"Do Not Judge" by Roger Cowan

Currently, there are wrongdoings that clearly go against God’s Word but are socially condoned. Their promotion is heavily financed and strategically organized. They are becoming embedded in public policy and international organization programs. Those who oppose may face ostracism, loss of job, boycotts, exclusion from social media and even violent physical attacks and legal action.  
 
As Christians, how are we supposed to deal with this situation? Are we to speak out against wrongdoers? Are we to declare that what they do is evil? If we do, the consequences will be increasingly severe. Should we therefore just ignore the trends, accept the claim that our view is obsolete and let the evil proliferate as social order collapses? What does God expect of us?
 
In Matthew 7: 1-2  Jesus tells us, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NIV) Is Jesus telling us to look the other way and keep silent? Three precepts give us guidance.
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1. Final judgment belongs to God alone; He determines the consequences. We must never attempt to usurp God's position.
2. God alone sets the values and divine rules upon which He will base His judgment. He has communicated these to us in His Word. They are absolutes not affected by time and modern trends. It is not us who determines what is right and wrong.
3. As Christians we are to unconditionally love and not judge the sinner but reject the sin.

Love means that we must try to bring others to Jesus and save them no matter what their wrongs. “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20 NIV 1984).

We therefore have the responsibility to speak out against the sinning which may generate painful and costly reaction. In doing so, we do not judge the wrongdoer. We simply communicate God’s rules, the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience.  What people then do is their responsibility. It is not a matter of them against us; it is a matter of them against God. God exists, His rules prevail over earthly laws whether we choose to believe this or not.

As his messengers, we must recognize that we are all sinners. The mentioned wrongdoings are not the only sins committed. We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. In Matthew 7:3, Jesus sternly warns us to not be hypocritical in judging others while ignoring our own sins: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”. We must first focus on pleasing the Lord and keeping our own lives in order no matter what others may say or do.
 
Finally, in our communications about these sins, we must always be wise. It is far more powerful to testify about the blessings of obeying God’s rules than hypocritically direct accusations against wrongdoers.