I've had this message on my heart for a long time but I have been putting off writing this because I've been afraid to offend someone or that someone would think this is about them or whatever. I've come to the realization in the last week that there will never be a convenient time to write this blog but God put it on my heart for a reason. And trying to hold it back for fear of offending someone is exactly the reason it needs to be written.
Often as Christians we pick verses of the bible we choose to remember:
"For God so loved the earth that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life."John 3:16
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me..." Psalm 23:4"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
And many others. One verse that seems to be a favorite among well read Christians is Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge or you too will be judged." This is something we as Christians turn to in an instant if a spiritual leader is telling us something in our life doesn't align with the word. I'm as guilty of it as they come. I say "don't judge me" at least once a day even if it is usually in a playful joke. The point is that as Christians, we need to understand that there is a difference between judgement and accountability.
In Genesis 4, there is a story of Cain and Abel. Two brothers that both gave offerings to God. Abel brought God his very best and first of his animals. Cain brought God some fruits and plants instead of an animal offering. God did not accept that offering and went to him. In verse 6-7 God said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." At that moment, Cain became accountable to his actions. There was no playing dumb anymore. It was laid out before him clearly by a spiritual leader (the spiritual leader).
As Christians, we need to be accountable for what we do. I've been corrected many of times by people that see something in my life that isn't right. I can either choose to accept the remarks or get angry about and let more sin enter my life. It's time to stop using Matthew 7 as a crutch to keep on sinning. "Yes I know what I am doing is wrong but it's not your place to judge me." If what you are doing is specifically not aligning with the word of God, it is not judgement for a fellow Christian to bring that light to your eyes and Christians should help each other. Sometimes the devil is tricky and sin sneaks up on you to the point you don't even know it's there. If you see it in a brother or sisters life, tell them! Then back off! Once a person knows the truth, it is up to them how they choose to live in it. Pushing beyond that put you in danger of judging. If you are the one being told and choose not to accept it, then the sin falls onto your own hands. So let us support each other. Stop trying to break each other down and be there for one another in God's love!
That's a good message. Glad you shared it.
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