Why do we judge one another? Why do we spend so much time worrying about what other people think and do?
As I have worked my way through Romans I have been struck by how Romans 1:16 has set the tone for the rest of the book. “I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God to salvation for all who believe.”
When we deal with other Christians, we are dealing with others who have taken hold of this powerful Gospel of Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary’s cross. That same dynamic power that is at work in us is at work in them, too! Just as for us, their righteousness comes by faith from first to last as they receive the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
If salvation is about what Jesus does (and not what we do) who are we to look at a fellow Christian and judge them?
Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying here! I never said we shouldn’t confront our fellow Christians with their sin. Paul himself continually corrects our behavior and exhorts us to live holy lives which reflect our faith and the righteousness we’ve received in Jesus. The writer of Hebrews urges us to “spur” or “goad” one another on toward good works. I am not advocating mindless tolerance of every sort of sinful behavior. I am saying that as we deal with people we deal with them from the foundation that God’s powerful Gospel is what saves and changes us. People don’t always need to be beaten with a stick for every little thing. Indeed, the verbal floggings with the Law showing us how often we fall short of God’s glory do not change our hearts, and therefore do not change our behaviors in the long term. It is the Gospel that is powerful to give us salvation – “by grace you have been saved.”
“We will all stand before the judgment seat of God,” says Paul. How will we stand? How can we face that judgment? Only in the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus!
If our hope is in God’s mercy and grace, so is theirs. If God’s grace is sufficient for us, it is sufficient for them. “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother (or sister).”
Heaping guilt on someone will not help them get to heaven. Nor will offending them with our freedom. Nor will looking down our noses at all their faults and misunderstandings.
We extend mercy and forgiveness to others because we have received mercy and forgiveness from God. We love one another because God first loved us. It is okay to challenge people and encourage them in love and in the freedom of the Gospel. However, we should pray for the wisdom to recognize the difference between encouraging someone in love for their benefit, and our own need to be right.
The righteous live by faith – and while we will strive to do good, we’ll let God be the judge and trust that whatever we do in faith will be pleasing in His sight.
Heavenly Father, thank you for a new day to experience the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection in my life and in the lives of others. I have not always been patient with other people as they seek to live in faith, help me to take hold of this mystery: that the righteous shall live by faith alone. Fix that thought in my heart and mind so that I will not judge, but I will share the incredible power of your salvation; in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
As I have worked my way through Romans I have been struck by how Romans 1:16 has set the tone for the rest of the book. “I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God to salvation for all who believe.”
When we deal with other Christians, we are dealing with others who have taken hold of this powerful Gospel of Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary’s cross. That same dynamic power that is at work in us is at work in them, too! Just as for us, their righteousness comes by faith from first to last as they receive the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
If salvation is about what Jesus does (and not what we do) who are we to look at a fellow Christian and judge them?
Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying here! I never said we shouldn’t confront our fellow Christians with their sin. Paul himself continually corrects our behavior and exhorts us to live holy lives which reflect our faith and the righteousness we’ve received in Jesus. The writer of Hebrews urges us to “spur” or “goad” one another on toward good works. I am not advocating mindless tolerance of every sort of sinful behavior. I am saying that as we deal with people we deal with them from the foundation that God’s powerful Gospel is what saves and changes us. People don’t always need to be beaten with a stick for every little thing. Indeed, the verbal floggings with the Law showing us how often we fall short of God’s glory do not change our hearts, and therefore do not change our behaviors in the long term. It is the Gospel that is powerful to give us salvation – “by grace you have been saved.”
“We will all stand before the judgment seat of God,” says Paul. How will we stand? How can we face that judgment? Only in the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus!
If our hope is in God’s mercy and grace, so is theirs. If God’s grace is sufficient for us, it is sufficient for them. “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother (or sister).”
Heaping guilt on someone will not help them get to heaven. Nor will offending them with our freedom. Nor will looking down our noses at all their faults and misunderstandings.
We extend mercy and forgiveness to others because we have received mercy and forgiveness from God. We love one another because God first loved us. It is okay to challenge people and encourage them in love and in the freedom of the Gospel. However, we should pray for the wisdom to recognize the difference between encouraging someone in love for their benefit, and our own need to be right.
The righteous live by faith – and while we will strive to do good, we’ll let God be the judge and trust that whatever we do in faith will be pleasing in His sight.
Heavenly Father, thank you for a new day to experience the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection in my life and in the lives of others. I have not always been patient with other people as they seek to live in faith, help me to take hold of this mystery: that the righteous shall live by faith alone. Fix that thought in my heart and mind so that I will not judge, but I will share the incredible power of your salvation; in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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