Saturday, 07 January 2012
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Judging a Christian
See Matthew 7:1-5 & 1 John 2:1-14 Note: This is written to no particular person or people. These are words to process and for yourself to consider if they reflect a need for you to change your heart. There's no need to take this as a personal or even a general criticism. It is not a criticism of any sort. It's just something to keep in mind.
It is not up us (Christians) to say who is or is not a Christian -- who is or is not going to Heaven or Hell -- no more than we can tell a tree what fruit it ought to bear.
But we can judge (reasonably) if one is a Christian by the fruit of his heart; his likeness to Christ. Just as we can tell an apple tree from an orange tree by their fruit. Do the qualities which define a Christ-follower show evidently in the character and actions of the person? If you were to examine his soul, would his spiritual DNA testify that it was truly Jesus who lived in him? If you cut open an apple, shouldn't you find apple seeds? You should certainly find seeds at all.
And is the Christian young in spirit? Is he recovering from a broken heart now made new? A young sapling may not yet bear any resemblance or show any evidence -- that is, fruit -- that it is, indeed, the sort of tree it will mature into. Even full-grown trees can become sick, too, and must be cared for, nurtured back to health. It's fruit may taste sour or bitter and not seem like it ought to be. But it is no less a fruit tree.
We may be deceived by some would-be Christians. We may falsely judge a new Christian who has not yet matured as pagan. We, ourselves, may not even know what all a Christian ought to be, or we may know and yet fail to apply love, compassion, patience and understanding.
Jesus knows who are His as a shepherd knows his sheep. Listen to the Shepherd, and let Him worry about who may enter the Heavenly Pasture. Simply continue to encourage and serve the Flock as you have been called to do, and "baa" with the same grace which God gave you towards those who wander close to the teeth of the wolves.
Discern wisely so you are in the company of fellow Christians and not led away by false believers, and then leave the Final Judgment to the Lord.Have you ever experienced the judgment of others because of a lack of fruit? When have you judged someone as being non-Christian when they were in fact Christian? What can we learn from our experiences with judging that can help us discern wisely our Christian company?
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About the Author
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- From: Rhindon@xanga
- Name: Michael Miller
- Location: Tyler, Texas, United States
- About Me: ("Formerly" NaitoOfNarnia.Xanga.com) Aspiring... ...singer. ...author. ...programmer. ...apologist. ...husband. ...father. I am many things and hope to be many things, but the one thing that makes me ME is that I am a son of God and friend of Jesus Christ. I enjoy reading; writing; playing video games; playing silly games with children; exploring how God crafted relationships to be between men and women, parents and children, siblings, husbands and wives, and how he imbued His nature into men and women; programming; roller skating; bowling; ...many other things.
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Comments (41)
Thanks for this good post.
@TheGreatBout@xanga - Gladly. And thank you for the praise.
I felt it was necessary for me to attempt a different approach to my traditional writing style. This is what came of it. :)
@Rhindon@xanga - This poster just got through taking in a series of radio broadcasts related to Romans 14 (theme: "Unity in essentials, freedom in non-essentials") Here, too, again, its' a matter of discernment.
@WLCALUM@xanga - Which poster are you talking of? Me or you? *confused*
And Romans is an AMAZING book. I'm often referencing it in other discussions I find myself in.
I have known people who were raised up in church that claim to be Christian, yet behave like a hypocrite to put it nicely. My neighbor is the biggest one I have ever met. She lies, is racist, cusses, judges, and talks a bunch of smack about anyone she can. It's people like her that would make ya'll look bad. I'm not Christian, but know what the bible says about the things that she does. I used to try to be a Christian. I failed and turned away because I was weak. Still, though I could never go back, I watch some preaching on tv and read about the religion. I like to read about religion in general. I hope that my neighbor doesn't cause someone to go astray.
I was referring to myself (it was me going through the Romans 14 study)
@intellectprofound@xanga - "I used to try to be a Christian. I failed and turned away because I was weak. "
We're all weak and we all sin. Jesus came for lost, weak people who need Him. If you do ever want to try again, don't rely on yourself, but pray to God, asking for more faith, love, wisdom, etc. Also, read the Bible more too. When you start to love God more and more, it'll be easier to follow his laws. Just like in human relationships too--if you love someone, you want to please him/her.
@intellectprofound@xanga - My friend, what @cute_sushi@xanga said is quite true. It's disheartening for me, and many other Christians when we fail, KNOWING what Scripture says about this sin or that sin. It's a painful reminder that we have left the very Loving God we were created for.
But I encourage you to remember that the Lord loves you always. While certain consequences will have to be dealt with when you do sin, remember, too, that God is FORGIVING. And that even in the MIDST of your sins and trials, God is not against blessing you. It's because God wants you to know that He is more than a legalist...more than just about the Law.
As Cute_Sushi encouraged you, check out the Bible more. And here's something that may help you to understand God's forgiveness even when you clearly have failed Him.
I'm sure you may recall King David (the same David, who, as a youth, killed Goliath) and how he sinned against God by...
- lusting after and sleeping with another man's wife- secretly covering up the affair- after finding out his lover is pregnant, he conspires to further cover it up by having the husband come back from the war (that he was conveniently NOT leading) and sleep with his wife to make it look like HIS baby instead of David's
- then plots to have the husband put on the front lines of the war to have him killed when the husband does NOT go home to his wife (because none of the other soldiers got to enjoy the comforts of home and family)
- then marries the woman!
David's sins were tantamount! Imagine the media hype THIS would get if someone today did such a thing.
So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."Afterwords, Nathan, one of the Lord's prophets, confronts David:
David was furious. "As surely as the Lord lives," he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."
Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man!..." (2 Samuel 12:1-7a, NLT)
Nathan has some very serious words with David regarding all the blessings God gave the king. There was going to be powerful repercussions within his own family as a result of his sin (including, namely, his own son trying to kill him to take over the throne). However, David, the man who is called the one who is after God's own heart, replied with tremendous humility:
Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this, your child will die" (2 Samuel 12:13).
I encourage you to read further in the story to see just how David further responds to this punishment in the several verses and how God blesses David with another son: Solomon (the same Solomon who was the wisest man ever and who wrote most of the Proverbs).
Sir, whatever your faults, God is not at all against receiving you as His own. Humble yourself and confess your guilt. And then know that you are forgiven by Christ. It's not so much about trying to be a Christian, as if it's a matter of success or failure. We're GOING to fail...and often. It's sadly the current state of human nature. God that's why Jesus is such a great friend, as well and Lord. He died for us because He loves God and He loves us. He loves YOU, my man. Even as He loved King David after his deep sin.
Sin is never good, but that is when God shows us just how TRULY GOOD He really is.
Later, consider reading this: Luke 7:36-50. After you have read, remember verse 50. Then, have faith. :)
Check ya later, bro.
If you want to know for sure if someone is a Christian or not then just ask a lost person who's aquainted with them.... That's only slightly joking, It's my experience that lost people can recognize a Christian better than we Christians can and with a much more objective view of it.
Thanks for this. I often feel as if I'm being judged for what I believe.
@oledphatnuglee@xanga - That's actually a pretty smart idea.
@greene_lily@xanga - I wish I could provide comfort or to show how such judgment can be by-passed, but that's what Jesus warned us about. We're going to be criticized and hated as His followers because they first hated Him. But I'm glad I could offer some thing that helped.
@oledphatnuglee@xanga - woah thats so true!
I do agree that we need to be much more discerning regarding the Life we have in Christ. Indeed, the ability to have righteous discernment is even something that separates Christians from the world.
Christian radio is chalk full of judgements for people in this country who don't believe every single bit of their political propaganda. That's a dangerous road to take, since I don't feel qualified to decide what God thinks about every person's heart. I left mormonism at 35, feeling thoroughly judged, yet, when I entered the realm of fundamentalism, I was judged more severely, and actually left that with a severe case of PTSD. I knew what was in my heart. Someone pounding me over the head with their limited interpretation of the Bible didn't, and I"m so glad God saw fit to heal me and not leave me in my hour of need.
I just posted an amazing sermon by the pastor of my church about what our particular church is about... but in it, there's a lot of good stuff about what Christians in general should be about. My favorite part is when he says (paraphrased a bit), "It may seem that our vision statement doesn't have a whole lot of doctrine in it, and I don't want to sound like we're 'doctrine-less' but if I could sum up what our doctrine is based on it would be this: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength. THIS is the greatest commandment and the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself." (He did say he was quoting Matthew something 22... I don't remember the reference exactly.) Jesus also said that you would know that people are his disciples by their love. I wonder sometimes if we disregard some of the people who show genuine love to others as "Christians" because they don't go to church or claim that title. It isn't necessarily about the organized "church" or being a member of it, or having said some little prayer... it's about a genuine change of heart that leads people to show love unconditionally.
