Cultural No-No’s
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within [the church]. But those who are outside God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 NASB (brackets added)
Judge – How many times have you heard someone say, “You shouldn’t judge others!” This seems to be the standard response to anyone who raises an eyebrow over the non-biblical actions of others. Of course, the next proof text taken out of context is usually Yeshua’s remark, “You will be judged according to the standard by which you judge others.” This is supposed to make us feel so inadequate and guilty in our own failures that we withdraw our complaints about the actions of others. But Paul would never agree! He just wants us to distinguish where we fulfill the biblical injunctive to examine the behavior of others. According to Paul, we are to judge the behavior of those inside (the words “the church” do not appear in the Greek text). Paul is talking about those in the community. They are subject to examination. Why? Because everyone who follows Yeshua adopts a code of conduct clearly articulated in Torah. We know what God wants of His people because, unlike pagan gods, He tells us. Since we all know what He wants, it’s pretty easy to determine who is living according to His directions. Therefore, we are required to pay attention to the behaviors of the community because we are all on the inside.
However, this does not apply to those on the outside. Let’s say that again. Those who do not follow the instructions of YHWH, who do not claim Yeshua as their Messiah and Lord, are not subject to our assessment of their adherence to God’s mishpatim (values). They don’t claim allegiance to YHWH. They don’t accept His directions. Therefore, we are not in a position to hold them accountable to a standard they don’t accept. That does not mean they are off the hook. We don’t judge them but God does! We can be silent witnesses by our actions, but God is the one who will bring His truth to bear on their lives.
Think about the freedom this provides you. You aren’t accountable for the mess of a world that rejects the ways of YHWH. In fact, you aren’t even obligated to remind the world that its citizens are in a mess. You don’t have to preach on the street corner or argue for the morality of the Bible. You recognize that the world spurns God and you and I can pray that those who spurn Him will wake up in time to avoid His wrath, but we learn that there is no imperative to convince them of their error. God is more than capable of doing that.
What are we required to do? Clean the house from the inside! Judgment is appropriate, even necessary, if we on the inside are going to reflect the ways of our God. So we apply krino (to separate, to sunder, to divide out, to select) to ourselves. We carefully examine our own lives and the lives of those inside the community in order that we might be pure before Him. He will do the rest.
Topical Index: judge, krino, 1 Corinthians 5:12-13
“Therefore, we are not in a position to hold them accountable to a standard they don’t accept. That does not mean they are off the hook. We don’t judge them but God does! We can be silent witnesses by our actions, but God is the one who will bring His truth to bear on their lives.”
Rightly so, Amein! Believers who use the ‘do not judge lest you be judged’, are often the ones who did wrong and refused to be corrected.
But, judgement begins in the house! If such folks do not wish to be judged, as in being corrected, they will lose the grace extended to them to do what is right.
You lift up YHWH’s standards through these Word Studies, Skip, brilliant! Thank you!
,
~ Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the LORD (Himself) is able to make him stand. ~
~ There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But you–who are you to judge your neighbor? ~
~ For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah, so that each of us may receive what he deserves for what he has done in his body, whether good or worthless ~
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then *in Him* be found!
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne!
“Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
Skip,
This is getting way too personal, and you are stepping on my toes! Ugh! . . . Now, I need to back off, and look at my life all over again. Am I doing what I am created and intended to do?
“You aren’t accountable for the mess of a world that rejects the ways of YHWH.” Am I my brother’s keeper? Am I to be a ‘watchman’? If so, to what degree?
Just some thoughts that popped up.
But yes, scripture is clear that we should begin in our own house. Amen!
Thank you for this challenging post!
The exercise of judgment is an internal exercise, unless you are a Judge called to execute consequences, which few of us are. We are called to judge EVERYTHING, but that does not mean we must say what we think we understand without exploring the context or the consequences and MUCH prayer.
We must judge so we can know the truth and refrain from sin that may be rampant within our community, to not do as everyone does, to protect our own testimony, and be aware of where our friends may be in need of support. We must also proceed as Matthew says, in love, to assist in making that sin evident so that proper action be taken. But that does NOT mean we condemn, make less, think less, love less, and speak ill of those committing sin or even make that sin public in the sake of prayer. We must be merciful, remembering always that we do not understand the whole context of the life of someone to understand where they are spiritually and emotionally. Most of the time we hurt and damage in our judgment instead of being supportive of growth. Our judgement must remain an instrument of love and growth, never destruction.
