You know, so often people who call themselves Christian want to live their live they way they want to and not be judged. But what does scripture say about it?
God said that once you have the log out of your own eye (Matthew 7:1-5) you are to rebuke the sinner (privately first, then if they dont repent go to them with one or two people, and then if they still dont repent, tell it to the church, and if they refuse to repent, kick out the unrepentant sinner – Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 5) and to receive the repentant one back with open arms (2 Corinthians 2:5-11).
We DO have the right to do as we please. But, if its not what God wants, then its rebellion against God.
As for judging, Paul and Jesus BOTH said to judge our brother and rebuke them when they sin. The idea that we are not to judge is a mistaken understanding of Matthew 7:1-5. Jesus was not saying to not Judge, but to understand we will be judged by the same standard we use, and we are not to be hypocrites. John 7:24 tell us judge righteous judgement. which is what Paul said in Romans 2.
We have to remember that we are to try to help people to not sin.
James 5:19-20
19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
1 TImothy 5:20
20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning
In fact, we will have to answer to GOD for NOT calling people on their sins.
Ezekiel 33:8
8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.
So yes, if you are a Christian, other Christians are to call you on bad behavior, particularly sin…while this post was kicked off because of a couple of people I know, its not aimed at them. Its aimed at all of us – we all want to do our thing and not be called on it (me included, its embarrassing and humbling to have the fact that I am sinning pointed out to me). But we must realize that other Christians are to help us live holy lives.
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Filed under: forgiveness, God, Judge-Judgement, Repentance, Righteousness
Thank you for this excellent, educational discussion. I really liked it. A few more verses adding more support to what you said include Jude 22,23, 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 4:2, and Daniel 12:3.
I would like to know how you understand the Bible’s “second resurrection.” The following website http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-teachings/prophecy-second-resurrection-humanity-opportunity-salvation.htm presents a logical, believable explanation for certain verses in Revelation. What is your reaction to that website?
Also, how do you explain Galatians 5:18 which says: “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” If you interpret this verse as further proof that many Old Testament or Mosaic laws no longer need to be obeyed, doesn’t that idea conflict strongly with 2 other verses: Acts 2:38: “Repent, and ….. be baptized ….. for the remission of sins; and you shall receive ….. the Holy Spirit” and 1 John 3:4: “…… sin is the violation of the law.” To get the vital Holy Spirit in the first place you need to repent of sinning, which 1 John 3:4 clearly defines as breaking the law or torah. The only way you can stop breaking the law is to obey the law. It seems that the only interpretation possible of Galatians 5:18 is that Holy Spirit led Christians are no longer under the penalty (automatic death penalty for many sins) part of the law, but still are under the obedience part of the law, excluding primarily circumcision and the various sacrifices the apostles “went out of their way” to explain as abolished. What are your thoughts on this?
I forgot to mention that Galatians 5:18 when turned around seems to say that people Not led by the Holy Spirit (or those who do not even have the Holy Spirit) ARE under the law. Doesn’t that show that the law still exists and is still in force, never abrogated by the sacrificial death of Jesus?
Hi. I’m so behind on my blog. Forgive me for not responding sooner.
I read that page on the second resurrection. Yes, there ARE two resurrections. But I think the author is pulling scripture out of context to make his point that everyone who doesn’t believe will have a second chance to believe. He ignores the fact that men will die once and then be judged (Hebrews 9:26-28), as well as the fact that ‘will of God’ is understood as two different things (depending on context): a desire and a plan (http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/the-will-of-god/).
Hebrews 9:26-28
There are some people who are destined for destruction: http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/are-some-destined-to-destruction/
In fact, the two resurrections are one of life and one of judgement (John 5:29):
http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/does-everyone-get-resurrected/
http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/salvation-eternal-life-eternal-punishment/
John 5:24-29
Galatians was written to both Gentile and Jewish believers. The Law was intended to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:23-25). The Christian is to have died to the law; in fact, Peter was living like a Gentile when Paul confronted him for suddenly acting like a Jew when the men from the circumcision group came.
