Posted by The Immortal Grimace at dialupd163.farg.uswest.net on March 04, 2001 at 14:33:16:
In Reply to: Answer for #2... posted by RugMuncher on March 04, 2001 at 14:05:19:
: RugMuncher
: .. just not lest ye be judged ..
"I copied this from that Christian review linked on the newsaskew site. I'm all for argueing (sp?), but both sides of the story do need to be presented. For the record, errr... Dogma Kicks Ass!
BEGIN EXCERPT.
"Matt. 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."
This is the verse so many use to try to shame others for discerning poor behavior, ethics, morals, and values. Using ONLY Matt 7:1 is entirely incomplete. This verse is NOT speaking to not judging -- it is speaking to not judging harshly, unfair, or any other cheap and selfish way. Read the REST OF THE STORY ...
Matt 7:2-5 "For in the same way you judge others [there is the authority to judge], you will be judged [if you judge poorly, you will be judged poorly; if you judge well, you will be judged well], and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you [if you use extremes to manipulate the outcome, extremes will be used on you; but if you judge fair, you will be judged fairly]. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye [observe his sins - "minor" in Jesus' example here] and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye [your own sins, even and especially those you will not see, magnified by your selective blindness]? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' [tell him of his "minor" sins] when all the time there is a plank in your own eye [that there are greater or the same sins in your own life which you do nothing about]? You hypocrite [speaking/accusing others of sins thinking you are above sin, even the same sin], first take the plank out of your own eye [sincerely ask the Lord for forgiveness and learn AND live the Truth and Light by His Word], and then you will see clearly [be in a righteous position] to remove the speck from your brother's eye [to judge and to help him out of his bondage to sin]." At Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan, Jesus was talking to the multitudes gathered there after hearing of His message and of His healings to beseech them to not become like the pharisees and hypocrites who think they are above sin.
As a FEW examples of His desire for us to judge:
Job 34:4 Let us discern [judge] for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
Prov. 3:21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;
John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
Jer. 22:3 Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness...
Phil. 1:10 so that you may be able to discern [judge] what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ...
Phil. 1:7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you [judge you]...
Heb. 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern [judge] both good and evil.
Matt 7:1 seems to support the allusion that we are not to judge at all IF we use small-vision tactics by narrow-mindedly selecting only that SMALL piece of the total of what Jesus was saying. Matt 7:1 DOES NOT tell us not to judge at all -- it tells us to not judge with unfairness or superficiality: to not use our own understanding to judge (Prov. 3:5). Look at John 7:24. There, Jesus TELLS you to judge, but to do so righteously. Righteously means to use the Truth of the Word. Judge we must else we could never tell good from bad, proper from improper, righteousness from evil ........
And to continue, Matt 7:6 says. "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces." How are we going to know who are the "dogs" and the "pigs" if we do not judge.
Yes, we as humans do have the right and the authority to judge the behavior of others as long as we do it in accordance with the Word. That God is the only one who can judge is speaking to judging whether someone is or is not saved. Neither you nor I nor anyone else who breathes has the authority to say whether another has or has not been saved. Only God can make that judgment since only He can give Salvation. The Bible provides quite enough knowledge and understanding to make you a righteous judge if you r-e-a-d it and not just look at the words AND use the TOTAL of what He says, not just the pieces that seem to fit an agenda."
END EXCERPT.
Grimace again. Someone also used to preach that you weren't supposed to eat eggs, because he only used part of a scripture saying something to the effect of serpent eggs being unclean. He just left out the serpent part and ... tada! No omelets for you!.