We must remain blameless. Judging is a difficult internal discipline process. Sometimes it’s just easier to remain blissfully ignorant of the sin of others, instead of judging and doing what is rjght, in our hearts and within our community. We usually have enough to deal with with our own sin. Judgement carries a huge responsibility.
Good exhortation Bessy. Truth without Love is….useless, and Love without Truth is…..just not Love.
Bessy,
Thank you for your comments.
The exercise of judgment must begin in our homes with one another.
I believe if dads and moms will lay a foundation for their children in the area of true judgment, we will raise a generation who will value correction and reproof. Of course, husbands and wives must exercise and exemplify true judgment with one another in front of their children to be faithful transmitters.
The culture of the Western church do not value or honor judgment. The reason I believe this is because we have forsaken Abba’s instructions and teachings which constantly critiques and corrects are value system and what kingdom we embrace and operate from.
YHWH is King!
Skip,
Thanks for a nice mini elaboration on a very important, much misunderstood topic: judgment.
In Matt chapter 7, verse 1 Yahshua says: “Do not judge, that you may not be judged.”
I wish it were that simple for us all to avoid judgment from Yahshua – if all we had to do was to quit judging other people! As is typical, we get understanding by reading on a little more. Yahshua continues:
“for with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured again to you”.
It is fairly clear that what Yahshua is telling us here is to be careful about the morality of how we judge: is our judgment harsh and unmerciful or is it based on Torah and merciful? He is saying that we actually set the standard of mercy that He extends to us as He judges us. Our fate is in our own hands! Its the same with Forgiveness – He forgives us as we forgive others, again putting ourselves in control!
To me this is crucially important for the called out first fruits to keep in mind because it is clear that the true Body of Messiah (you know who you are!) are being judged NOW – even daily, with accounting records being kept in heaven. The apostle Peter gave credence to this concept when he said in the pioneering days of the Church:
“For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God.” (1Peter 4:17)
When Messiah returns, it will be too late for a moral judgment of the members of the true Body of Messiah (1Cor 15). By coming up in that glorious first resurrection, upon His return, we will have automatically passed His judgment. Hallelujah! What the first fruit group faces upon His return to judge the world is a “bema” judgment – a judgment of rewards for our behavior, our good works, our patience, our faithfulness, etc,. etc,.
Isaiah tells us:
“Behold, YHVH Elohim comes with might, and His arm rules with Him; behold, HIS REWARD IS WITH HIM, and His recompense before Him. (Isaiah 40:10)
Right in the last chapter of Revelation, verse12, Yahshua gives us a second witness to this verse, simply quoting Isaiah:
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, TO REPAY EVERYONE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE.”
I once heard the noted theologian, Dr,RC Sproul , in a teaching on Ecclesiastes in his radio program say: “For the Christian, NOW counts forever!” It struck me as so succinctly profound that I pulled over my car and wrote the statement in the inside cover of the Bible I had with me.
I want to comment on one more Scripture that supports Skip’s theme today and that is Colossians 2:16-17
“”Then do not let anyone judge you, in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or the new moon, or of Sabbaths, which are a shadow of coming things, but the body (is) of Christ” (JP Green Trans.)
These are two of the most mistranslated and misuses verses in all of Scripture! Her I want to focus simply on the fact that the word “IS” is not found in the original Greek. We are not 100% sure what Paul was harping about, but he was most definitely not suggesting that the Sabbath or Festivals of Yah are done away. Paul is saying that the Spirit led Body of Christ, the local community, will make judgment calls on the issues that come up in every fellowship. We do not need the pope in Rome to make the call!
Colossians 2:16-17
“”Then do not let anyone judge you, in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or the new moon, or of Sabbaths, which are a shadow of coming things, but the body (is) of Christ” (JP Green Trans.)
Amein! The Body of Meshiach has the authority to judge, i.e. to correct, not condemn nor in a spirit of
criticism, but to put a brother/sister in right standing before YHWH, according to His Word, and ways.
