Intro
Today we are continuing our series entitled "Myths: Exposing the False Beliefs that Bind Us."
We are looking at common ideas that effect how we navigate life.
You may have heard the term "urban legends." Urban legends is a form of such myths. They are ideas that circulate and can end up passing along something that has some element of truth but a whole lot of falsehood. In recent years when I come back across some stories I have used in teaching...I have felt a need to look up their validity. On a couple occasions...I discovered they were mostly urban legends. I'd taken something as true that simply wasn't. I've realized more and more that I need to stop and check to see if something is really true.
Today...we're going to engage one of the most commonly stated myths that effects how we navigate life...
MYTH: Christians Shouldn't Judge
This belief is usually expressed when people feel that someone is either making some judgment upon a particular issue or group...or upon judging them personally.
At which point...one feels the need to defend by saying...
"You shouldn't judge people." or
"You're being judgmental." or
"Don't be so legalistic."
This is...
A belief that fits our modern notion of "tolerance"
In many respects the idea that we shouldn't judge anything is sort of a mantra for our times.
In the very recent years the theme that has taken the forefront of values...is that of "tolerance."
For a good reason. Differences tend to divide. Starting just a few decades ago...the generations began to feel a deep divide. Judgments proclaimed that rock music was evil, long hair was bad and people with dark skin were inferior. As the world becomes more global it now faces huge religious and cultural conflicts. With all the differences that divide us, we need to restore true tolerance.
> What we seem to be confused about is what tolerance means. The true meaning of tolerance is that of embracing an appropriate level of basic regard and respect for those we may differ or disagree with. We don’t tolerate someone we agree with….we tolerate someone we don’t agree with.
Fred Baumann, a political science professor at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, says,
"(Some) make the mistake of saying that not making judgments is the same thing as being tolerant. It's not. If you want tolerance, you have to think something is right. And that requires making judgments."[1a]
As a culture we’re losing the great value of true tolerance when the idea is attached the need to approve in order to accept… and to legitimate in order to love. True tolerance has nothing to do with granting moral approval. We need to recognize the distinction between loving people and legitimating behavior.
This new definition of tolerance has become so wide-spread that we want to deride anyone who judges anything... which might seem a bit judgmental.
Into such an idea of tolerance...the very words of Jesus seem to offer the ultimate confirmation. For he himself said, "Do not judge." That seems clear enough.
When someone is making some sort of judgment.... even those who don't follow the Scriptures will cite it in a lose way. It may be the most popular verse in the whole Bible for our cultural times.
If Jesus said we shouldn't judge anything...that we should accept everything as equally good and right...then we have finally found our way.
So lets hear what Jesus said in...
Matthew 7:1-6,12 (NIV)
1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The very launch into these words may seem simple enough... "Do not judge..." We can stop right there. Jesus didn’t say, “Do not judge,” followed by a period or an exclamation point. He said, “Do not judge,” followed by a clarification of what type of judgments to make, when to make them, and how to make them.
Jesus is addressing a problem with the way we judge others, but he is not intending to renounce good judgment.
Let me note three quick reasons why it should be obvious that Jesus wasn't intending to renounce good judgment: the nature of his expression, his example, and his explanation.
1. His expression reflects the common use of what is understood to have an impossible "absolute" meaning
In the same section of teaching...known as the Sermon on the Mount....he says that anyone who lusts is guilty of adultery...and should gouge their eye out. In a similar way, he is saying that we are not to judge people in a certain way.
But the general nature of distinguishing good from bad is not only acceptable...it's an essential part of life. We make judgments every day and nearly all day. We judge between priorities and responsibilities... what we should believe... who is right or wrong on issues.
Lewis B. Smedes
"Common sense suggests that if no one ever judged other people, there would be no real human community. In a sinful world, no community can exist for long where nobody is ever held accountable: no teacher would grade a student's performance; no citizen would sit on a jury or call a failed leader to account. And, when you come to think of it, nobody would ever forgive anyone for wrongs he had done; we only forgive people for what we blame them, and we blame them only after we have judged them." [1b]
2. His example of making judgments (...and teaching his followers to do the same)
Jesus himself made judgments upon people's behavior... as did so many deemed faithful to God. [1c]
He goes on to say in verse 6, "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs." Sounds like he's making some judgments. And he calls the religious leaders hypocrites...turns over the tables used to make money in the temple...and on and on.
