Not Judging One Another

Transcript:
Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

One of our chief responsibilities as followers of Christ is to be vigilant to live not in judgment of others, but in service of others.

In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul details a conflict in the early church over differing opinions on types of food and other matters of personal conscience. Paul basically says that in Christ we have a tremendous level of freedom on such matters of conscience. If the Bible doesn’t mandate it, we are free, and, therefore, we should be careful not to force our personal opinion on others.

However, Paul likewise warns that just because you have the freedom, doesn’t mean that you can use that freedom to trample the weaker conscience of another.

The mark of your spirituality, biblically speaking, is not your ability to judge others nor your freedom to keep others from telling you what to do. Rather, it is marked by your sacrificial service of others – going out of your way, yielding your rights, flexing for the sake of others, and especially for the sake of the unity of the body of Christ.

We are to be like Jesus, not pleasing ourselves, but God.

As the Apostle Paul puts it:
1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself…. 7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. (Romans 15)

Indeed, Jesus came and bore your weakness. He yielded His rights to take your sin upon Himself. And so, those who follow Him are glad to do the same for the sake of others.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, ‘The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.’ Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.”

~ Romans 5:1-7 (NLT)