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He that doesn't love, doesn't know God, for God is love. (Sorry, I know the verse in the KJV, which might not be clear to some readers, so I put it into plain English.) I know that not everyone is to the point where they can show love like Jesus did. That it sometimes takes a lifetime of processing that out... but I think that what is missing is that they don't believe that they are loved themselves. It is hard to give what you don't believe you have. Get a grasp on just how much God loves you... and it's almost impossible NOT to bear the fruit that shows what kind of tree you are.
@intellectprofound@xanga - Permit moi to intrude; something for you to read in your spare time
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/697/697-h/697-h.htm
Not a tract. Not a blog. Just a sweet little story by someone whom C.S. Lewis considered a spiritual luminary. It might do nothing more than beguile you for a while. It might make all the difference in the world in your understanding of what it means to "be" a Christian.
To me a Christan is someone that is complete in a relationship with Him. With a lot of faith or a mustrd seed, we all need Him.
To the ones young, I know I stumbled in my first steps with Him. I stumbled and fell, but the true telling is if you repent and look for him to His greatness.
Otherwise, we should just encourage each other, not label each other.
The only label I want is CHILD OF GOD.
@Pollypinks@xanga - I'm sorry to hear that. Assuming that one IS expressing accurate Scripture to another, even in serious times, it needs to be applied with GRACE and UNDERSTANDING. It seems to me you had a bad run-in with the more legalistic who failed to analyze their own behavior.
@keystspf@xanga - You make many good points. I believe it is Paul who said that we are being perfectED...there is a process we are all going through prior to receiving God's FULL blessing in Heaven. Until then, God's word is meant to encourage us to grow closer to Him because of the fact that we are still going to stumble with our sinful nature in the meantime.
The passage reference you were looking for is Matthew 22:36-40. :)
@Rhindon@xanga - I knew the 22 part, couldn't remember the actual verses. :) I'm not so good with numbers... LOL Thanks.
@keystspf@xanga - LOL Oh! Okay. I got it backward then. Well...there's the link to the verses, themselves, then. :D
@Rhindon@xanga - I got it backward, not you... if it was 22:36-40... I said, "Matthew something 22..." LOL Funny thing is that I've listened to the sermon about eight times now (it's all mixed in with the music on my MP3 player) and you'd think I'd remember the references I heard by now.
WTF? I don't get it. Were you stoned when you wrote this? I think almost all Christians are extremely judgmental (and infuriating), including the fact that they constantly judge each other and decide who's a "REAL" Christian or a "TRUE" Christian following the "right" type of Christianity. Get over yourselves! You're not the chosen ones and if you put more effort into actually being nice to people maybe you wouldn't have to debate about being judgmental at all. Us secular folk can afford to me judgmental; at least we're not hypocrites in that way! And I wouldn't say that to anyone if I didn't have 39249023490 personal, awful experiences with self-proclaiming Christians who morphed into the most judgmental, rude people I've ever met. I wish people wouldn't take themselves so seriously and destroy their lives to their own morphed view of religion.
Great post. I'm going to take it a step further though. As Christians it is one of our responsibilities to keep each other accountable. So, if we see a fellow bother or sister in Christ doing something that does not resemble a christ-like lifestyle, or even if they aren't doing something they should, we need to bring it up to them. Obviously we don't need to tell each other what to do, because only one's self can make the decision in their heart to do what is right. But, we do need to bring things up. What does the Bible say about what you are doing or not doing?
Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.What part of the following don't Christians get? Luke 3:6 All mankind will see God's salvation. John 12:32 When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. John 12:47 I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 1 Cor. 15 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. Now, obviously, for lack of space and of nauseating our secular fellows here, I've left out over 50 scriptures that fundamentalists choose to ignore while preaching their hell sermons. But are we not told in Phil. that At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father? Does this leave anyone out?? So why do Christians right now, in these times, leave so many out? And why do they assume government should be a religious organization thrust on the masses? Was Jesus political? Did he ask for an insurance card before healing? How many references are made to the poor in the Bible, as opposed to saving money for , oh, let's say, billionaires?
This is very beautifully written. Yes I have been a victim of those who claim to be religious, yet openly judge others. I have been told I'm going to hell simply because I am not a person who frequently visits church. Although I am a believer of God and he has been by my side through good and bad. But I really believe those who judge others on their beliefs and way of life are true hypocrites that give a bad name to religion and true followers.