Day 13

12What 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."-1 Corinthians 5:12-13

My generation likes to declare "Don't judge me" self-righteously and quote "Judge not, that you be not judged." This has a lot to do with buying into the "we all make choices" mentality that labels everything as neither right nor wrong, just "different."

The problem is that it has crept into the church with major denominations being torn apart because some can't label anything "WRONG" anymore but simply a "choice." And even for those struggling against this anything goes mentality, there are consequences.

Recently I have started to see how easily I get the idea that I can "Be good." I start to compare myself to others around me and think I'm doing pretty well, I'm a "good person" to use the lie of this age.

One of the reasons we need the church is because we need to be surrounded by those with the tools and authority to judge us. When this happens in the right spirit, we are reminded that we need Jesus, we need forgiveness, we are not "good" and our salvation is in Christ alone. Sadly, that kind of atmosphere is lost from our churches.

Once I was confronted by someone I was in fellowship with about something I had said to someone else. I had spoken a little bit of truth and a lot of opinion but spoken it to a person who lacked all discretion and had in turn taken it and twisted it and used it in a damaging fashion. And I knew better. I shouldn't have said it and certainly not to the person to whom I did. I was confronted with my gossip problem. I remember wanting to twist and writhe away from the truth: I was a real schmuck and I couldn't excuse it, take it back, or make it right. And then the person offered me forgiveness. Behind it I could hear the words of Jesus: "Now, go and sin no more." I wish I could say I've never done anything like that since. I have slipped up time and again. But I did learn that day. And I was confronted with the fact that I'm a sinner.

I recently told my husband this story because the person who confronted me remains upmost in my mind of how the church is to judge. Too often I haven't the guts to confront people. I aspire to be able to give and receive judgement and forgiveness in a way that reminds people of the hope that is us. If we did it this way, we would be reminded of why we are Christians: The grace and mercy of a wonderful God who sent His Son to save us from our sinfulness. And maybe then we would start to be known for our love.