by: Dr. Bruce Goddard
There is much criticism today about judging. These lies are especially pushed by the Devil into the minds of young preachers. The young are trying to determine who they are, what direction they will go, and who they will choose as mentors. Satan tries to get them alienated from a strong stand for righteousness and the truth by using the lie that these men are critical, judgmental and divisive.
The fact is, these men who are “judgmental and divisive” are simply logical.
Think with me of the familiar Psalm 1. There is a blessed man and one who is not blessed. Simple, right? Not so simple, unless someone is willing to decide who is a scorner, a sinner and the ungodly. The very basis of blessings is judgment. You must determine who the ungodly are so you don’t walk in their counsel. That is simple Bible. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly…” So some critical, judgmental, divisive man will need to say, “that guy is ungodly.” Say it to yourself, say it to a teenager under your influence, or teach it in a Bible college, but someone has to say, “That person is ungodly, or a sinner, or a scorner.” There is nothing complicated about this.
We do not want our children to randomly develop friendships with the neighborhood kids. No! As parents we are judges, maybe not always correct in our judgment, but we must guide our innocent children.
A dad has to say a young man is not the kind of guy he wants his daughter in a relationship with; any discerning father would want to have a say on that choice. A coach has to pick this player and cut that player. (What a shameful, critical, judgmental and divisive man.)
When Proverbs 3:20 says, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed,” the Scriptures are instructing believers to point out who is wise and who is a fool. If you cannot pick out the fools, you cannot avoid them. What of Solomon? He was such a critic and judge when he said the gal in Proverbs 7 had on the attire of a harlot. What kind of Christianity is that?
Paul was so unbiblical in instructing the people to use judgment and to avoid certain religious leaders. He says in Romans 16:17, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
How about that! Paul told the believers to MARK certain men, point them out, and avoid those who taught things contrary to what they had learned from him. I could go on pointing out passages we all know that demand we label people, that we make judgment calls on the actions of others – physically, spiritually, and morally.
Notice, Paul’s strict demands to the Corinthian church:
1 Corinthians 5:11, “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 idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”
This verse contains a great deal of instruction to label, to judge and to remove yourself from certain people. The amazing part is that Paul said to separate from the covetous – a sin of heart and motive; an internal sin that is much more difficult to identify than a drunkard. We are now being instructed to judge a man’s motives. Wow! We all know that is not Christian…or do we? Is this not the Bible? Are we not clearly commanded to remove fellowship from a guy attending church who is covetous? That is exactly what Paul is saying – judge what is in this man’s heart.
So much for the contemporary, peace-loving pastor telling a young man that his old-fashioned leaders were divisive, critical and judgmental. God’s Word is telling you that this new teacher is leading you astray.
Taking a stand is logical! If there is such a thing as immodest dress, then someone has to draw a line and be the judge. If there is such a thing as covetousness, then you need to become a judge and avoid those people. Paul often teaches these truths. Notice the instruction to the church of Ephesus: “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Ephesians 5:5) He continues in verse 7 by saying, “Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” So, in these verses, we see certain people being pointed out. Paul then urges the believer to act upon what he sees.
Ephesians 5:7, “Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”
Paul said we should notice these people and their bad actions, then not hang around them – judge, critic, and divisive! (Wait, it gets worse.)
Ephesians 5:11 says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
Now Paul says to reprove these men or at least these actions. Just what business is it of his, the preacher (or some church member), to point out things or to publicly correct certain kinds of behavior? This correction is actually a command of God. Someone must follow these instructions to protect the church.
These soft manipulators who seek to turn our young preachers away from clear teaching are so incredibly unbiblical that it is amazing anyone follows them. But as Paul said, some of the wrong crowd appear as angels of light. Wow, there I go being a critic, divisive and judgmental. Sorry, but the Bible has somehow messed me up and directed me to point out foolish thinking. By the way, it tells you to do the same thing!!!
Not only is it right to judge, to divide and to point out wrong, but it is also a Bible command.
Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA