Judging, Discerning & Morality

[naomi]

Hey guys. I am back after a very very long time. This place has changed a lot and it looks great! I guess, Chad and the mods must have worked really hard.

Anyway, I am posting something that I wrote the other day. So, here it goes -

''Most of us agree that it's not for us to judge someone. I believe the same. Judging someone means to punish or reward them. Who are we to judge how much a person deserves? Let God mete out punishments and rewards! If someone wronged me, I would only want to forgive. It's a 'dangerous' prayer but God's love is able to see us through it.

Now, I am not writing this post to add to all the noise about not judging people. I am writing this because many a times, we discern something as good or bad in our hearts but refuse to call it good or bad because we are afraid to 'judge' people. Saying that something done by a person is bad or good is not actually judging them. In fact, I think it's a good thing to have a firm opinion. If XYZ committed adultery, it is bad regardless of whether their spouse cheated on them first or not. Many a times we see bad (or good) in light of its circumstance and fail to call it by its real name. This clouds us with time and we reach a point where we no longer truly see the difference. We start seeing a bad thing as permissible in certain circumstances and then finally get okay with all of it. When we are not afraid to call the good-good or bad as bad, we reinforce morality in our life. It's a good thing, especially for a forgetful race such as us.

{And about the rewarding part, I want to leave that to God again. If someone does good to me, I will gift them out of gratitude. I would not want to consider it as a repayment, instead I will pray that God rewards them. I sort of think this is smart considering that God is gonna reward me too. :wink: I love His standards. }

Nao

 

[Brighthouse]

First welcome back Naomi!! Discernment To be able to see clearly. If we allow our emotions or feeling to lead in this,we find our discernment foggy at best. For how can one see clearly when we have walls set up against another? Some perceive things because they use there feeling or emotions about what another is either saying or doing. Again this affect discernment! Discernment is never judgement of another! Example- A brother or sister is complaining about another because, they believe this person is talking bad about another,and not showing love!

Discernment would see something beyond the complaint. As this person is complaining to you about someone else,they are also telling you something without telling you. They themselves need love as well! They may feel misunderstood by many as well in there own life! So how we answer them as to another,can also affect them! Perhaps even telling you about another, they feel bad and will not say it is them doing it! Now do we listen to Holy Spirit in us? Or do we judge this with our minds? If we listen to our mind,many different thoughts may come at the time,depending on how our own day has been.

If we are tired or something we may just pass it off,or just tell them do not worry about it! He or she always has had this problem.That is not discernment!! That is judgement. Discernment would be something like this perhaps. How do you brother or sister think we can handle this in love to that person?How can we encourage this person to listen more to the words they speak to another? How can we cause them to pause,and consider more before speaking? Now the person who has brought this complaint to you,is involved! Telling them, that they mean something to you!

Showing them love and compassion! And to pass this on to another! Discernment is this to me brothers and sisters,knowledge received from God's Word,then wisdom from God in that knowledge to another,always in love,and always having compassion! Judgement is final,there is no room in judgement, once judgment is handed down, there is no rope extended! That rope should always be upon us! That rope is the cross we bear always in love one to another. Many may have a different view,that is fine!!I understand that! But the view I present to you,does not come from me,but rather HE who taught in me!! Please do consider this as well! ( 1 Samuel 16:7) God looks at the heart of man. As his children,so should we! Praise the Lord!!

 

[Dovegiven]

''Most of us agree that it's not for us to judge someone. I believe the same. Judging someone means to punish or reward them. Who are we to judge how much a person deserves? Let God mete out punishments and rewards! If someone wronged me, I would only want to forgive. It's a 'dangerous' prayer but God's love is able to see us through it.

1 John 5:14-17 (KJV)
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

That is proper judging, allowed between Christian brethren. You see a brother in the Lord commit a sin. The word says to pray for him. If you pray, you are discerning the spiritual situation of another person, based on what you know is wrong behavior, so are you wrongly judging someone over their sin? No.

If a brother sins against you, can you rightly take him to the civil court? No. We are supposed to go to that person, try to deal with the offense in love. Approaching the violator could be taken as judging them. Yet, Jesus laid out the proper manner of correcting a sinning brother. We don't just leave it all up to God to sort out. My reference for that is from Jesus in
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We are living in a time when too many people pay more heed to PC (political correctness) in which more and more people fear opposing anyone for any reason, told not to judge.
I believe that's a very dangerous path to take. The Church must do all possible to retain spotlessness. It's what the Lord will be looking for when he returns. Who else in the world
could keep the Church on track but the members of the body of Christ? My feet walk where my eyes see to go. If I lose my eyesight a while, then won't someone help me get
where I need to go?

I'll add this to chew on. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (KJV)
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Those are a small few of examples in scriptures of righteous judging of some people. There's the other extreme end of judging, wicked judgment, such as excluding someone on the basis of appearance, wealth/poverty, race, etc.
I'm addressing righteous judgment allowed by God, even commanded by him to be done in love and respect with the aim of restoration. Who among us would choose to see a brother or sister backslide without a comment of warning their sin is known.

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

1 John 5:14-17 (KJV)
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

That is proper judging, allowed between Christian brethren. You see a brother in the Lord commit a sin. The word says to pray for him. If you pray, you are discerning the spiritual situation of another person, based on what you know is wrong behavior, so are you wrongly judging someone over their sin? No.

