Judge not!

When recently sharing a concern I had about the body of Christ with a friend. She responded by telling me that only God can judge and it wasn't my job to judge. I have an issue with this response for a number of reasons mainly because the discussion was about a correction (which she didn't believe in either), and not a judgement. Correction is very different to a Judgement although I believe both are important and necessary. It is true to say that God is the ultimate Judge and He will make a final decision on Judgement Day. Casting a judgement on something or someone is giving a verdict, sentence or punishment whereas correction is giving a person a chance to change before the final judgement. It is done out of love and a concern for the other persons soul.

People who don't like to be corrected by others often interpret it as judgement and quote passages like Matthew 7 "Judge not, that you be not judged." Well that settles it so, the bible is clear. We are not to judge others. Wrong!! People who quote this fail to quote the rest of the passage which says in verse 5 "first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye." When we have looked within ourselves and with purity of motive and heart we can indeed remove the speck from our brothers eye. In fact, the bible says one day the saints will judge the world. One day we are to judge angels! If we don't learn anything about pronouncing righteous Judgement on the earth now, how are we going to be a good stewart of what He has called us to later? It is my responsibility to love people so well that I am effected by their poor choices and I don't just 'turn a blind eye'. We must be a people who value correction when we are steering the ship in the wrong direction. Pointing out an error in the church or in an individual needs to always be for the benefit of the church or the person and not to prove ones own knowledge or wisdom. This being our motivator is stupidity and not wisdom!

Proverbs 27 says that iron sharpens iron, and so one man sharpens another. Lets be a people who value the sharpening of others, recognising that it is for our own benefit and for the glory of God.