Tag: Judgment

Digging in Deeper: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (Part 1)

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“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.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

This is tough stuff!  Let’s just lay bear what Paul is saying here: If someone insists on claiming the name of Christ, but is also incorrigibly committed to a lifestyle of sin, we are to kick them out of the church and not even be willing to fellowship with them.  Can you imagine anything that would so fly in the face of our culture or be so inviting of a lawsuit today?  Why would Paul call us to such a thing?   Read the rest…

You Can’t Judge Me!

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One of the charges often leveled against Christians today is that we are a judgmental lot.  And the truth is…we can be.  Folks will point to one of the many passages that call Christians not to judge others and accuse us of hypocrisy.  And the truth is…sometimes they’re right.

But, before we lean too hard into the charges and move to the place that some have gone of refusing to pronounce any behavior or attitude wrong, we need to clarify some things.  In the New Testament there are two different kinds of judgment.  One is not good and we are told over and over not to do it.  The other is actually one we are specifically called and even encouraged to make.  If we get these mistaken, we can wind up doing or allowing more harm than good.   Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: 1 Chronicles 13:10

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“And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.”  (ESV – read the chapter)

This is another of those hard verses in the Old Testament that we struggle to understand.  Why would God strike Uzzah down like this?  What exactly did he do that was so wrong it justified an immediate death sentence?  It sure seems like all he did was touch the ark.  Why was that such a big deal?

Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Romans 14:1

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“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.”  (ESV)

So many fights in the church are over issues that are far less significant than we have made them.  Often someone has read something in the Scriptures (even in community) with a desire to apply what he’s seen, but, in his efforts to apply the Scriptures, he’s given too much power and position to the issue.  The result is an insistence on a certain behavior that, while not necessarily unwise, much less sinful, is an unnecessary restriction on the freedom we have available to us in Christ.   Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Romans 13:13

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“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.”  (ESV)

Paul plays a mean trick on us here.  He starts listing off sins that those evil people (whoever they happen to be) commit under the cover of darkness.  And right from the start we’re tempted to cheer along with him.  Down with those evil people engaging in orgies!  Down with those drunks who are wrecking their lives and the lives of their families!  Down with those sexually immoral perverts!   Read the rest…