If a brother sins against you, can you rightly take him to the civil court? No. We are supposed to go to that person, try to deal with the offense in love. Approaching the violator could be taken as judging them. Yet, Jesus laid out the proper manner of correcting a sinning brother. We don't just leave it all up to God to sort out. My reference for that is from Jesus in
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We are living in a time when too many people pay more heed to PC (political correctness) in which more and more people fear opposing anyone for any reason, told not to judge.
I believe that's a very dangerous path to take. The Church must do all possible to retain spotlessness. It's what the Lord will be looking for when he returns. Who else in the world
could keep the Church on track but the members of the body of Christ? My feet walk where my eyes see to go. If I lose my eyesight a while, then won't someone help me get
where I need to go?

I'll add this to chew on. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (KJV)
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Those are a small few of examples in scriptures of righteous judging of some people. There's the other extreme end of judging, wicked judgment, such as excluding someone on the basis of appearance, wealth/poverty, race, etc.
I'm addressing righteous judgment allowed by God, even commanded by him to be done in love and respect with the aim of restoration. Who among us would choose to see a brother or sister backslide without a comment of warning their sin is known.

Who among us would choose to see a brother or sister backslide without a comment of warning their sin is known

Love - Forgivness - Prayer what about these things ? We dont need to go around pointing out others sins or shortcomings Lest you enjoy having your own level of Judgment raised higher for your self.....

 

[B-A-C]

Who among us would choose to see a brother or sister backslide without a comment of warning their sin is known

In my own personal experience... I would say the majority would not say anything.

 

[Dovegiven]

Who among us would choose to see a brother or sister backslide without a comment of warning their sin is known

Love - Forgivness - Prayer what about these things ? We dont need to go around pointing out others sins or shortcomings Lest you enjoy having your own level of Judgment raised higher for your self.....

I fully understand that. Prayer was definitely involved in my reference in my post. Love in absence would definitely obstruct a willingness to pray for someone needing prayer. A valuable thing to hold to is not fearing being judged rightly or not, if knowing we have been forgiven by God, and have repented. It's a hard thing to get that word out to everyone who knew
you who might continue a judgment against you.

My point is this commandment to the Church by the apostle John. 1 Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death

Ask? Well, the subject in that passage is asking God through prayer.

I hope you don't miss the other principle laid out by Jesus in Mt. 18. Judgment is commanded, but done according to the will of God, by his scriptures. Never in scriptures has grace, in a misplaced definition of total forgiveness from God, replaced going to the brother to work out an offense. That accused brother might resent being judged as having sinned, but we have the protocol. The offended Christian could be wrong, not going by facts, which will be detected upon following the steps the Lord laid out in Mt 18.

The world says "forgive" no matter what, never opposing any lifestyle or anyone's choices. Then there's the kingdom of God and those standards. Choose which to live by. That's part of the gospel of Christ we should be presenting.

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

I fully understand that. Prayer was definitely involved in my reference in my post. Love in absence would definitely obstruct a willingness to pray for someone needing prayer. A valuable thing to hold to is not fearing being judged rightly or not, if knowing we have been forgiven by God, and have repented. It's a hard thing to get that word out to everyone who knew
you who might continue a judgment against you.

My point is this commandment to the Church by the apostle John. 1 Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death

Ask? Well, the subject in that passage is asking God through prayer.

I hope you don't miss the other principle laid out by Jesus in Mt. 18. Judgment is commanded, but done according to the will of God, by his scriptures. Never in scriptures has grace, in a misplaced definition of total forgiveness from God, replaced going to the brother to work out an offense. That accused brother might resent being judged as having sinned, but we have the protocol. The offended Christian could be wrong, not going by facts, which will be detected upon following the steps the Lord laid out in Mt 18.

The world says "forgive" no matter what, never opposing any lifestyle or anyone's choices. Then there's the kingdom of God and those standards. Choose which to live by. That's part of the gospel of Christ we should be presenting.

Pray for the gift of repentance...........
Walking in Love and Forgivness then it is as very slim chance you will be offended.

 

[dh charles]

You know the song by Michael Bublae' (sp) called HOME. Our home is where God wants us to belong. He wants us to be with not only Jesus but the Holy Spirit that keeps you strong. During a divorce I had my so called fun but when ended I was ready too go home..............and this time I was ready to stay home and depend on the Holy Spirit to direct my mind. There are no many imagined temptations out there in the world that seem so delightful while you try to go it alone and hold captive worldly thoughts. Most temptations are imagined pleasure anyway....really they are. The only real pleasure that also last is the pleasure of being with the lord and He always beacons us home once saved from ourselves. We come home after there is no other way to go. We can teach ourselves anything. Rationalize anything, but all knowledge starts with God and when you come to grips with that you see that there is no place to hide what you have done, but God can wipe it away and remember it no more. If God be for us who can compete with Him. During a divorce I was indeed surrounded by a million and still felt alone and wanted to go home. God said come back home .During those 4 years, 60 to 64 I grew in the knowledge of God and am still growing. I am older and wiser now and it is a sobering thing to have growth spurts at 66 but there is no pride in worldly ways.