide someone's eternal fate, I must constantly practice discernment while on this earth.
Sincerely,
Spanish Pastor Jones
If one is using the first meaning then it is certainly true that no human can decide the ultimate fate of another. Our understanding of the facts is limited. Ultimate heaven and hell judgment will be left up to God. Each of us will one day stand before the Creator and give account for the things he or she did while on earth. According to scripture, some will enter into eternal rest and some into eternal judgment on that day. As a Christian, I believe the criteria of who will enter into eternal rest (and who will not) is set out in the word of God. Those who have been born again, and lived a faithful Christian life, are promised the joys of heaven. The unregenerate do not have that promise. Only God will be able to decide on that day who is allowed into heaven and who will go to hell. Our understanding of the facts of each case it too limited to make such a judgment. God is not unfair, however, and the decision will be made based on the path to salvation he has laid out for us in his word.
The second meaning of judgment is to discriminate or discern. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is discernment (I Corinthians 12:8-10). Any manager knows that he or she will one day have to make a judgment call. One does not do this based on his own opinion but according to company policy. Every company has a manual somewhere that tells what is and is not allowed on the job. No one questions a manager's right to decide who is right in a dispute, even if they do not agree with her decision. A managers job often requires that he make a judgement. We make judgments on a regular basis while driving. Do I have time to merge or should I let that car pass? Should I beat this yellow light (not a good idea) or sit through a red light? These are judgment calls and a skilled driver will take them seriously. The same is true in one's relationship with God. Everyday I am called on to make a judgment. Is this music good for my spiritual life? How should I respond truthfully without being critical or sharing gossip? Is this preaching according to scripture or is this man stating his own opinions? All of these are judgments that a Christian can and must make to ensure her life is in line with the word of God.There is nothing wrong with making the statement that someone's lifestyle is contrary to the Word of God. Although these comments are not politically correct, they are necessary to practice Biblical and spiritual discernment. So is a Christian supposed to judge? The answer is absolutely YES! While I can not and would not wish to decide someone's eternal fate, I must constantly practice discernment while on this earth.
Sincerely,
Spanish Pastor Jones
No comments:
Post a Comment