Goodboy
Just waiting for the Rapture at this point!
Are You Judging, Accusing or Just Stating Facts?
To Judge: Merriam-Webster Dictionary
To form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence.
To Accuse: Merriam-Webster Dictionary
To charge with a fault or offense : BLAME
To bring an accusation
Stating Facts:
An actual occurrence that you heard or saw yourself. Also, anything in the Bible.
The Bible says we should not judge. The main reason is because we never have all the facts. Also, because that is not our place, but God’s.
Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
The Bible says we should not accuse as that is what Satan does. Also to accuse you must first judge someone.
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
So what about a fact, meaning something you actually heard or saw for yourself? I believe there is no problem stating a fact. Not saying that we should not be careful as to when, to whom or where we should share the fact. Just that we are not sinning when we share an actually fact.
The safest facts that we can share are in the Bible. Any other facts as I said before we need to hear or see for ourselves.
Now that I have said all that if it makes any sense, I will get to my main point. Here is a Bible verse that many Christians often like to quote. What is the point of this verse?
“Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”
To understand the verse I need to add the verse before it that tells us who “them” is.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Ok so false prophets is who this verse is referring to. It is not speaking of judging Christians as to whether they are saved or not. Now that I have made that point let’s examine one of the words used. Matthew 7:15 says beware meaning be careful. Be careful of what? Following after or believing what false prophets have to say. How do we know who is a false prophet by their fruit, meaning if what they predict does not come to pass. So that is pretty clear.
Now I will get into what I believe can be understood by this example of how we should proceed based on Matthew 7:15 and Matthew 7:16 as I believe this is also a pattern we can use with more than just false prophets.
As I stated before we should not judge or accuse anyone, but I believe we are free to express the facts that we are aware of. Well let’s say you know as a fact that a Pastor teaches you can lose your salvation. There is nothing wrong with expressing that fact to others. Why? So that they can beware of that Pastor the same as you are. You are not judging or accusing that pastor, just stating facts.
Now if you were to state this same Pastor is not saved or is a horrible Pastor that would be judging as you don’t know his heart or maybe that is the only incorrect thing he teaches.
Now if you were to state that the Pastor teaches you can lose your salvation because someone told you that, then that would just be an accusation on your part.
So the main point I am trying to make is, yes we should be very, very careful criticizing Pastors. However stating actual facts about Pastors or someone you know is not judging, accusing or being critical. You are just stating facts you know to be true and the one hearing or reading it can decide for themselves what to do with that information.
If you knew FOR A FACT that someone was thief or a pedophile, don’t you think it would be wise to tell your friends?
Goodboy!
To Judge: Merriam-Webster Dictionary
To form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence.
To Accuse: Merriam-Webster Dictionary
To charge with a fault or offense : BLAME
To bring an accusation
Stating Facts:
An actual occurrence that you heard or saw yourself. Also, anything in the Bible.
The Bible says we should not judge. The main reason is because we never have all the facts. Also, because that is not our place, but God’s.
Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
The Bible says we should not accuse as that is what Satan does. Also to accuse you must first judge someone.
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
So what about a fact, meaning something you actually heard or saw for yourself? I believe there is no problem stating a fact. Not saying that we should not be careful as to when, to whom or where we should share the fact. Just that we are not sinning when we share an actually fact.
The safest facts that we can share are in the Bible. Any other facts as I said before we need to hear or see for ourselves.
Now that I have said all that if it makes any sense, I will get to my main point. Here is a Bible verse that many Christians often like to quote. What is the point of this verse?
“Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”
To understand the verse I need to add the verse before it that tells us who “them” is.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Ok so false prophets is who this verse is referring to. It is not speaking of judging Christians as to whether they are saved or not. Now that I have made that point let’s examine one of the words used. Matthew 7:15 says beware meaning be careful. Be careful of what? Following after or believing what false prophets have to say. How do we know who is a false prophet by their fruit, meaning if what they predict does not come to pass. So that is pretty clear.
Now I will get into what I believe can be understood by this example of how we should proceed based on Matthew 7:15 and Matthew 7:16 as I believe this is also a pattern we can use with more than just false prophets.
As I stated before we should not judge or accuse anyone, but I believe we are free to express the facts that we are aware of. Well let’s say you know as a fact that a Pastor teaches you can lose your salvation. There is nothing wrong with expressing that fact to others. Why? So that they can beware of that Pastor the same as you are. You are not judging or accusing that pastor, just stating facts.
Now if you were to state this same Pastor is not saved or is a horrible Pastor that would be judging as you don’t know his heart or maybe that is the only incorrect thing he teaches.
Now if you were to state that the Pastor teaches you can lose your salvation because someone told you that, then that would just be an accusation on your part.
So the main point I am trying to make is, yes we should be very, very careful criticizing Pastors. However stating actual facts about Pastors or someone you know is not judging, accusing or being critical. You are just stating facts you know to be true and the one hearing or reading it can decide for themselves what to do with that information.
If you knew FOR A FACT that someone was thief or a pedophile, don’t you think it would be wise to tell your friends?
Goodboy!
