“Judge not”

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;” (Luke 6:37 ESV)

This piece of scripture is one that most people know, however, often get wrong. In this scripture Christ tell us we are not to judge, in the Greek, κρίνω means decide or hold a view. But here is where we often get confused. We are not to judge or condemn others, yet we are also called to restore each other. Christ also told us, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,”(Luke 17:3) We are called to confront, with love, our brothers and sisters in sin. It is how they are restored. Should they not see their sin on their own?

Often we become desensitized to sin. Some who make company of those in sin lose the ability to see it in themselves. Or we see a brother or sister in sin and they do not recognize the sin because they are believers and think one little son would not hurt. Desensitization is very dangerous for the Christian. Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 5:11, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

 Paul writes in Galatians 6:1, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Every saint should confront a brother or sister who is sinning in their life. We do it with love, and mercy giving the other the same grace and mercy we receive from Christ in our sins.

This is where we get it wrong. When someone asks me if something is a sin, I tell them what scripture says, not what I think. Often people say this is being judgmental yet I am not judging anyone. I am simply relaying to them the Word of God. If I confront a brother or sister in sin, the first words out of their mouth may be today’s verse. “Do not judge me, or you will be judged” We can minimize this response in our approach to them. We do it with compassion and love, giving them all the grace we are given everyday in our sin, and be reasonable in our citing of scripture. By gently opening their eyes, the heart will follow.

Born in sin, we are sinful in our nature. As believers, the Holy Spirit convicts us in our sin. We are all prey to falling into sin when a brother or sister in sin minimizes the sin in their lives and we fall into that sin as well. The only way we came to Christ was by His grace. It was His grace, despite our sin, that opened the door to our faith, and in our faith we were made righteous in our salvation through Christ. We continue to receive His grace every day because every day we will sin. In other words, We receive grace upon grace.(John 1:16) If you deny this, you should listen to the apostle John who said, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8). We believers who sin are forgiven. And as we walk in our sanctification, Christ increases in us push those sinful desires away.

If you do not know Christ as your Savior, there is no forgiveness. Will you not seek Christ today? He is there and waiting for you to call out to Him. Humble yourself before God and experience the life changing power of Jesus. There is no other way to the Father except through Him.(John 14:6)

Grace and Peace.