Who Appointed You Judge?
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”
Here in the 21st century, the church has a serious brand perception problem. Brand “church” is very much on the nose around the world. Why is that?
Well, at the top of the list would have to be its hypocrisy.
One of the things you see the church doing rather a lot is pointing a bony, judgemental finger at the rest of the world out there. At the rich, the selfish, the lazy, the sexually immoral. All those … sinners!
Those people out there shouldn’t be doing this and they shouldn’t be doing that.
And yet at the same time you see some church leaders – some, not all – living lavish lifestyles. At the same time, you see systemic cover up of sexual abuse by the clergy – in some places, in some denominations; it’s gone on for decades. Sanctioned by people who were meant to protect, who were meant to be shepherds to God’s flock.
Is the whole church like that, judgemental, hypocritical? No, of course not! But certainly, there’s more than enough of it going on to give brand “church” a black eye.
Yes there are things happening out in wider society that are wrong. But is it always such a helpful thing to do for “church” to tell people out there how wrong they are, how far they’ve strayed from God, when all along the church and the people in it, let’s face it, are pretty imperfect themselves?
For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13)
In other words, church, maybe it’s time to stop pointing your bony, judgmental fingers at all those sinners out there, and instead, spend a bit of that energy on getting your own house in order.
At what point did we stop holding our own church members accountable for their behaviour? How many churches have just rolled over on the question of sexual immorality within? How many churches accept politics, back-biting, anger, dissention and factions in their ranks?
Well?
That may not be a particularly welcome message to some – especially to those who are in the business of telling the world how far it has strayed from God, instead of telling it how close He really is through the love and mercy of Jesus Christ His Son.
Here’s a sobering thought. Jesus never, ever criticised unbelievers. He only ever criticised people for two things – a lack of faith and hypocrisy – and that criticism was reserved for believers.
Wake up church. Your holiness matters.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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