Intolerance: Judging the World

Intro:
This week we have looked at the issue of passing judgments. We've seen that we are to judge ourselves, judge our darkness and even judge the actions of other believers. But what about judging the world? Are we to judge the lost?

When we see that young lady at the store with the cigarettes and tattoos, when we see those kids with the skateboards, when we see those people mowing their lawns on our way to church on Sunday, when we see the behavior of folks at work or listen to the gossips in the neighborhood .. in all these and more, are we ok to judge?

Let's read 1 Cor. 5 one more time this week.

Read:
1 Corinthians 5

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3 Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

6 Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

Think:
Are we to judge those outside the church? Are we to sit in judgment on those that do not know Christ?

NO

I am tempted to just stop here with "No". It is simple and to the point. However few things need to be said about this.

We are not to judge what these people do, we are to love them and realize they are in darkness and that what they do is natural and instinctive. It is we who have the Holy Spirit and the resources of God to obey Him. It is we who have the fellowship of believers to encourage us and help us walk with God.

We are not to judge what these people do ....... but we are to be careful not to be influenced by them. 1 Cor. 15:33 warns us to not be misled because "bad company corrupts good morals". There is to be a balance. We are called to be in the world not of the world (Jesus in John 17). We do not get our moral standards from the world. We are members of God's Kingdom. We are ambassadors representing a home country and a King. We are not to get messed up in civilian affairs. We are to be separate in behavior.

Isn't this freeing? We don't have to be the judge and jury of anybody in the world. We do not have to be the moral police for the culture. We do not have to be the standard bearers for the country. We are free to love these folks.

Including our neighbors that smoke pot or that cannot manage to find decent clothes to wear ... the ones that cause fear because of how they might influence our kids ... the ones we look on with disdain at times ... the ones we hope will move to a different planet (or country or state or even neighborhood, whichever can be arraigned) ... these are not ours to judge. They are ours to pray for.

Let's lighten up a little on those in the world and judge ourselves more harshly. Let's judge our own darkness. Let's allow other believers to look into our marriages, our pet sins, our hypocrisies, our time with God, our finances. Let's grow up!

Are we to judge those outside the church? Are we to sit in judgment on those that do not know Christ?

NO

Do:
Examine yourself. How judgmental are you toward your neighbor? Do you see that you are called to love them? Do you see that you are called to not judge them? It's pretty freeing.

Take time to pray for someone near you by name. Pray for an opportunity to love them and share the gospel with them.

Have you subjected yourself to other believers for their examination of your life? Have you identified a mentor or an accountability partner? If not, why not?

Have a great weekend. Wave to your neighbor mowing his yard as you drive to church on Sunday. Let him know he's ok. You both will be glad you did.

Listen to What This World Needs in the DevoLink Worship Center.

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.