Further on, in the very same section of teaching...in verses 15-20 Jesus calls us to carefully inspect the spiritual fruit of anyone who claims to speak for God. He says that we need to evaluate what they say with how they live – rejecting those who bear bad fruit and listening to those who produce good fruit.
> He not only made judgments upon behavior...he taught his followers sounds ways to make such judgments.
3. His further explanation about judging others (... what he goes on to say)
He goes on to give the picture of seeing something in another...and says after you deal with what is in your eye...THEN you CAN go help them deal with the speck.
He is not telling us to never judge; he is telling us how to judge rightly.
Judging is like nuclear fuel at a power plant. It can bring great benefit if handled correctly, extract a high price if ignored, or hurt everyone if handled improperly.
He is addressing a huge problem with HOW we judge others...and what he directs us to is not simply some false idea that nothing matters and we shouldn't care about others...but rather that we need to confront what lies within so much of our judging.
We need to understand that inappropriate judgment of others is an issue closer to God's heart...and closer to our habits...than we may realize.
A pastor by the name of John Burke (pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas) assumed that he was not a judgmental person. But just in case he was wrong, he tried an experiment: for a whole week he kept track of his judgments about other people. [2] Here's what he discovered:
"Judging others is fun! Judging others makes you feel good, and I'm not sure I've gone a single day without this sin." In any given week, I might condemn my son ...my daughter...even my dog gets the hammer of condemnation.
There's correction that values with mercy and there's correction that devalues with judgment.
I watch the news and condemn those "idiotic people" who do such things. Most reality TV shows are full of people I can judge as sinful, ignorant, stupid, arrogant, or childish. I get in my car and drive and find a host of inept drivers who should have flunked their driving test—and I throw in a little condemnation on our Department of Public Safety for good measure! At the store, I complain to myself about the lack of organization that makes it impossible to find what I'm looking for.
And why can't that teenage checker—what IS she wearing?—focus and work so we can get out of here?
Judging is our favorite pastime, if we're honest—but we're not! We're great at judging the world around us by standards we would highly resent being held to! Judging makes us feel good because it puts us in a better light than others."
When issues of sin arises, there is a common feeling of tension between being too critical and too compromising....between what is sometimes referred to as "legalism" and "license." I think we can all feel a bit like spiritual schizophrenics.
There is a religious spirit of legalism that tries to control sin through an overly prescribed approach to moral behavior or an inappropriate sense of controlling such behaviors in others....by rules.
There is also a rebellious spirit of liberty or license that tries to demand control by declaring that 'you can't tell other people what to do' or 'can't tell me what to do.'
Both "legalism" and "license" reflect our desire to control sin; one to deny permission and one to give permission. The truth is that we are always free to sin.
What we need is neither legalism or license...neither our condemning or our approving...neither judgmentalism nor non-judgmentalism.
We must dismantle the myth that we shouldn't judge anything...while developing a truly loving process for making healthy judgments (that which can offer clarity, discernment, warning, and correction.)
Principles for Making Judgments that are Healthy and Helpful
1. Proper judgment must flow not from the false separation of one behind the interrogator's light... but from the reality and humility of standing under the common light of God.
Immediately Jesus continues his statement to explain what he is saying...
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
> Why does he immediately speak of having to share the same measure?
Because the most basic problem is the way we try to separate ourselves from others.
When people say 'don't judge me'...it usually comes with a feeling of superiority in the other.
"Who are YOU to judge me."
The way we judge is often as a way that separates us...not one who is with us and caring as a common.
We can even be projecting our own shame and guilt.
That is what we see in how Jesus spoke into the scene of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11.) There they were.... they picked up stones to kill her with...and Jesus says: "He who is without sin can cast the first stone." Jesus understood they weren't just projecting stones....they were projecting their guilt onto her. They were like the interrogators who use the huge lights shining upon the subject of their scrutiny.... while standing behind the brightness where they can't be seen. Jesus turns the light around.
This kind of judgment isn't about helping...it's about hiding.