Galatians 2:14-21
The Law has been fulfilled, so believers are no longer to be led by the Law. http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/has-the-mosaic-law-been-abolished/
http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/what-do-abolish-and-fulfill-mean-in-matthew-5-13-20/
http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/christians-and-the-law/
As for Acts 2:38, Gentiles were not under the Law, yet all have sinned and earned death, but God offers life in Christ (Romans 3:23; 6:23).
As for 1 John 3:4, People sin apart from the Law, and under the Law.
Romans 2:12
In fact, you are not under Law but under grace:
Romans 6:14
There is a difference between the law of the spirit of God and the law of sin and death. We are freed from the latter, and live in the former.
Romans 8:2
The term translated as lawlessness is anomia, which is translated is a condition of being without law – that is to say that it is the condition of making your own rules, of not being under God’s authority, of being rebellious. But this does not mean one who does not follow the Law. Being lawless is not merely the condition of of being without law, but it is the condition of being in rebellion to God, to not trusting and obeying God.
http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/another-look-at-the-will-of-god-rebellion-lawlessness-and-faith/
If the Mosaic law to rest on the Saturday Sabbath really is annulled, don’t the following verses confirm that at least the old Saturday Sabbath will be in force in the distant future and therefore is logically still in force now, in this present age? Sabbath in the Bible always refers to Saturdays.
The following is a quote from another site:
ISAIAH 66:22,23: “I will make new heavens and the new earth which will last forever ……. 23 ALL PEOPLE will come to worship Me every SABBATH …….,’ says the Lord.” — New Century Version
VERSE 23 MEANS THAT IN THE DISTANT FUTURE ALL PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE WILL BE FORCED TO ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES ON SATURDAYS, NOT SUNDAYS.
ISAIAH 56:6,7: “……. Everyone who keeps from defiling the SABBATH ……. 7 ……. I will ……. make them joyful in MY HOUSE of prayer …….. For MY HOUSE shall be called a house of prayer for ALL NATIONS.” — New King James Version
The words “my house” above refer to Christianity. THIS IS ANOTHER PROPHECY THAT SATURDAY REST AND WORSHIP WILL BE WORLDWIDE IN EVERY NATION IN THE DISTANT FUTURE.
End of quotation.
So how can you say that the Sabbath is abolished? Are not those verses about as plain and straight forward as you can get?
The Sabbath as a day of rest is a shadow of what is to come.
Colossians 2:16-17
But even so, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God – we will rest from our works when we are with God, just as God has entered His sabbath rest. This is an eternal rest with God.
Hebrews 4:9-10
We will worship God on a daily basis, not merely on a certain day, but everyday.
But as we see in Isaiah 65 and 66, that either this is speaking of coming back from captivity or this is symbolism. If it were speaking of the end times and this were literal, then we would have the levite priesthood restablished – but that would contradict scripture elsewhere. We know from Hebrews 6-7 that Christ is our high priest and the law was changed and the old covenant was done away with. Christ is a better high priest than any levite could ever be. So the Levite priesthood will not be reestablished.
So no. The sabbath mentioned in Isaiah is not a literal sabbath in the end times.
This page has a lot of stuff dealing with the sabbath: http://www.bible.ca/sabbath.htm
I pray I have dealt with your objections to accepting that God has fulfilled the Law and prophets. The Law has been fulfilled, so believers are no longer to be led by the Law. (see http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/has-the-mosaic-law-been-abolished/ http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/what-do-abolish-and-fulfill-mean-in-matthew-5-13-20/ and http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/christians-and-the-law/ ). I pray you will be able to accept what God said through Paul; that the law has been cancelled (Colossians 2:13-14; Ephesians 2:14-15. http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/has-the-mosaic-law-been-abolished/ ).
I have written a great deal on the Law here: http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/grace-law-and-the-christian/