May I add,
Eze 3:18/19, When I say to the wicked man you shall surely die; and you give him not warning, not speak to warn the wicked from his wicked ways, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood shall I require at your hand……
If we refrain from judging, how do we correct? We do have to exercise discernment and wisdom, like King Solomon.
Shalom!
But Yeshua went to the Mount of Olives, and in the morning He came again to The Temple. And all the people came to him, and when He sat, He taught them. But the Scribes and the Pharisees brought a women who had been seized in adultery, and when they stood her in the midst, they were saying to Him, “Teacher, this woman was taken openly in the act of adultery.” “But in The Written Law of Moses, he commanded that we shall stone such as these.” “What therefore do you say?” This they said, as they were tempting Him, so that they might have something for which to accuse Him. But as they persisted asking Him, He stood up and He said to them, “He among you who is without sin, let him first cast a stone upon her.” And stooping down again, He wrote on the ground. But when these heard, they were exiting, one by one, beginning from the Elders, and the woman who had been in the midst was left alone. But when He stood up, Yeshua said to the woman, “Where are they? Has no man condemned you?” But she said, “Not even one, LORD GOD”; and Yeshua said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, sin no more.”
~ If the Son therefore shall make you free, – you shall be free indeed ~ (John 8.36)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N_s6nfdxew
Dear TW community
While Skip is visiting with Rachel aboard the JS Stennis, I want to bring you up to date with happenings in South Africa regarding Irene. And since you as TW community were the first ones who believed and contributed to Skip’s kindness( chen and chesed) and enabled him to pass it on to a country and people miles away – a thank you to you and Skip is not enough!
Skip will be writing more about this as soon as he returns. I will be spending time away from home as well and will also not be able to comment for a few days, but as always, please be sensitive in any comments and may be wait until Skip is back to answer any questions. This is now a VERY public matter:
Irene was interviewed on all the major SA news channels and was featured on the front page of SA’s newspapers. Some of the best news must be that the SA Olympic committee is looking into taking care of her as an promising athlete and is due to start a sport fund for her.
May the our Father YHVH’s bless each one who contributed and were the hands and feet of YHVH – this includes Martin from thepotatofoundation who were kind enough to take Skip to these camps,
Lourens who took Skip to see Irene and is the connection with the family and takes care of everything concerning Irene – media, sponsors and donations such as clothes,shoes etc.(and thanks to his wife, supporting him during this hectic time)
wildhorseEntertainment for breaking and believing -all the way
and may He also bless Irene and her family in all the decision making to come -may it be easy for you to always choose God’s way.
(Sorry but I don’t know how to copy the pictures. May be you can find it if you google: “Beeld” ,” Die Volksbald” – unfortunately all in Afr)
http://youtu.be/nYXQcoapH5g
http://kyknet.dstv.com/2013/04/21/help-irene-van-niekerk/
This is was kindly send and translated by Nicol:
Hi Skip
I’m very happy to tell you that today there is an article about Irene in our local paper called ‘Die Beeld’ (The Image)!
This article will be very encouraging/inspiring for a lot of people.
Here is the link to the article for Irene. She is so humble but I think it is good for her to get some public recognition. It will keep her going when she again realises that she inspires other people.
http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Basta-met-terugslae-se-die-atleet-20130424
I copied the article and photo and will translate the article for you in red below
Basta met terugslae, sê dié atleet (Heading)
Forget setbacks, says this athlete
2013-04-24 23:25
Lourensa Eckard
Irene van Niekerk (15) in die Kroningspark-woonwapark in Krugersdorp waar sy saam met haar ma, pa en sewe boeties woon. Die feit dat sy byna geen tone oorhet nie, hou die tiener glad nie terug nie. Foto: Nelius Rademan
Irene in the Kroningspark-Caravan park in Krugersdorp where she lives with her father and 7 brothers. The fact that she barely has any toes, doesn’t keep this teenager back.
Irene van Niekerk (15) was 1½ jaar oud toe albei haar voete byna afgesit is nadat sy in ’n bad kookwater gebrand het.
Irene was 1 and a half years old when both her feet were almost amputated after she was badly burnt in a bath filled with boiling water.
Vandag is sy ’n belowende jong atleet met sowat 32 goue medaljes wat sy op skool- en provinsiale byeenkomste gewen het.
Today she is a promising young athlete with about 32 gold medals which she won at school and provincial events.
