Transcript A Questioning Faith:

A Questioning Faith:
What Does the Bible say about
Judging?
Original Question
The Bible tells us not to judge (Luke 6:37) and
to judge (1 Corinthians 6:2), what should we
do?
Is this a contradiction or an ethical polarity?
Old Testament on Judging
“God’s judgments are just, i.e., they are in
harmony with his faithfulness, whereby he
espouses the cause of his chosen people,
guides them and ensures their safety. Thus
God’s judgment is motivated by love, grace,
and mercy and its outcome is salvation.”
Walter Schneider
Post-Exilic
• More apocalyptic in style
• Character of punishment is
emphasized
New Testament Themes
• Look at the many nuances of judging in the
New Testament
• Based on this New Testament survey we will
answer the original question
Theme #1-Warning against judging
“Do not judge, so that you
may not be judged
…Why do you see the
speck in your neighbors
eye, but do not notice
the log in your own
eye.”
Matthew 7:1,3
Should we take this literally?
Does Jesus mean that
we are to never make
moral judgments about
the behavior and values
of others?
“The words ‘do not judge…’ in
context are not a prohibition
against moral discernment
but an invitation to
participate in a process of
moral growth.”
This text warns the
listener of “moral
watchdogs, the fault
finders, those who are
ready to point the
finger of judgment at
others.”
Tom Long
Important first step
“If a member of the faith community sees a
moral flaw in another person and is tempted
to come down on the neighbor in moral
judgment, that person is not to do so until
engaging in deep self-examination. Then, and
only then, can the neighbor’s wrong be
addressed.”
Tom Long
Results
“Finding the wrong in oneself before turning
the moral searchlight upon anyone else causes
one to move from self-righteousness to
compassion.”
“Only when we have stared into the abyss of
our own moral failure can we be of genuine
strength to others in their struggles”
Tom Long
Theme #2-Judging as invitation
“Simon answered, ‘I
suppose the one for
whom he canceled the
greater debt.’ And Jesus
said to him, ‘You have
judged rightly.’”
Luke 7:43
Judging as invitation
“Jesus invites Simon to
reconsider the basis of
his own interactions
with others, and thus
the possibility not only
of forgiving debts but
also of having debts
forgiven.”
Joel Green
Theme #3-Judgment coming from
Authority
“Therefore I have
reached the decision
that we should not
trouble those Gentiles
who are turning to
God.”
Acts 15:19
Judgment of Authority
“This is not a personal
opinion, but a reasoned
judgment from
someone with authority
to render a verdict on
behalf of the council.”
Robert Wall
Theme #4-Judgment as tolerance
“Those who eat must
not despise those who
abstain, and those who
abstain must not pass
judgment on those who
eat; for God has
welcomed them.”
Romans 14:3
Judgment as tolerance
“The one who does not eat evidently regards
not eating as of crucial importance in
maintaining the relationship with God, so that
eating becomes an act unacceptable to God,
an act, that is to say, which merits divine
condemnation.”
• Christian tolerance avoids this dynamic
• Christian tolerance focuses on the larger
issues
• Christian tolerance seeks to differentiate
between essentials to the faith and secondary
matters
• “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty”
St. Augustine
Theme #5-God as final judge
“But with me it is a very small thing that I
should be judged by you or by any human
court. I do not even judge myself. I am not
aware of anything against myself, but I am not
thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges
me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment
before the time, before the Lord comes, who
will bring to light the things now hidden in
darkness and will disclose the purposes of the
heart.”
1 Corinthians 4:3-5
Our ultimate judge is God who knows our hearts
Judging polarity
“the church has been entrusted with
the task of judging in matters
which affect its members. Human
relationships are to be regulated
by love, but measured by the
standard of God’s perfect
righteousness, no one remains
righteous in God’s sight – This is
why we are not given the right to
judge another. Dire warnings are
addressed to the unmerciful and
the arrogant who are blind to
their own lost condition, who are
not ready to forgive and to pray
for their enemies.”
Walter Schneider
Conclusions
• Judgment can be messy
“The civil people are not committed and the
committed people are not civil.”
Martin Marty
• Judgment is a polarity that rests on God’s
sovereign love
• We are called by Jesus to not be judgmentalenter into inner change in ourselves
(Luke 6:37)
• We are called by Paul to not be judgmental of
others in the community of faith, to have
tolerance (1 Corinthians 6:2)
• Judgment is a process for our growth as
Christians- invitation for mutual growth