How Are We As Christians Judge Others?

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever

you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another

you condemn yourself; for you who judge

practice the same thing. But we know that the

judgment of God is according to truth

against those who practice such things.

And do you thing this, O man, you who

judge those practicing such things, and

doing the same, that you will escape the

judgment of God?

Romans 2:1–3

            How many times have I heard that we as Christians are not to judge others. Is this what the above Scripture teaches? Somehow as Christians we are to tacitly approve by our not judging unrighteousness as though by not judging we are showing Christian love. Is this right? The opening Scripture clearly defines what we need to know: we are not to judge others when we might be doing the same thing. Usually a person condemns that which is either a sin that is occurring, or one that he has a propensity to do. Paul is clearly speaking to Christians that we are not to condemn when we are in sin and if we do so we condemn ourselves. If we do not end the sin that is besetting us, or acquiescing to allow others to sin and not speak up against that sin, we are liable to give God and answer for our laziness towards the will of God. To have, and be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Paul writing to the Corinthian Church reminds us: “But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioners–not even to eat with such a person” (1Corinthians 5:11). It is clear that we are to judge, and that judgment begins in the house of God. Do we not judge those outside the Church? Yes! We are to condemn all unrighteousness and to make corrections as are needed by first not associating with those outside the Church: “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits” (1Corinthians 15:33). It is clear, it is plain: “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you are truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1Corinthians 5:6–7). If you cannot clear out the leaven from your Church: LEAVE! Find a Church that does not allow sin called good. If you are associating with those outside the Church: LEAVE! What about family members who are sinning, living in fornication, drunk, taking illegal drugs, and will not listen to the truth and will not change? Jesus makes this so very clear: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37). Oh! You cry! I cannot do this; it is my son, my daughter, my nephew, my niece, etc., and I just cannot see how God would require this of Me. Well, did Jesus not say those words I just quoted from Matthew? Did He not make this very clear and plain? Yes! Furthermore, Jesus said: “Therefore whoever

confesses Me before me, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before me, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not thing that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:32–34). Those words of Jesus are frightening, for He will deny us before God the Father, and we will have no confession that we might use in our defense. Is this hard? Yes! Is it what is required? Yes! Jesus said: “And he who does not take his cross, and follow after me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38). Jesus did not come to earth to make our life easier, to just be as some vending machine to give blessings, to answer all our requests. Jesus came to earth to divide the tares from the wheat. When we allow sin to enter in and to reside in our Churches and in our lives and we are not making sure our election, our salvation, we are fighting against God Himself. Who do you think will win? Paul speaking to the Christians at Corinth and to us: “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’” (Romans 2:5–6; cf. Psalm 62:12). Paul did not end at this point: “eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self–seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness––indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who des evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, and honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 2:7–10).

            Is it not time to take inventory of your faith, your walk with Jesus Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and not guided by this world and its unrighteous culture? Will you take the first step to do what is required of you as a child of God, a bride of Christ? You are not alone, there are others who too are taking this conversion for Jesus Christ seriously, and you will and can walk with them. Associate with those of like mind for Jesus Christ. You will be blessed, if not in this world, you will be in the life hereafter. Praise God!

Lovely, then, is the virtue of modesty, and sweet is its grace!

It is seen not only in actions, but even in our words,

so that we may not go beyond due measure in speech,

and that our words may not have an unbecoming sound.

The mirror of our mind often enough reflects its image in our words.

Sobriety weighs out the sound even of our voice,

for fear that too loud a voice should offend the ear of any one.

Nay, in singing itself the first rule is modesty,

and the same is true in every kind of speech, too,

so that a man may gradually learn to praise God, or to sing songs, or even to speak, in that the principles of modesty grace his advance.

Ambrose.

You are justified, Sanctified by God

Richard L. Crumb

Controlling Our Passions: Not As The World: As Christians

Do you not know that the unrighteous

will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived. Neither fornicator,

nor idolaters, nor adulterers,

nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

nor thieves, nor covetous,

nor drunkards, nor revilers,

nor extortioners will inherit

the kingdom of God.

1Corinthians 6:9–10

            How can these words be twisted? Yet, there are Churches that do just that and allow such as condemned by God, those who will not inherit the kingdom of God to infiltrate the Church at every level. Are not those words plain and clear? Yes! It seems that there are those, who suggest that God’s standards, for Christians are somehow different from God’s standards as for the Hebrews in the Old Testament. That God has two standards, one for the ancient Old Testament Hebrews, and one for New Testament Christians. Those who would oppress the plain teaching of the Bible violate the moral law given to man by God; the Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments apply to everyone on earth, not just the Jews, nor just Christians; they apply to pagans as well for God demands justice on the earth and to not adhere to His moral laws is to do injustice. There is a defiance of God and His Laws. Many are so caught up in the culture of this world, even those who are attending Church, every Sunday, and do many good works, are still caught up in this immoral culture of this world. They engage in beast like activities as pointed out in the opening Scripture. God demands justice and will not allow those who continue in injustice to inherit His kingdom prepared for those who are the Bride of His Son Jesus Christ. Solomon writing states: “I say, ‘ Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God. Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him’” (Ecclesiastes 8:2–3). Those words apply to even government. DO NOT STAND FOR AN EVIL THING! Your say: “I don’t stand for evil!” Yet, you tacitly approve of evil. How? By watching movies, TV shows, reading rag tag magazines, and may even allow such unrighteousness to exist in your home or in your Church and say nothing about it or do anything about it. Maybe it is watching MMA as men and even women pound each other bloody, and do not stop hitting there opponent even when that opponent is unable to defend him/herself. How in such thing is the knowledge of God retained and witness too? Paul writes: “”….God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:28b). Take for instance a MMA fighter who boasts of his ability and strength, strutting around the ring, standing on the ropes of the ring to show himself, proud and in an evil God dishonoring way. Yet, some Christians will not turn the channel or even turn off the TV. Paul adds: “Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil–mindedness; they are whisperers (The Greek is whispering in a mean manner) backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful” (Romans 1:29–31). Does this not describe our culture, our world? Yes, and as time has progressed those things that were affecting the Church in Paul’s day have proliferated. It is not that the world does not know God, or that Christians don’t know God; God is known, and His laws are in the soul of every man and has the power of those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit to know God as do not heathens, and yet there is an abandonment of God. Paul does not mince words: “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32). This ought to sober a person up: deserving of death, those who practice evil, and those who approve of evil being practiced by the unrighteous.

