Subject: how can we minister to homosexuals |
Bible Note: Dear Val, If my argument regarding the difference between being judgmental and discerning is not sufficient, here are a few words from some more qualified commentators: "These words of Christ do not contain an absolute prohibition from judging, but are intended to cure a disease, which appears to be natural to us all. We see how all flatter themselves, and every man passes a severe censure on others. This vice is attended by some strange enjoyment: for there is hardly any person who is not tickled with the desire of inquiring into other people’s faults. ... "We now see, that the design of Christ was to guard us against indulging excessive eagerness, or peevishness, or malignity, or even curiosity, in judging our neighbors. He who judges according to the word and law of the Lord, and forms his judgment by the rule of charity, always begins with subjecting himself to examination, and preserves a proper medium and order in his judgments." --John Calvin "To “judge” here does not exactly mean to pronounce condemnatory judgment, nor does it refer to simple judging at all, whether favorable or the reverse. The context makes it clear that the thing here condemned is that disposition to look unfavorably on the character and actions of others, which leads invariably to the pronouncing of rash, unjust, and unlovely judgments upon them." --Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown God is gracious to have given us clear guidelines. We must avoid self righteousness. However, our discernment is necessary in order for us to wisely and Scripturally minister to others. In Him, Doc |