In the same way... most of our judging of others bypasses ourselves. It directs our moral focus upon others in such a way we feel superior...and safer.
Sometimes I think we can speak out loudly against something that we are NOT living out well... in order to feel better...to "feel" like we are against it. It can be a way to convince ourselves ...or even God...that we are on the right side of a moral issue. [4]
This principle doesn’t mean that we have to first be perfect to address what might be harmful to others; it means we have to first face our own selves in the same light.
Many feel... that not judging anyone or anything is an act of humility...because they know they aren't perfect...but that's not Jesus' point.
Jesus says: take a look at yourself first. Deal with how you struggle in this area.
2. Proper judgment does not pronounce ultimate condemnation of a person, but rather brings clarity to the choices at hand.
John 8:1-11 - Woman caught in adultery...brings into clarity what Jesus calls us to.
They want to 'condemn' the woman for her sin.... and Jesus silences the condemnation. ("Where are your condemners?" They've gone. Neither do I condemn you."). Some may stop at that point and they stand in the tradition of Jesus...by judging no one. But his next words bring the whole heart of God. He didn't say she should consider herself free to do whatever she wants because there is no wrong...but rather directs her to "go and sin no more." That’s a judgment. He didn’t ignore her adultery. He didn’t say, “I’m personally uncomfortable with it, but as long as it works for you, then it’s okay.”
He also said, “Go and leave your life of sin.” He called her behavior what it was – sin.
> Jesus brings clarity to the choice at hand.
Our ultimate goal is to never condemn. We leave that to God. Our role is to evaluate and protect and redeem. [5]
3. Proper judgment is that which seeks to serve what another has professed to desire.
Perhaps the biggest tension we feel in regards to the judging of other people...is that it seems like one person simply imposing their criteria or values on another person.
This is what is so often the issue in our culture wars.
Here's an important truth: We shouldn't be judging those who don't claim to be committed to what we believe. We shouldn't judge those who haven't committed themselves to Christ by the teachings of Christ.
Paul writes...1 Corinthians 5:12-13
What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.
Judging non-Christians by Christian standards puts the cart before the horse.
It creates the whole power struggle with religion that so many resent. Without relationship...it's just rules...religious rules. [6] [7]
> To the degree that someone has sincerely expressed a desire for something... sharing a concerning perspective or challenge is actually supporting them.
Does this mean we have nothing appropriate to say to anyone unless they share the same level of commitment to God?
I believe there is still room to challenge another persons choice...IF we sincerely can connect to common desire.
• To a neighbor who is neglecting his family - "If you continue in that direction...you will likely lose relationship with your kids...something I know you value."
• To a child who is venturing into drinking and drugs - "I want to help you face life...and not lose control of the choices you make."
4. Proper judgment will take time to look beyond appearances to see the heart of what is involved.
At one point the religious leaders get upset with Jesus because he heals a man on the Sabbath. > All they see is a man breaking the rules... and he doesn't appear to have the traditional educational credentials they have believed to be essential... so his power must come from the devil.
Jesus corrects them... by making them stop and realize they are following the teaching of Moses who had no credentials...and they are circumcising on the Sabbath...so why presume healing a whole man can not be a work of God. He declares:
John 7:24 (NIV)
"Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."
In another translation...
John 7:24 (NLT)
Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
How often I have been humbled by these words. I have made quick assumptions...only to realize I really hadn't seen the picture clearly.
In a culture that feeds on expediency.... we need to refuse to join in the rush that considers the truth secondary.
5. Proper judgment will submit "disputable" matters of personal conscience to the call to build each other's relationship with God.
Romans 14:1,5-6, 13, 19 (NIV)
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.... 5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.... 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Romans 15:2 (NLT)
We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
Paul speaks of disputable matters...and he is referring to the types of issues in which the action is not inherently wrong... it's a matter of what the heart attaches to it.
That was the case with eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols...which much of the meat was at one time. So some felt they shouldn't eat the meat and others felt that it didn't really matter because they no longer honored idols. They gave thanks to God for the meat. Similarly some felt that certain days were to be honored above others.
