When were children we hear our parents, pastors, and Sunday School teachers talked about moments like these? But, here I am dealing with the dreaded only "God can judge me!" Well, dude, that alone should
scare you! Seriously scare the sin straight up out of you! Most people use the phrase "don't judge" when they know good and well whoever is looking straight at them is one hundred percent judging them. I am going to pull out a few scriptures that are clear on judgment, reproof, and correction of each other. Because, if you are not judging me and calling me out on my sin we can't be friends. I used to be offended when someone would call me out. I often used the "you can't judge me. Only God can judge" or the "It's not your job, I didn't know God was hiring!" See, let me explain those who are comfortably living in sin no matter how or blatant or secret their sin is offensiveness will always follow correction. Truth! Don't be offended because you're feeling conviction.
Check these out!
Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] unto the church: but if he neglects to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man/woman and a publican. Matthew 18:15-7
Wait for it..... heathen man/woman!! What? there's more!! YES!!! MORE!
Yet count [him/her] not as an enemy, but admonish [him/her] as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3:15
If you are not sure what "admonish" means, click on the word a Mariam dictionary will explain. It's perfectly clear!
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5
Calling someone out for their blatant or secretive sin is for reproof! Just saying! If you have a hard time believing me or taking it all in go read 1 Corinthians 5. Yes, the entire short chapter:
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs to go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But for them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
This is savage, right? Wait what? "Therefore put away?" If you question the KJV bible here it is in the NIV and The Message bible.
NIV God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.
MSGV God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.
Now if those are not layman's terms I am not sure what is.
But, Wait, you ask about Matthew 7:1-5 and Luke 6:37? See there is a difference in calling out someone on sin in a loving, sincere manner because you are concerned for their soul and where they will spend eternity. And, calling out their sin while living in sin and advertising their sin to others. So, no matter how blatant or secretive our sin is, it's each other's job to lovingly and sincerely bring it to light. Discuss it privately, then with a few others (sin interventions) then if you or I remain in our sin we are to walk away. Continue to pray for them, love them but not associate with them. Yep, God so loved the world he not only gave up himself but lavishly loved us enough to savagely love us enough to not let us die in our sins. He also called each of us to lovingly and savagely call out the sin in others. So, my challenge for you today is if you someone living in sin secretly call them out. Love them. Pray for them. But, if needed put them away. You can love and pray for them from a distance. It's okay. Be firm. Be bold. And, if someone calls you out. Ask for forgiveness, don't be offended and thank God for sending someone to love you enough to not let you die in your sin!
Remember keep your coffee hot and prayers hotter,
Hollie McCalip
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