.
Matthew (KJV) 7:1”Judge not, that ye be not judged. “
.
The sinner will immediately say “Don't judge me! That's in the Bible.” It certainly is in the Bible, but as Paul Harvey says “Page 2!”. The topic doesn't end with that verse, but goes on. Before we go on, it's necessary to examine why a sinner would say that. The logical conclusion is that the very knowledgeable righteous Christian who so aptly quotes the Bible is sinning and chooses to continue in their sin! Are there any other reasons? The subject continues on:
.
Matthew (KJV) 7:2 “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”
.
No, we're not to judge... until we seek forgiveness and cease our own sin! Yes, Romans (KJV) 3:23
.
“ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” The sinner who quotes “don't judge me” verse knows very well that you have also sinned. They are quick to point out that your sin is just as bad as their own sin. They “justify” their own sin, by saying “It's no worse than your sin!” However, in reality they are not justifying, but “rationalizing” their own continuation in sin!
.What's the difference between the sinners? One is a forgiven sinner who has been made a new man or new woman and endeavors every day to be Christlike in their behavior and actions. However, the “rationalizing” Christian is one who is in rebellion to God and refuses not only to seek forgiveness, but to spit on Christ's sacrifice by putting their own sinful behaviors on a pedestal. If you continue in rebellion you will apostatize. I don't know when your heart gets so calloused that you don't care, you don't know when either, but at some point in time a sinner becomes reprobate. God knows when.
.
Romans (KJV) 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”
.
God will give up on those in rebellion. You may think that you'll change later. Don't bet on it! Satan will tell you that you have plenty of time, but your days are numbered. Your heart may be so hardened that when you think you're ready to change, you just cannot give up what's become so precious to you... your own special sin. A reprobate person is one who is predestined to eternal damnation. But, you “believe in Christ!”, you say... Big deal. Even the demons do!
.
Is your sin really a “mote” (speck)? There are degrees of sin, but if you're in violation of one, it's just as well you violate them all!
.
Matthew (KJV) 5:19 “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: “
.
Yes, you have broken the “law” and so have I! I ask forgiveness each day and endeavor to change the way I live my life. God is patient and gracious! He gives us every chance. However, if we continue in our sins without change God will invoke the “reprobate” sentence and your future is set.
.
As a forgiven Christian I am called to admonish others... in fact I am expected to teach God's commandments!
.
Romans (KJV) 15:14 “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”
.
“Admonishing” is teaching others what God says. If my heart is right I have an obligation to see that others repent and are saved. In order for a person to obtain salvation, they are to repent of their sins. You can't repent unless someone teaches you your error. God will do the judging. The Christian just tells the sinner of God's judgment.
.
Acts (KJV) 10:42 “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.”
.
As Saul (Paul) was evil, so was I! I've had several “beams” in my eye. My slate is now wiped cleaned by God and he chose to no longer hold my past sins against me! Likewise, as Paul was called to preach to the nations, I'm called to preach (teach) to the unsaved and to those Christians in rebellion. All saved persons are of the priesthood of believers. As such, we have an obligation to tell others where they “come short of the glory of God”. That's called admonishment! We are to tell sinners of the judgment of God. They're not my laws being broken, but God's laws!
.
Why would I care that someone is breaking the law? I admonish them because I love them! I don't want my friends and relatives to burn in eternity. If I say nothing I'm an accomplice to their damnation because the “Great Commission” tells the duty of those who follow Christ. Although it was specifically spoken to the eleven apostles it applies to us as well!
.
Matthew 28:16 “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them... 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
.
We are called to teach (admonish) others. We are to tell them of their sins such that they feel sorrow for their rebellion, repent of their sins, make a commitment to change their lives, and accept Jesus as the ruler of their lives!
.
Jesus does teach love, but not tolerance. He teaches obedience, not tolerance! If we continue to accept the behavior of sinners without admonishing them, we're disobedient to God as well because we're to teach all people! As a Christian, that's our single most important duty. We're not to tolerate sin!
.
Proverbs (KJV) 5:7 “Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. 8Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:”
.
This Proverb refers to how we should treat the prostitute, the fornicator: We should “Remove thy way far from her”. We should shun the fornicator... we should shun the unrepentant sinner. “Shun” means that we must intentionally avoid those who live a life of sin. Why would God want us to shun? By shunning you're making the sinner crave friendship and communion with those who love them! That craving for love will create a desire for change in the heart of the sinner! However, all will not be obedient.
.
Matthew (KJV) 10:14 “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.”
.
If you're teaching a sinner and they refuse to listen and change, we're told to “shake off the dust of your feet”. The person to whom you're speaking is so far in rebellion, that they're reprobate. Their soul is beyond help! You then continue on to others who are receptive to God's Word and whose heart is still responsive to the call of the Holy Ghost! That's “tough love”, but that's what God tells us to do.
.
Just as with a rebellious child the best approach is to shun them until they miss your love enough to change, shunning works the same way with sinners in rebellion. Tough love works because it's ordained by God. Your power of persuasion is in God's Word. If you do it your way, it'll go awry. Many times in the Bible righteous people failed to do it God's way and were themselves chastised and punished... even struck dead! Following God's Word is imperative in winning souls.
No comments:
Post a Comment