Dít alles doen sy kaalvoet en sonder die meeste van haar tone.
All that she achieved bare-feet and without most of her toes.
“Ek het van kleins af vir haar gesê sy kan nie dat haar voete haar terughou nie. Sy moet ’n sukses van die lewe maak, ongeag haar gestremdheid,” het haar ma, ook Irene, gister gesê.
“When she was still very young I told her that she can’t allow her feet to keep her back. She must make a success of her life, in spite of her handicap” said her mother, and Irene, yesterday.
’n Oppasser het haar dogter as ’n baba in ’n bad vol kookwater gesit. Die oppasser het nie gesien hoe een van Irene se boeties die warmwaterkraan oopdraai nie.
‘n Babysitter put her daughter as a baby in the bath full of boiling water. The babysitter didn’t see when one of Irene’s brothers opened the hot water tap.
“Dit was baie erg, maar die Here het my geseën met ’n wonderlike dogter wat my ontsettend trots maak,” sê Van Niekerk.
“It was very bad/serious, but the Lord blessed me with a wonderful daughter who makes my very proud”, says van Niekerk.
Irene woon die afgelope agt jaar saam met haar ma, pa, Hugo, en sewe boeties in die Kroningspark-woonwapark in Krugersdorp.
Irene has been living with her mother, father, Hugo, and 7 brothers in the Kroningspark-Caravanpark in Krugersdorp for the last 8 years.
Sy oefen minstens twee keer per dag, maar eers as haar huiswerk klaar is.
She practices twice a day, but only once her homework is done.
Irene word deur haar ma afgerig en volgens Irene is dié baie streng met haar.
Irene is coached by her mother and according to Irene her mother is very strict with her.
“Ek dink sy het haar sporttalent by my gekry,” sê Van Niekerk, maar haar man hou vol dit is eerder sy goeie gene wat daartoe gelei het dat Irene die 1 500 m onlangs in ’n tyd van 4:45 gehardloop het. Die wêreldrekord vir meisies onder 15 is 4:00.
“I think she got her sporting talent from me” says van Niekerk, but her father reckons it is because of his good genes that enabled Irene to recently finish the 1500m in a time of 4:45. The world record for girls under 15 is 4:00.
Volgens Van Niekerk word haar dogter eenvoudig nie moeg nie.
According to van Niekerk, her daughter simply doesn’t get tired.
“Sy kan nie korter afstande hardloop nie, maar sodra sy aan die gang is, kan sy hardloop en hardloop en hardloop.”
“She can’t run shorter distances, but as soon as she is on the go, she can run and run and run.”
Die skaam, beskeie Irene het gesê haar rolmodel is die “man met die af bene” en haar grootste droom is om Suid-Afrika eendag op die Olimpiese Spele te verteenwoordig.
The shy, modest Irene said that her model is the “man without legs” and her biggest dream is to 1 day represent South Africa at the Olympic Games.
Sy is ook doof in haar regteroor en haar borsbeen is beskadig toe sy as kind deur ’n hond gebyt is. Maar ook dit het haar nie teruggehou nie.
She is also deaf in her right ear and as a child her breastplate was damaged when she was bitten by a dog. But this also didn’t keep her back.
“Ek wou van kleins af hardloop. Dit is vir my lekker en ek word nie sommer moeg nie.
“Since childhood I wanted to run. I enjoy it and I don’t get tired easily.”
“Die kinders by die skool noem my klein Zola Budd.”
In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, He has given the Son absolute authority to judge,that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.For just as The Father has The Life in Himself, so He has given also to The Son to have The Life in Himself. And He has given him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
Who spoke these words? ~ I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me ~
Only One is “qualified” to judge anyone. The Sent One. The Sinless One. The Sovereign One. Our Master, our LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ.
Meanwhile, (back at the ranch) what are we to do? “allow the wheat and tares to grow together” ~ Let both grow together until the harvest ~
Let both grow together until the harvest.
~ For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body ~
~ You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat ~ (Romans 14:10)
~He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify that He is the One whom God appointed as Judge of the living and the dead ~
~and we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world ~
Hmm..
Savior? Sovereign? Shepherd? Judge? Prophet? Priest? King? Near-Kinsman Redeemer? (is there more?) Yes. Much (much) more..
~Who is this King of glory? ~