Matthew 7:1 is one of the most quoted scriptures in the Bible these days. Even people who do not subscribe to the teachings of the Bible will quickly whip out that passage of scripture and use it as a speed pass to cancel out any criticisms regarding their moral failings. The very Bible that most people today try to dismiss as “out of date”, not relative for today, or not to be taken literally is the same Bible these individuals use to deflect criticism of their behavior.
Now let’s read versus 1 and 2.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
What the Lord is talking about here is HOW you judge others. In other words, if your judgement of a person or situation is too harsh based on the infraction, then your overreaction (or under-reaction) to the person or situation will come back to you.
Contrary to the popular belief based that’s based on relativism, Jesus never wanted his followers to abandon making judgments. In fact, He encouraged it.
So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. (Luke 17:3)
“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” (John 7:24)
Paul also reinforced the notion that as Christians, we must make Godly judgments when it comes to pointing out sin.
“Can you not realize that the unholy will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not deceive yourselves: no fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers, no sodomites, thieves, misers, or drunkards, no slanderers or robbers will inherit God’s Kingdom” (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
“Test all things; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Now let’s jump back to yesterday as “Steve McNair’s pastor and close friend” was eulogizing him. Yahoo News reports:
(McNair’s pastor) “…cautioned against judging the ex-NFL quarterback Thursday, reminding people who gathered for his memorial not to cast the first stone when talking about his life off the field.”
[...]
“Drop your stone the next time you write about Steve McNair. Drop your stone the next time you text somebody. Drop your stone the next time you twitter. Drop your stone, those of you in the barbershops, the beauty shops. Those of you walking the streets on the corner, drop your stone,” Bishop Joseph W. Walker III told thousands of people, among them family members, fans and more than 50 former teammates, gathered at Mount Zion Baptist Church.
“What I do know about this man was that he loved God though he was just like us: imperfect,” Walker said. “But he knew God.”
I wonder if this “pastor and dear friend” had the courage to call out McNair when he left his wife for another woman? According to Police Chief Ronal W. Serpas, McNair was in fact looking in the market for yet another woman who was not his wife. Whether that is true or not about that situation, the truth will eventually get out.
As a person that regularly comments on politics, I can’t begin to tell you the numbers of “Christians” I have come across over the years who have willingly squelched their true beliefs on moral issues in the public square. The same Bible they claim to believe in is the same Bible they will quickly edit if it means they will pushed out of the mainstream.
This past week has completely underscored the foolish notion that entry into heaven or hell is believed to be predicated on popular vote. If people believe that you were a reasonably good person, God is waiting for you with open arms. Hell on the other hand is reserved only for the low down dirty folks who have a long history of being morally bankrupt. Since much of the concept of heaven and hell here in America is biblically-based, let’s turn to the Bible to see how one can enter heaven and how one ends up in hell. Here we will find that God isn’t like some lowly toy-maker who just wants his creation to get along and love him.
Taken from the website evangelicaloutreach.org
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, described HELL as:
The place after death where MOST will end up (Mt. 7:13,14).
A place of outer darkness where there will be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 24:51; 25:30).
A place to be avoided even if it means losing the physical members of your body (Mt. 18:8,9).
Prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:41 cf. Rev. 20:10).
A place where the fire is not quenched (Mk. 9:43-48).
A place of regret, torment in fire and no water (Lk. 16:19-31).
Who will be thrown into this ETERNAL FIRE?
Those who do not have their names listed in the book of life (Rev. 20:15).
The cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, idolaters, liars, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexual offenders, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, and swindlers (Rev. 21:8; 1 Cor. 6:9,10). See also Gal. 5:19-21.
Those who are not Biblically born again (Jn. 3:3-7).
Those who didn’t forgive others who sinned against them (Mt. 6:14,15; 18:22-35).
Those who begin with Jesus, but don’t remain in Him because they afterwards believed and accepted a wrong plan of salvation (1 Jn. 2:24,25; 2 Jn. 9; Gal. 5:2,4; 1 Cor. 15:1,2).
Those who don’t produce fruit (Mt. 25:14-46; Jn. 15:5,6), endure to the end (Mt. 10:22 cf. Jn. 6:66) or don’t continue to believe, but “fall away” in time of TESTING (Lk. 8:13 cf. Mt. 13:21). [Persecution, in one form or another, is a TEST that comes to ALL godly people (2 Tim. 3:12; Lk. 6:22; Jn. 15:20).]
All who receive the mark of the beast and worship his image during the time of the Antichrist, which includes former Christians who do NOT patiently endure and remain faithful to Jesus (Rev. 14:9-12; 13:8-10).
Everything that causes sin and ALL who do evil (Mt. 13:41,42).
All who are self-seeking, reject the truth and follow evil (Rom. 2:8).
How Can YOU Get To Heaven When You Die?
Only by grace, not by works (Eph. 2:8,9).
Go sincerely and directly to Jesus, as the thief did who found forgiveness (Lk. 23:42,43 cf. Jn. 5:39,40). God knows your heart, so you must be sincere.
Love Jesus more than your parents, spouse, children, brothers, sisters and even your own life (Mt. 10:37; Lk. 14:26). Jesus said, “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:33).
Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Him (Lk. 9:23).
Be willing to die physically for Jesus if necessary (Mt. 10:39; Lk. 17:33; Rev. 12:11).
Persist in doing good so God will give you eternal life (Rom. 2:7).
Sow to please the Spirit and reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8,9).
Obey Him because He is the source of eternal salvation for all who do (Heb. 5:9).