The point is that we need to honor the heart of another in such matters. [8]
This can apply to many positions taken on politics and policies. I know how strongly we can feel about various issues... but it's become an aspect of life that is rooted in judging others motives and heart. From gun laws to immigration policy... we need to respect what something may represent to another person.
Conclusion:
Paul sums it up when he concludes..
"We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord." - Romans 15:2 (NLT)
> God's call to us today is to become those who build up others. This is call out from false sense of it being loving to 'never correct' and false sense of being 'faithful' by always correcting.
Towards that end I offer these questions as we navigate making judgments.
• Am I separating myself in the way I think and speak of others...or am I humbly joining them under the same light that God shines on my heart as well?
• Am I imposing a belief they don't share...or am I supporting them in something they have expressed a desire for?
• Am I just devaluing them with either criticism or silence...or am I valuing them with care and potential?
Resources: Michael Luke, message "Christians Shouldn't Judge"; Larry Osborne, book "10 Dumb Things Christians Believe"
Notes:
1a. From L.A. Times article, "IF I'M OK AND YOU'RE OK, ARE THERE ANY BAD GUYS?"
by Martin Miller, Times staff writer; L.A. Times, January 2, 2002. If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at latimes.com/archives. For information about reprinting this article, go to www.lats.com/rights
1b. Christianity Today. October 1, 2001, Vol. 45, No. 12, Page 70; Lewis B. Smedes was professor emeritus of theology and ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
He also notes:
Jesus may have been moved to speak as he did by the haughty way the Pharisees had of judging people. In Matthew 5:20 through 7:6, Jesus warns his disciples against following the traditions and practices of the Pharisees, who judged others as if they themselves were beyond judgment. What's more, they judged people by the letter, not the spirit, of the law.
So, most likely, Jesus meant, "Do not judge at all if you judge others the way the Pharisees do. If you do judge people this way, you will be judged with the same severity."
1c. Jesus and the Apostles were very bold and rebuked and condemned evil. They even openly rebuked people in the church for doing evil, in order to strengthen the church. There were examples when even physical force was used to correct them. In Nehemiah 13:25, Nehemiah cursed, struck and pulled out the hair of the Jews who rebelled by having pagan wives. There were other incidences where he forced people to stop lending money at interest, (Nehemiah 5:10-13) and threatened people for breaking the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:19-21). Nehemiah forced people to do the right thing. Jesus also overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13).
2. John Burke, Mud and the Masterpiece (Baker Books, 2013), pp. 60-61
3. In a previous message I developed this ideas further, as below:
When issues of sin arises, there is a common feeling of tension between "legalism" and "license". I think we can all feel a bit like spiritual schizophrenics. At times a part of us feels a fearful sense of being legalistic and at other times of compromising our convictions. I believe God wants to speak into our hearts today.
One of the common tensions faced is that of concern for falling into either a spirit of legalism or a spirit of license. The following definitions can help us engage these tensions that we must penetrate:
Religious spirit of Legalism – In it’s broader use, ‘legalism’ refers to the tendency to try to control sin through an overly prescribed approach to moral behavior or an inappropriate sense of controlling such behaviors in others.
Rebellious spirit of License – In it’s spiritual use, license refers to the tendency to control permission for inappropriate or destructive desires often based upon a limited perspective of pleasure (that ignores one’s ultimate good) and freedom (that ignores responsibility.)
Both "legalism" and "license" reflect our desire to control sin; one to deny permission and one to give permission. The truth is that we are always free to sin. Both the spirit of legalism and the spirit of license are rooted in fear and a false sense of control.
The Apostle Paul knew both of these all too well. He was the elite of Jewish religious lawmakers and law keepers…knew the emptiness of legalism… and how it was unable to change lives. But he also sees the utter destruction of Roman paganism and the pursuit of all pleasure… and knows how deceptive and destructive that which glorifies sin can be. The Roman culture of his day was one in which the poor and weak were trampled down … violence and sexual desires were ruling and ruining human life. So Paul knew the limits of the law and of license. Neither the religious spirit nor the rebellious spirit will ever lead us to true freedom.
True freedom comes through the transition from fear to love as the driving and defining force of our souls.
Not a sentimental love that merely fears conflict and isn't really loving at all....but a love that is willing to sacrifice and serve the best in another.
