2 Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.
Paul just got done talking about how sexually immoral Roman society is, and how they are being punished for not acknowledging God – and he doesn’t mince words. They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Romans 1:29-31) Not the most diplomatic description of a culture ever… today, this would get Paul cancelled, or at least sent to a Sensitivity and Awareness seminar.
But then, right after judging those people, he turns around and tells the Church (i.e., us), not to judge them. He says we’re doing the same things.
Really, Paul? Because I can assure you that I am not doing those same things. I’m a fine, upstanding citizen, and I most definitely am not doing anything that earns shows like Spartacus a TV-MA rating. I acknowledge God all the time. I worship the Creator, not the creation, 100%.
Well, 99%. Maybe 98. I don’t know exactly, I don’t have a time-tracking app, but I am confident it never dips below 80%.
Okay… yeah. I get it. Just because I’m not manifesting my lack of complete and utter reliance on God in the same way that those Romans were doesn’t mean that I’m not guilty. If anything, I’m doubly guilty for A) not always acknowledging God and then B) trying to usurp His right to judge by judging myself. Let he who doesn’t have a log in his eye cast the first stone.
This still doesn’t feel quite right, though. You can’t just turn a blind eye on immoral behavior.
I think what’s missing is this: non-judgment doesn’t equal approval. We miss that in our society today – you’re not allowed to not have an opinion. You’re really not even allowed to not approve. Everyone and everything must be celebrated. Again, here’s where nuance is needed: Every*one*, made in God’s image, should be celebrated, yes. Every*thing* – every trend, every choice, every movement… not so much. We can’t judge others, because we’re not God – or, put differently, they have just as much God in them as we do – but we can stand strong against societal forces that are neither the cause nor the effect of anything good.
— MeganPrestonMeyer
Paul just got done talking about how sexually immoral Roman society is, and how they are being punished for not acknowledging God – and he doesn’t mince words. They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Romans 1:29-31) Not the most diplomatic description of a culture ever… today, this would get Paul cancelled, or at least sent to a Sensitivity and Awareness seminar.
But then, right after judging those people, he turns around and tells the Church (i.e., us), not to judge them. He says we’re doing the same things.
Really, Paul? Because I can assure you that I am not doing those same things. I’m a fine, upstanding citizen, and I most definitely am not doing anything that earns shows like Spartacus a TV-MA rating. I acknowledge God all the time. I worship the Creator, not the creation, 100%.
Well, 99%. Maybe 98. I don’t know exactly, I don’t have a time-tracking app, but I am confident it never dips below 80%.
Okay… yeah. I get it. Just because I’m not manifesting my lack of complete and utter reliance on God in the same way that those Romans were doesn’t mean that I’m not guilty. If anything, I’m doubly guilty for A) not always acknowledging God and then B) trying to usurp His right to judge by judging myself. Let he who doesn’t have a log in his eye cast the first stone.
This still doesn’t feel quite right, though. You can’t just turn a blind eye on immoral behavior.
I think what’s missing is this: non-judgment doesn’t equal approval. We miss that in our society today – you’re not allowed to not have an opinion. You’re really not even allowed to not approve. Everyone and everything must be celebrated. Again, here’s where nuance is needed: Every*one*, made in God’s image, should be celebrated, yes. Every*thing* – every trend, every choice, every movement… not so much. We can’t judge others, because we’re not God – or, put differently, they have just as much God in them as we do – but we can stand strong against societal forces that are neither the cause nor the effect of anything good.
— MeganPrestonMeyer
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