Live for Christ now (Phil. 1:21).
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 Jn. 5:12).
While many Christians today are wanting to be loved and accepted by the world, Jesus calls those the world rejects because of him BLESSED.
Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. (Luke 6:22-23)
If you call yourself a Christian, it is time for you to tell the truth. The complete truth.
Sphere: Related Content
“Judge not…”
by Duane on July 12th, 2009 at 5:30 pmMatthew 7:1 is one of the most quoted scriptures in the Bible these days. Even people who do not subscribe to the teachings of the Bible will quickly whip out that passage of scripture and use it as a speed pass to cancel out any criticisms regarding their moral failings. The very Bible that most people today try to dismiss as “out of date”, not relative for today, or not to be taken literally is the same Bible these individuals use to deflect criticism of their behavior.
Now let’s read versus 1 and 2.
What the Lord is talking about here is HOW you judge others. In other words, if your judgement of a person or situation is too harsh based on the infraction, then your overreaction (or under-reaction) to the person or situation will come back to you.
Contrary to the popular belief based that’s based on relativism, Jesus never wanted his followers to abandon making judgments. In fact, He encouraged it.
So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. (Luke 17:3)
“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” (John 7:24)
Paul also reinforced the notion that as Christians, we must make Godly judgments when it comes to pointing out sin.
“Can you not realize that the unholy will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not deceive yourselves: no fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers, no sodomites, thieves, misers, or drunkards, no slanderers or robbers will inherit God’s Kingdom” (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
“Test all things; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Now let’s jump back to yesterday as “Steve McNair’s pastor and close friend” was eulogizing him. Yahoo News reports:
I wonder if this “pastor and dear friend” had the courage to call out McNair when he left his wife for another woman? According to Police Chief Ronal W. Serpas, McNair was in fact looking in the market for yet another woman who was not his wife. Whether that is true or not about that situation, the truth will eventually get out.
As a person that regularly comments on politics, I can’t begin to tell you the numbers of “Christians” I have come across over the years who have willingly squelched their true beliefs on moral issues in the public square. The same Bible they claim to believe in is the same Bible they will quickly edit if it means they will pushed out of the mainstream.
This past week has completely underscored the foolish notion that entry into heaven or hell is believed to be predicated on popular vote. If people believe that you were a reasonably good person, God is waiting for you with open arms. Hell on the other hand is reserved only for the low down dirty folks who have a long history of being morally bankrupt. Since much of the concept of heaven and hell here in America is biblically-based, let’s turn to the Bible to see how one can enter heaven and how one ends up in hell. Here we will find that God isn’t like some lowly toy-maker who just wants his creation to get along and love him.
Taken from the website evangelicaloutreach.org
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, described HELL as:
The place after death where MOST will end up (Mt. 7:13,14).
A place of outer darkness where there will be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 24:51; 25:30).
A place to be avoided even if it means losing the physical members of your body (Mt. 18:8,9).
Prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:41 cf. Rev. 20:10).
A place where the fire is not quenched (Mk. 9:43-48).
A place of regret, torment in fire and no water (Lk. 16:19-31).
Who will be thrown into this ETERNAL FIRE?
Those who do not have their names listed in the book of life (Rev. 20:15).
The cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, idolaters, liars, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexual offenders, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, and swindlers (Rev. 21:8; 1 Cor. 6:9,10). See also Gal. 5:19-21.
Those who are not Biblically born again (Jn. 3:3-7).
Those who didn’t forgive others who sinned against them (Mt. 6:14,15; 18:22-35).
Those who begin with Jesus, but don’t remain in Him because they afterwards believed and accepted a wrong plan of salvation (1 Jn. 2:24,25; 2 Jn. 9; Gal. 5:2,4; 1 Cor. 15:1,2).
Those who don’t produce fruit (Mt. 25:14-46; Jn. 15:5,6), endure to the end (Mt. 10:22 cf. Jn. 6:66) or don’t continue to believe, but “fall away” in time of TESTING (Lk. 8:13 cf. Mt. 13:21). [Persecution, in one form or another, is a TEST that comes to ALL godly people (2 Tim. 3:12; Lk. 6:22; Jn. 15:20).]
All who receive the mark of the beast and worship his image during the time of the Antichrist, which includes former Christians who do NOT patiently endure and remain faithful to Jesus (Rev. 14:9-12; 13:8-10).
Everything that causes sin and ALL who do evil (Mt. 13:41,42).
All who are self-seeking, reject the truth and follow evil (Rom. 2:8).
How Can YOU Get To Heaven When You Die?
Only by grace, not by works (Eph. 2:8,9).
Go sincerely and directly to Jesus, as the thief did who found forgiveness (Lk. 23:42,43 cf. Jn. 5:39,40). God knows your heart, so you must be sincere.
Love Jesus more than your parents, spouse, children, brothers, sisters and even your own life (Mt. 10:37; Lk. 14:26). Jesus said, “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:33).
Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Him (Lk. 9:23).
Be willing to die physically for Jesus if necessary (Mt. 10:39; Lk. 17:33; Rev. 12:11).
Persist in doing good so God will give you eternal life (Rom. 2:7).
Sow to please the Spirit and reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8,9).
Obey Him because He is the source of eternal salvation for all who do (Heb. 5:9).
Live for Christ now (Phil. 1:21).
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 Jn. 5:12).
While many Christians today are wanting to be loved and accepted by the world, Jesus calls those the world rejects because of him BLESSED.
If you call yourself a Christian, it is time for you to tell the truth. The complete truth.
Sphere: Related Content