Today’s Tozer Devotional takes on the “judge not, lest ye be judged” method of shutting down criticism of other Christians’ spiritual state or beliefs.
It is more than probable that in the whole history of the United States there was never at any one time so much religious activity as there is today. And it is also very likely that there was never less true spirituality. . . .
Now, experience has prepared us for the rebuttal we will surely hear from tender-minded friends: “Who are we to judge? We must leave these professed Christians with the Lord and look to our own doorstep. And furthermore, we should be glad for any little bit of good that is being done and not spoil it by faultfinding.”
All that sounds good, but it is an expression of a religious laissez faire which would stand carelessly by and permit the whole church of Christ to degenerate morally and spiritually without daring to raise a hand to help or a voice to warn. So did not the prophets. So did not Christ, or His apostles, or the Reformers; and so will not any man do who has seen heaven opened and beheld visions of God.
There’s a right way and a wrong way to do things, as the devotional points out, specifically noting that Galatians 6:1 calls for gentle restoration. Name calling, harsh accusations, and personal attacks are out of bounds. The knowledge that we also are sinners needs to be present at all times. But silence is never the right way, for the sake of the person who is off track, and for the sake of the church.
Will we allow false beliefs that creep in to redefine us? We can – and must – judge those who profess Christianity. Definitions matter, and we cannot permit the likes of Oprah, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Ann Holmes Redding (the “Muslim-Episcopalian” priest) and the Phelps to redefine Christianity. And of that list, the Phelps are the least harmful because they have the least impact.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:3-4For it is no business of mine to be judging those who are outside; but it is yours to be judging those who are among you; As for those who are outside, God is their judge. So put away the evil man from among you.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13
There are certain dealbreakers in Christianity – for example if you don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God, you simply aren’t a Christian, no matter what you call yourself. If you don’t believe that we are inherently evil, and that it is only faith in the saving grace of Jesus’ sacrifice that allows us to go to heaven, you’re not a Christian. Christianity is an exclusive, narrow set of beliefs, and it’s part of the job of Christians to keep it so.
Does this have anything to do with politics? No. I agree with John Piper on the prophetic perspective and the sovereignty of God in this election:
When someone sins against you, you feel justifiably angry. The Bible states that if your brother sins against you and you fail to reprimand him, you “share in his sin” (Leviticus 19:17, Luke 17:3). Rebuking the sinner is the proper outlet for justifiable anger.
If ignoring your our own selfish impulses is sinful, how much more sinful it is to ignore sins and heresies against the entire church! Churches used to excommunicate members for serious sins (based on 1 Corinthians 5). Now we call such practices “too judgmental.”
In reality, allowing a whole church to fill up with heretics and perverts will dilute the church’s identity. It would be like having a whole Republican Party full of Lindsay Grahams and Arlen Specters. Pretty soon, the group identity will have no meaning anymore.