I went through a season during a time of spiritual growth where I was concerned with the lame condition of "the church." Looking back I can say I was preoccupied with negative views of the church at large, and I am truly glad to say it was relatively brief. The truth is, I was the lame one and because of the log in my own eye I was keenly aware of imagined weakness and failure in others. Whilst Christians are not perfect, Jesus is perfectly capable to maintain the health and growth of His Body. He doesn't have the body dysmorphia humans are prone to. No matter how much we slim down we can see ourselves in a negative light. Because of God's grace and righteousness the Body of Christ is clean and sanctified.
Even as I have experienced the pitfall of being judgmental of others, I have experienced the smug self-righteousness of a Pharisee. This is a common condition when spiritual knowledge is combined with a measure of pride. From this lofty vantage point it is easy to preach against the evils of the world, mock people for their folly, and even shake our heads sympathetically at errors made by people and nations in the Bible. This is a great waste of biblical truth, to apply it to condemn others without carefully judging ourselves by the same standard. You are part of the church, believer, and the only one you will answer for before God is yourself.
The truth of scripture has been provided for our learning so we might have hope. It is not to be applied theoretically to others, but to your own heart and life by the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not blast the Roman government in the synagogues, but spoke against the self-righteous Jewish religious leaders. Jesus did not speak to His disciples to mock those enslaved to lusts and sins among the Gentiles, but He warned of a betrayer among His chosen disciples. He corrected and instructed His followers. Jesus did not pronounce woe on the idolatrous priests or temple prostitutes, but He spoke many woes on religious hypocrites among His people.
Here is a point I find interesting: a vast majority of the prophets sent by God were sent to God's people who were in sin. He did not send prophets to the Philistines or the Amalekites. The prophets came to God's people to warn them of coming judgment for their sin, to urge them to repent. Did the people listen? No! God's prophets were mocked, beaten, even killed for their trouble. But God did send reluctant Jonah to the Gentile Ninevites. Guess what? They repented in dust and ashes! Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of Israel and they largely rejected Him. Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 11:21-22, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you." We don't find Old Testament prophets being sent to Tyre and Sidon, but they would have repented had Jesus done His mighty works there. If we in the church apply the exhortation, rebuke, and instruction of God's Word to those in the world without applying it personally, we miss everything. God wants to speak to His people: are you one who hears and obeys?
I am humbled by the fact for many years I scorned the "sinning" world with biblical passages God intended I be confronted with myself. How angry I was over the evils of the world, yet I was comfortable in sin as a believer! Brothers and sisters, this ought not to be! Won't God judge hypocrites? We ought to be moved with compassion as Jesus was for the lost people in the world and apply the severest threatenings of scriptures to ourselves. We hold the truth of God in our hands, affirm it to be so, and yet do not care to practice it! Judgment begins at the house of God and all will ultimately be judged by God. Those who have been given the sober duty of teaching God's Word must be careful not use your platform to condemn "the church" or the world in pride without repentance for our own sin. We aren't to be smug and clubby as if the judgment of Christ does not apply to us. God knows His people even as a shepherd knows the sheep from the goats.
If you are a sheep of God's pasture, than before God live in a way worthy of such a calling. If we would be as vigilant to walk uprightly before God as we try to look good before men it would be a good start. However, even this motive is of the flesh and sinful. When we are indignant over the sins of others we do well to examine our own hearts empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is written in Romans 2:1, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things." God is the Judge, and those who judge themselves will not be judged (Matt. 7:1-5). God has given me the scriptures for me to apply personally to my life, not theoretically to others. Once I am walking uprightly with a heart purified from pride, then I will be able to help others be restored to a good standing before God (Gal. 6:1). Reversing the order is like trying to reap before planting, a fruitless prospect indeed.
Even as I have experienced the pitfall of being judgmental of others, I have experienced the smug self-righteousness of a Pharisee. This is a common condition when spiritual knowledge is combined with a measure of pride. From this lofty vantage point it is easy to preach against the evils of the world, mock people for their folly, and even shake our heads sympathetically at errors made by people and nations in the Bible. This is a great waste of biblical truth, to apply it to condemn others without carefully judging ourselves by the same standard. You are part of the church, believer, and the only one you will answer for before God is yourself.
The truth of scripture has been provided for our learning so we might have hope. It is not to be applied theoretically to others, but to your own heart and life by the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not blast the Roman government in the synagogues, but spoke against the self-righteous Jewish religious leaders. Jesus did not speak to His disciples to mock those enslaved to lusts and sins among the Gentiles, but He warned of a betrayer among His chosen disciples. He corrected and instructed His followers. Jesus did not pronounce woe on the idolatrous priests or temple prostitutes, but He spoke many woes on religious hypocrites among His people.
Here is a point I find interesting: a vast majority of the prophets sent by God were sent to God's people who were in sin. He did not send prophets to the Philistines or the Amalekites. The prophets came to God's people to warn them of coming judgment for their sin, to urge them to repent. Did the people listen? No! God's prophets were mocked, beaten, even killed for their trouble. But God did send reluctant Jonah to the Gentile Ninevites. Guess what? They repented in dust and ashes! Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of Israel and they largely rejected Him. Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 11:21-22, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you." We don't find Old Testament prophets being sent to Tyre and Sidon, but they would have repented had Jesus done His mighty works there. If we in the church apply the exhortation, rebuke, and instruction of God's Word to those in the world without applying it personally, we miss everything. God wants to speak to His people: are you one who hears and obeys?
I am humbled by the fact for many years I scorned the "sinning" world with biblical passages God intended I be confronted with myself. How angry I was over the evils of the world, yet I was comfortable in sin as a believer! Brothers and sisters, this ought not to be! Won't God judge hypocrites? We ought to be moved with compassion as Jesus was for the lost people in the world and apply the severest threatenings of scriptures to ourselves. We hold the truth of God in our hands, affirm it to be so, and yet do not care to practice it! Judgment begins at the house of God and all will ultimately be judged by God. Those who have been given the sober duty of teaching God's Word must be careful not use your platform to condemn "the church" or the world in pride without repentance for our own sin. We aren't to be smug and clubby as if the judgment of Christ does not apply to us. God knows His people even as a shepherd knows the sheep from the goats.
If you are a sheep of God's pasture, than before God live in a way worthy of such a calling. If we would be as vigilant to walk uprightly before God as we try to look good before men it would be a good start. However, even this motive is of the flesh and sinful. When we are indignant over the sins of others we do well to examine our own hearts empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is written in Romans 2:1, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things." God is the Judge, and those who judge themselves will not be judged (Matt. 7:1-5). God has given me the scriptures for me to apply personally to my life, not theoretically to others. Once I am walking uprightly with a heart purified from pride, then I will be able to help others be restored to a good standing before God (Gal. 6:1). Reversing the order is like trying to reap before planting, a fruitless prospect indeed.