The ministry of grace always begins with a deep commitment and love to seek "God's best" in another.
• "Love is the only transforming power in life."
• We must hold a redemptive desire in our heart...not resentment or retribution.
4. Larry Osborne states,
Sometimes we can crusade against the sins we struggle with, as if loudly condemning something makes up for secretly doing it. Or maybe it's an effort to convince God and ourselves that we're still on his side despite the evil we just can't seem to beat.
You probably remember the sad story of Jimmy Swaggart, the southern hellfire-and-brimstone preacher who gained a huge television following during the 1980s. He had a particular disdain for the evils of sex. With fiery passion, he preached against anything or anyone he saw as a purveyor of temptation. After he was busted for a series of voyeuristic meetings with a local prostitute, it all became clear. He hadn't been preaching to his congregation. He'd been preaching to himself. But sadly, according to the words of Jesus, he had also been condemning himself with every sermon he gave.
Osborne, Larry (2009-04-04). Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe (Kindle Locations 1102-1109). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
5. Michael Luke in "Christians Shouldn't Judge" from series SPIRITUAL URBAN, says:
Our ultimate goal is to never condemn. That’s God’s prerogative. Our role is to evaluate and protect or to discern and restore, depending on the people involved.
When it comes to spiritual leaders, the purpose of our judging is to evaluate and protect. The goal is to keep wolves in sheep’s clothing from raiding the flock. So a leader’s message, actions, and spiritual fruit are fair game for judging. But even so, it must be done according to the principles of judgment we’ve already talked about.
In the case of our fellow Christian, the purpose is always to discern and restore. We have a responsibility to hold one another spiritually accountable. But the purpose is always to root out the sin or error in order to restore the one caught in its web.
6. Larry Osborne states, "That doesn't mean that we can't call their sin, sin. It just means we're supposed to leave their judgment to him and focus on ourselves and the family of God when it comes to enforcing his standards. We can learn much from the early Christians. They lived in a culture and under a government system riddled with what the Bible calls sin. Marriage was held in low esteem; sexual excess was tacitly approved; homosexuality was celebrated. Infanticide was an accepted form of family planning. The Coliseum was regularly filled with bloodthirsty crowds cheering the death of the vanquished. As for Christians, there were no charitable deductions, property tax exemptions, freedom of speech protections— just the ominous threat of a coming day when Christianity would be outlawed, believers jailed, and leaders martyred. Yet the New Testament is strangely silent when it comes to harsh judgments and condemnations of Roman government, its leaders, or its soldiers. While it does speak of societal decadence in general, it usually does so in the context of reminding the Christians that they were no longer to live that way. The reason was simple. The early church understood that their job was not to judge and condemn the pagans around them."
Osborne, Larry (2009-04-04). Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe (Kindle Locations 1183-1194). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
7. More complete texts related to how judging is always done on the basis of what we share.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (NIV)
9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (NIV)
14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
8. As Larry Osborne describes,
Make sure that our judgments match God's. As we've already seen, the myth that God doesn't want us to judge can put us in the awkward position of disagreeing with God when he calls something sin and we're unwilling to do so. But there is also an opposite mistake when it comes to judging others. We can judge and rip on things God has no problem with. It didn't take me long as a new Christian to realize that many of the harshest judgments I heard people make were often in areas where the Bible seemed to be less than clear. The fact is, there are many areas where the Scriptures lay down a general principle without spelling out all the specific applications. That leaves us with lots of freedom and latitude— and lots of areas for potential disagreement. For instance, the Bible says that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be treated as such. That's a principle. It's left to us to figure out how it applies. For some of us, that means avoiding cigarettes, cigars, and alcohol. For others, it means avoiding diet drinks and refined sugars. For still others, it means vigorous exercise and proper rest. For me, it means staying away from Spam, beets, and cauliflower. But in the days of the New Testament, that verse specifically meant not having sex with a temple prostitute. Because that's probably not a problem for most of us today (have you seen any temple prostitutes in your neighborhood lately?), it's up to us to figure out how that principle still applies. There's room for differing applications.
Osborne, Larry (2009-04-04). Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe (Kindle Locations 1149-1161). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
