To judge or not to judge...

The most misquoted bible verse in America is Matthew 7:1-2 where Jesus says

"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

--How many times have you heard someone say "JUDGE NOT LEST YOU BE JUDGED"? Next time..tell them to keep reading!

When Jesus condemned judging He wasn't at all saying that we should not make judgements about anyone or anything... in fact just a few verses later he calls people pigs, dogs, and wolves in sheep's clothing.

As Christians we in fact should judge whether something is right or wrong...whether something is moral or immoral, legal or illegal. However whats important is that we don't condemn others for the very things we do. <----- thats called being a hypocrite. Its ok to judge if we live by the standards in which we judge others.

If Christians don't start to judge evil, instead of accepting all ideas and beliefs, we will become a Church that welcomes...well just about anything. In fact this has already begun...

Christians had better start getting comfortable with politically INCORRECT but loving judgements based on absolute moral truth no matter how offensive it may be to the liberal elite....

So the next time you hear someone misquoting God by telling you not to judge. Remind them that God is very willing to judge our nation on what we don't judge as wrong, and He doesnt repsond well to flawed logic or being misquoted.

Bible Highliter Photo Blog Series 3

I once did a series on popular and unpopular promises. Below is an unpopular promise that may make some reach for the "Bible Highliter".

Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. (Joh_8:24)

Generally speaking, God's promises are "popular" with many people. When most of the Lord's promises are read or taught, people are delighted.

Promises like these are so often received with favor, because they are so encouraging. They are embraced with approval, because they are so comforting. On the other hand, some of God's promises are definitely "unpopular" with certain segments of humanity. This type of promise is scorned or rejected, because of its convicting or sobering character. Nevertheless, these promises that are not always well-received have great importance in God's plan.

One such promise is given two-fold in our present verse. "You will die in your sins... you will die in your sins." In a tolerant world that wants to deny the reality of sin and its consequences, this is an unpopular promise. Yet, the promise is true nonetheless. Sin brings spiritual death. From the beginning, this has been the case. "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die' " (Gen_2:16-17)

It was also repeated by the apostles in the early church. "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom_6:23). Since everyone has sinned, this warning by promise that Jesus gave applies to us all. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom_3:23).

To escape the inevitable consequences of sin, one must trust in Jesus as the promised, divine Savior. "If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." This statement ("I am He") hints of Jesus' deity. Shortly thereafter, He openly declares that he is God, the Son. "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (Joh_8:58). Here, Jesus applies to Himself the same name that God revealed to Moses.

Thus, this important promise by Jesus warns that only faith in Him as the divine Savior will deliver a person from the certain consequences of sin.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for this important warning given by promise. I am delighted to have yielded to its truth and certainty. I rejoice that my sins are forgiven. Use me to pass on this promise to others who need to respond to it, in Jesus name, Amen.