A friend asked me about what it means to condemn? Part of the discussion could center around our responsibility to speak the truth to other followers of Christ or part of the discussion could center around calling sin, "Sin"! I would be interested in your thoughts.
I believe we need to be honest about what is true and right, however we need to balance that truth with love for others around us! Sometimes we get too far into judgment and forget to pay attention to our own "junk". Other times we neglect to speak what is true out of fear of being hurtful.
Perhaps we need to learn to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15).
Is it possible to condemn in a right way? What role does condemnation play in our lives? What role should it play? How did Jesus handle condemnation?
I look forward to further discussion!
2 comments:
First of this is Matt again; I really should get my own log-in. Lazy I guess. Second, I am taking on the challenge of starting a conversation about condemnation here as a comment on this blog. None of what you read here is specifically addressed to David, or to anyone really, it is addressed to you, though, the reader.
Condemn. Now there is a loaded word if I have ever heard one. I wonder if that is why I don’t like it used, everyone seems to have a different meaning of the word. I wonder if that is what sometimes gets us into arguments with each other, us not being clear about what a word means. As you may have guessed by now, I was the one who asked David what he meant by condemn. I see the word in his postings, and depending on how you translate the word I fully agree with the post, or take strong issue with it.
If condemn is defined as “calling someone to an account” (2 Tim. 3:16) or “pointing out problems”(no specific reference here but think about the letters to the churches in Revelation, or any of Paul’s letters) then I would emphatically agree that we should have condemnation, although I would use a different word as I have already stated, the word “condemn” is loaded. And to those who read this and think, “Why of course, as long as there is a relationship”. I would strongly disagree. While, and look to the other comment I left on this blog for more on this, a Christian should not go looking for fights to point out people’s “sin” we will be called at times to tell a non-Christian, with no relationship with us, that some things need fixed and then point to Who fixes them. However, if you don’t see that your life is being lead by the Holy Sprit or you haven’t had your morning coffee yet, I would say it would be best to stay away from any condemning, be they friends or strangers.
Let me drag on a little further, partly because I can’t stop myself, to point out the story of Paul in Athens and the locals. They ask, with no relationship, “…May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?” (Acts 17:19b ESV) Notice Paul does not say “Let me live with you in community for some time and then I will tell you.” Without regard for relationship he presents who God is and why they needed Him. (Acts 17:16-34). This story begs an interesting question doesn’t it. (Sorry David and reader I have completely run off of topic now). While I would agree with anyone that the early Christian Church, according to all accounts, lived in community sharing and helping one another, the Bible does not point out that people were coming to Christ this way. In fact, if I may be so bold, they did it by preaching the Word. Now I will not say “No one comes to Christ through community” but if you believe community is the only way to reach people because you are following the example of the Acts church, please re-read Acts and decide for yourself how people came to Christ, and may the Holy Sprit guide your steps.
Wow, if you are still reading, congratulations, I stopped reading two paragraphs back. Let me get back to the point of this whole comment. Condemnation. If you believe that you are judge and executioner then I would say your form of condemnation is incorrect. And don’t hear me condemn (the executioner kind of condemn) you if you have condemned others, because it has happened in my past. I can think of specific examples where I decided what punishment was best and carried it out, rather than leave it in front of the holy and just God that I serve. Which leads me into the point that Jesus made.
1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 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? 4 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? 5 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. (Matt. 7:1-5)
While I can already hear someone say “See God says ‘Judge not…’”, notice that Jesus’ instructions say, “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.” Jesus did not take judging (condemning: see my first definition) one another off the table, He did, however, instruct us to fix our mess first. And did Jesus condemn? By my first definition yes, and not just religious people, he called everyone to account. Why? His mess was fixed; he had no logs in his eye.
AMEN, Mr Shellhart!
-T. Halter
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