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NASB | 1 Corinthians 5:12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 5:12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders (non-believers)? Do you not judge those who are within the church [to protect the church as the situation requires]? |
Bible Question: I'm not sure if I understand this verse. "Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye not be judged". Is it okay to judge others as long as you don't judge their salvation, but only their characther? |
Bible Answer: You've received many good responses but I'd like to throw mine in for your consideration. First of all, I would refer you to James. James 2:14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? James 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. James 2:18 But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? James 2:22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; James 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. So we see that we as christians having true faith in our Lord, we will be producing works to show that faith. Christ made this plain in his discussion about our being part of His vineyard. In order for us to maintain that connection to our Lord, we must produce fruit of our faith and not be cut off. So when we see our fellow christians having difficulty in this area, we should love them enough to talk to them and strive to assist them in being fruitful. If a person refuses in this effort to be fruitful, we shouldn't judge Him as we can't see into his mind or his conscience and know his actual motivation unless he tells us. But we can at least see his fruit or the lack thereof and assist him with love and concern for his soul. In the final analysis, we humans must be very careful in judging the producitivity or fruitfulness of fellow christians as shown in Jesus parable of those men with 5, 2 and 1 talent(s). Instead Jesus encourages us to allow the wheat and tares grow together and He will determine the genuine christian from the imitators. See Matt 13. Hope this helps and blessings to you. |