Posted by
flagwaver on Sunday, November 19, 2006 10:15:33 PM
A few days ago I was having a discussion with some classmates and the subject of judgement came up. We were talking about the recent Southern Baptist Convention that was held in Greensboro, NC and their decision to ban open homosexuals from membership in their congregations. I was all for the ban, and was immediately called upon to be more forgiving....and was admonished for being 'judgemental'.
My reply, which astonished many, was "Yes, I do judge people!" And all Christians should judge people, as well. It is our right and our responsibility to judge, and I am not ashamed of it.
Now that does not mean that it is my job to judge whether a person is going to heaven or hell, that belongs only to God. But I am to judge righteousness from unrighteousness, and I am to judge the company that I keep. It is my responsibility to recognize things that are in contrast to God's Word and to avoid them. It is my job to know right from wrong, and to choose to do right. That is the judgement that I am talking about here.
You see, what the Church needs today are more people that are willing to judge. We need more people and leaders that are willing to separate the light from the darkness, and are willing to tell the truth no matter the consequences. One need look no further than the Episcopal Church in America to see what happens when Christians are no longer willing to judge what is righteous. You have a church that ordains unrepentant sinners into powerful leadership positions, and ignores the plain words of the Bible in order to placate the secular world around them.
So Christians, the next time that someone accuses you of being judgemental proudly proclaim that you are. God Himself has given you wisdom and the power of discernment and has called you to judge for yourself that which is righteous. You have been given the roadmap to making the right decisions, now make those decisions! Judgement is not something to be afraid of, or ashamed of, but is to be embraced. And don't be cowed by those that shout "Judge not, lest ye be judged." It is your job to make judgements, within reason, so make them!
And if all else fails, recall the words of Paul in 1 Cor. 2: 14-16:
But the natural man does not recieve the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For "Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
God bless, and do your duty!