One of the passages I hear quoted most often (and out of context) is Matthew 7:1 which says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” So many people use this when confronted about an issue or when referring to someone who has fallen into a grievous sin (“well he’s human too”). Yet despite what simply that verse says, Jesus isn’t saying we should never judge someone. If you continue on into verse 2, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” So ultimately, whatever standard of measurement you’re using to determine an offense of someone else is the same standard of measure God will use to determine your offense. What a scary thought! This is why it continues to become incredibly important to continually investigate and wrestle with Scripture and to continue to put to death the sin that so easily entangles us. So already, with just 2 verses in, we can see the reasoning to why we should not be judged, because ultimately we will give an account to God for our own judging. Does your life match up to the sins you call out to others, either to their face or behind their back?

Jesus continues in Matthew, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” We again see that Jesus isn’t commanding us to ignore the speck in our brothers eye, but to first stop and evaluate our own life. Is this an issue in my own life that I need to deal with before I come to my brother or sister and try to help them deal with the issue in their life?

Interestingly we also see Jesus’ instructions for confronting a brother or sister who sins against you in Matthew 18:15-20. It looks to me like Jesus is instructing us to “judge” those who are in the body (but not those who are not believers, they’re hearts have not yet been conformed into the image of Christ). We even have another one of the more misunderstood phrases in Christendom, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Looking at the context this is within the issues of confronting sin, maybe I’ll deal with that one in a later blog post.

Another instance we see of “judging” is Paul in 1 Corinthians 5 where he says, “I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.” Whoa Paul! Back off man, no judging here! Paul continues to say that we should not even associate with anyone who claims to be a believer and is living in sexual sin, or is greedy or is an idolator, reviler, drunkard or swindler. Did he hit all of you in that list? Only in a life marked by repentance is God truly glorified and are we able to continue to pursue Christ. Going on into the next chapter of 1 Corinthians Paul says, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” Wow! So there SHOULD be judging going on! However, we need to carefully heed Jesus’ words in Matthew 7, first let us prayerfully reflect on our own life, laying down our offenses at the cross, accepting Christ’s forgiveness and living a new life set apart for God before we confront our brothers and sisters. But don’t judge me! I’m still trying to work this out.

I found a very interesting blog today on whether or not Christians read the Bible literally. It’s a question I’ve been asked before as well, and the answer is a resounding NO! I do not read the Bible literally (now, as Gru said, “Pause, for dramatic effect…”) Christians do not, and should not, read the Bible literally. Many of the things Jesus said should not and can not be taken literally (I am the vine, I am the gate for the sheep, etc). Glenn Stanton wrote a very helpful blog on this issue at The Gospel Coalition website. I’d encourage you to check it out. I’ll end the same way he did:

Francis Schaeffer, “said the faithful hold a “full” or “strong, uncompromising view of Scripture.” He never said “literal view” because to say so is literally not true.” Do you hold the same view of Scripture?

I’m so often frustrated by what I consider to be a very slow sanctification process. I so often feel like Paul in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” I came across a blog that talks about this very issue which you can read here. It talks about a man who came to Christ after many years of rebellion and was frustrated by the slow process of sanctification. The thing we so often forget is that we have so many different layers of sin that need to be dealt with! And at the very heart of these issues is pride and idolatry.

At the heart of every sin is ultimately thinking that something else is going to bring us more pleasure than God. How often do we try to take matters into our own hands instead of trusting them to God? How many times to we think that we have all the right answers instead of trusting what God has already done and said? As Calvin said, our hearts are idol factories. We are always looking for something else to put on God’s throne and worship.

Tied to idolatry is the issue of pride. I wrote a little blog about this earlier this week but want to add some more thoughts to that. Lewis writes, in Mere Christianity “It is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.” Ultimately what believers need to do, as I said earlier is not think less of themselves, but think of themselves less. That is the key to true humility.

Finally, sanctification may be a slow gradual process, but it is a process. I can look back on my life and be frustrated by what I’ve determined is too slow, but then looking back over a longer period of time I can see how much I’ve grown. For example, last year when I was working as a hospital software support guy, I had to be incredible patient with people, which is something I had been praying for for a very long time. Many of the people I was helping would comment on how patient I was with them (externally at least). After 8 months of doing that job I realized how much more patient I truly had become, not just externally. God uses so many different circumstances in order to bring about our personal holiness.

Growing up, one of my favorite missionaries was a man named Hudson Taylor. Hudson was the first Christian inland missionary to China who’s efforts, I think, have led to the incredible growth of the church we see there today. In fact, I was so touched by his story, that at the age of 5, I was convinced that someday I was going to be a missionary to China. As of now that hasn’t happened, but I’m not ruling out that possibility!

Today I came across a blogpost on a story in Hudson Taylor’s life before he became a missionary to China. In this story, Hudson is working as a medical assistant to a very passionate atheist and his job is to change this atheists bandages every day. Hudson prays for him every day and eventually begins to share the Gospel message with him. The man won’t listen and soon Hudson wonders if he’s doing more harm than good. Finally, Hudson decides to not share and as he’s walking out the door he looks back at the man with tears in his eyes and tells him that he can’t leave without sharing with him the Good News that has changed his life. (You can read the story in more detail here) The man accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord over his life.

How many of you continue to pray and share with someone like this, despite what seems like insurmountable odds? I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” But at the same time, God will not honor our own selfish motivations. James 4:7 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.” We need to continually honor God with our lives, it’s not enough to simply pray and then expect God to fix all our problems, we need to live a life “worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph 4:1)

(HT: Challies)