I will therefore that men pray every where,
lifting up holy hands, without wrath
and doubting. In like manner also,
that women adorn themselves in
modest apparel, with samefacedness
and sobriety; not with braided hair,
or gold,or pearls,or costly array;
but (which becometh women professing godliness)
with good works.
1Timothy 2:8-9
Let us not therefore judge one another any more:
but judge this rather, that no man put a
stumbling block or an occasion to fall
in his brother's way.
Romans 14:13
This blog might raise the "hackles" of some, make some mad, make some debate the issue, and some to make excuses. Take it for what it is meant to be: to cause for a change from the inside/out if needed, and to become a "Real" Christian, an Authentic Christian, to have Authentic Christian Faith. Before we judge others we must judge ourselves: "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. and why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is thine won eye? Or how wilt thou say to they brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine won eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5). It is not that we are not to judge, it is that we must first start with ourselves. The word "judge" is both a noun and a verb (that is English for you). If speaking of a person being a "judge" then it is a noun, but to put action to this word, "to judge" it then is a verb. Here it is a verb in this Scripture. A simple definition from the Dictionary is: "To form an opinion or estimate, to infer, think, or to hold as an opinion, to make a careful guess about: estimate." Jesus gave us this rubric, that is, a direction for the conduct of divine service, an established rule of conduct or procedure: (Matthew 22:37-40). We must first love God, then by this love we can actually have love for ourselves, not that we are sinless in this world, but that God has by His grace, through Jesus Christ forgiven our sins, and has elected us to have eternal life, and now, we can love others in the same way as we love God. We are to judge sin, there is no question as to the rightness of this fact. What we must be careful is to judge others, by their dress, by what they look like, their race, or any other thing that seems to be at odds with what we have judged to be better, even more godly. We are to give aid to all who are with is, in our Churches, in our lives. Notice that the opening Scriptures was not to the world, but to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Those of the world have already placed a judgment upon themselves, by their life, their actions, and their desire to not be godly. All men and women want to be god-like, but many do all they can to avoid this desire within them to be god-like: we can judge that from Scripture.
When Authentic Christians use this rubric, this metric for our faith, we will then seek to use all the positive qualities we can and to use our abilities that we possess to keep our lives from become influenced by the culture of this world, and to do all we can to forward the cause of Christianity. Many times the world will make available for Authentic Christians so that they (we) can speak against the things that are damaging society (abortion, same sex marriage, homosexuality, etc.) and bring to the world people who will be able to be such a positive force that changes are made.
There is a a responsibility that comes from being an Authentic Christian. We must watch what we wear. This does not mean a Christian woman cannot wear jewelry, it is that jewelry must be so outlandish, as seen by those in the world, that our Christianity is found to be nothing different, or how about bathing suits that show almost all of a woman's body, just as the world that believes in free sex, or other things that might be a distraction from Authentic Christian Faith. Yes, dress appropriately, and look as good as you can but not at the expense of your responsibility to be a witness for Jesus Christ. Men, you too, have a deep responsibility, and to not look like the world, so often today tatoo art is not only full arm sleeve but on the body and neck, and men look like the world, this has become true of women also. Men you are to set the example. For instance: go to a Church, not all, but it seems to be most, whereby men come to Church, even elders, deacons, in jeans, sandals, tennis shoes, shirts that are for being at the park, or even on a vacation, and we see the same in their children, and then they pray for the congregation, or lead in a Bible study and they do not show one bit of respect for others: it seems to be that do believe that they are doing something good, and do not tell them otherwise. They defend their actions with excuses, both women and men. Let me be tough: Women, we know you have breasts, so why do you feel the need to show them? I am not speaking about seeing that a woman has under her clothes breasts, it is that we see a great deal of their breast, with deep v cut blouses, etc., and do they not thing that they may be putting a stumbling block before a man? If so, how can this be for a man is sexually excited by seeing, so then even if nothing overtly is done, mentally there is harm to a person who may be weak in faith. Authentic Christians must jealously guard Authentic Christian Faith and guard against throwing this faith aside. If your reputation is lost, or seen as nothing more than just another person with their opinion and not even doing what is known, even by the world, as what the tenets of Christianity are, has not that person become a "straw man?" And is this not true if we do not judge this for what it is making us also a "straw man?" What is a "straw man?" It is a person whose function is only to cover another's activities, to be a front man, or a conveniently weak or innocuous person, and even to be an issue used as a seeming adversary or argument.
What is the value you place upon Authentic Christian Faith, or to be an Authentic Christian? If your value is built upon your love for God, and then for yourself to be as God desires you to be, to take intentional action to become pleasing to God, then you will have love to give to another and you will not be a hypocrite, or a stumbling block to another. An Authentic Christian knows that if he/she is to hold the favor of God and that above the favor of men, then something may have to change, or to change from the inside/out and become indifferent to any dishonor might throw at you because you are practicing Authentic Christian Faith. Keep the faith once delivered.
Therefore, thou son of man, prepare
thee stuff for removing, and remove
by day in their sight; and thou shalt
remove from thy place to another place
in their sight: it may be they will consider,
though they be a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 12:3
Spring cleaning: Now, your mind
Richard L. Crumb
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