            It is so easy for Christians to condemn the world as though they are inexcusable. Their judgment comes not from their lives which are at enmity with God as with some who are allowing unrighteousness to continue or worse are practicing such unrighteousness before repenting from their sins and by doing so turn away from sin, now and in the future. No excuse! It is not enough to say that you are a sinner. You Are! You have been save by grace and not of yourself. God requires that we examine ourselves, even before taking of the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. Otherwise, you are just as Paul wrote: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you are judge practice the same things” (Romans 2:1).

            The GOOD NEWS! God forgives! God will teach you and lead you from sin into a life whereby you can grow in your faith and sanctification. You can become more and more in the image of our Savior Jesus Christ. Happiness and blessing are for those who do the will of God. May I suggest? Get on your knees before God and pray earnestly to God for you have, if you are engaged in sin, actively, or tacitly, that He will forgive you for sinning against your Holy God. Peace, joy, happiness, all are waiting upon you.

“There are three things to be noticed in the actions of our life. First,

our passions are to be controlled by our reason;

next, we ought to observe a suitable moderation in our desires;

and, lastly, everything ought to be done at the right time and in the proper order.

 All these qualities shone forth so conspicuously in the holy men of Old Testament time,

that it is evident they were well furnished with what men call the cardinal virtues.”

                                                                        Ambrose Chapter 24: Selected Works of Ambrose

Live Today, Everyday: For God and Our Savior

Richard L. Crumb

Confronting Evil: A Christian Responsibility

Woe to those who call evil good,

and good evil;

who put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

who put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

Isaiah 5:20

There is an evil which I have seen

under the sun and it is common

among men;

Ecclesiastes 6:1

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun:

that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of

the sons of men are full of evil; madness

is in their hearts while they live, and after that

they go to the dead.

Ecclesiastes 9:3

            There is nothing new under the sun. Men are men and have been men from the beginning of time, and when evil corrupted the souls of men by the fall of Adam, men have been men and have done much evil. Oh, yes; they have done much good as well, in science, in better living conditions, health has improved (of course this was necessary as more and more diseases came about), we drive cars and have airplanes, our travels are easier, all much good, and yet man is man, men are men and they do much evil. This evil offsets the good they may do as evil brings up man harm. There is an evil presently presented as good and acceptable seen everyday, in every way, by men, and women. Watch TV, go to the movies, watch the dress, the tattoos that are common among both men and women, a desire to have an acceptance and look independent when all that done is to join the group; and interdependency. I speak of one type of evil, and there are more and yet I am examining and studying Romans and find that Paul speaking to the Church spoke of this evil and warns the Church to avoid such evil. It is not a new evil, it is an old evil, and this evil seen in the Church came about as it did in the Corinthian Church, and later when Emperor Constantine gave approval to the Christian Church: an influx of pagans bringing into the Church their pagan ways. This fight against evil is not new and it is still a fight that needs fought in the present day Church. Paul wrote on this evil and we must examine this evil as well and then follow God’s word to teach the truth and to do what the Bible commands us to do to clear away evil from the Church. We as a Church are too quick to give acceptance into the Church before the one entering the Church and an examination after teaching that one to know whether or not that person clings to the old evil or has embraced and converted to the truth of God’s word. We baptized too soon! We give jobs in the Church to those that are unprepared and untaught by God’s word. We somehow think if we just get them, busy in the “work of the Lord” they will be upstanding Christians. This thinking allows heresy to invade the Church, false teaching. This has occurred in some “Christian” Churches. What is the evil? Let Paul speak:

“For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:26–28). Do we not see this everywhere, in advertisements, sitcom shows on TV, and in the movies, men, and women displaying that which was considered pornography or “soft pornography” in times past. Now, there is some idea that we are “modern” and sophisticated, and above such as was done and said in the past. God states His decision on matters of continual sin: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26–27). Paul speaking to the Corinthian Church spoke these words that we should attend to with seriousness: “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1Corinthians 15:34). It is clear that we, as converted, called by God to be the bride of Jesus Christ, are to ensure that our congregations are cleared of evil, removed, and yet we do not do this well for we seem to have forgotten that we are responsible for ourselves and that extends to our brothers and sisters, to keep unrighteousness out of the Church: “But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, wo is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioners––not eve to eat with such a person” (1Corinthians 5:11). Now: some of us were of this sort and have allowed the faith that God has instilled in you that when you heard the Gospel you repented and turned from your evil ways: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1Corinthians 6:11). Live the life that God has given to you, eternal life, now and experience when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ come again for His bride. Rejoice in that you are saved, and are presently, legally, in heaven and nothing can change that. Prepare now that when you enter into heaven the words: Welcome, well done, good and faithful servant…” (Matthew 25:23a). 

GLORY be to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory to Thee who givest me sleep
to recruit my weakness,
and to remit the toils
of this fretful flesh.
To this day and all days,
a perfect, holy, peaceful, healthy,
sinless course,

Vouchsafe O Lord.

Bishop Andrewes, Lancelot (1555-1626)

Live as one of God’s Saints

Richard L. Crumb