Judging and Motives
Notes
Transcript
Q: 1. Think of a time in your life that you remember feeling very judged.
How did you handle it?
Were the motives of the individual(s) involved good or bad and did that matter?
LET THE CLASS ANSWER
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
This is may be the most quoted Bible verse. Especially by non believers.
How is it typically understood?
Dont tell me what to do. Let me live how I want to live.
Lets take a closer look. Judge not and you will not be judged
Seems clear enough
Condemn not and you will not be condemned.
Its a synonym for judging.
Specific to declaring something as right or wrong.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Paraphrase of the golden rule.
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
That took a turn. What is this talking about.
The part about measure, pressed down, shaken together.
This is talking about when merchants traded goods for the person, of they were trading something to give the full amount.
Its like a balance scale.
Lady liberty - a statue representing the justice system.
She has a blindfold on - to signify that justice is blind or objective
carries the scales of justice.
This represent how laws should operate.
If things are fair then the scales are balanced
Keep going
Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Q: Anyone ever restrict themselves to a certain diet?
Had a family member at one time who became vegetarian for moral reasons. Some family members gave them a really hard time and I think I did too.
I realize now how wrong I was because I was judging incorrectly.
If your conscience tells you to not eat something, do not eat it.
At the same time do not judge the person who does
If your conscience tells you that you are free to eat whatever then do that
At the same time do not judge the person who does not eat.
Jesus gave us freedom to eat what we want, this is not a moral commandment.
There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”
Lets go back to Romans. Continue with verse 5
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
Q: What day is the Sabbath on?
Has anyone here ever heard people debate that?
7th Day Adventists - Believe the Sabbath should be on Saturday not Sunday.
Jesus responding to the Pharisees about the Sabbath
And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
The sabbath day isnt a moral commandment.
If you want to worship on a Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday.
Now we are about to turn the tables to prepare for this next verse.
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Q: What just happened here?
We talked about not judging and now we are told to not associate with those who are sexually immoral, greedy, idolaters, drunks etc.
Q: Can someone explain how is this possible?
“Bears the name brother”
Meaning that if the person is a self professing believer for a substantial amount of time and they are living in unrepentant sin to not associate with them.
The Church must stand against influences that corrupt their members or weaken the testimony of the church.
If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
What Factors do many of us use when we judge others?
We judge by appearance, since we do not know someones heart.
What we are now talking about is the difference between right judgement and wrong judgement.
Lets look how we can make right judgement.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 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. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
If your brother has a microscopic speck of dust and you have a plank of wood in your face you have not room to talk.
If you have a major sin in your life that you havent dealt with
Bring up driving over the speed limit and that he is sinning,
You are a hypocrite, deal with your major sin first.
Q: What’s this section talking about throwing pearls before pigs?
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
If you know your brother wont listen then its no use to tell them and have them retaliate.
Example of right judgement.
You see me at a store, I dont notice you and you see me grab something, put it in my bag and you watch me walk out the door without paying for it.
This is theft.
Steps to right judgement
What are your intentions to tell me?
Wrong - I knew you were a phony and never liked you anyway. I caught you doing something wrong
Right - it hurts to know that somone who loves Jesus is doing this. I know they will suffer for committing this sin and I dont want that to happen.
Does the person’s life show willingness to hear your if you confront them about it the issue?
Like throwing pearls before the pigs, if the person is the type to disregard any correction then you may not want to bring it up.
If they are teachable then find a time to talk to them one on one.
Has anyone ever experienced a situation like this that you are willing to share?
What can we conclude?
God forbids us from judge issues of conscience or peoples motives
We are forbidden from condemning others.
Reproof of others believers actions is appropriate only if done in love with the right motives and after evaluating your own life.
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