Earlier today, while listening to one of my favorite talk show hosts, a woman called in saying that many of her evangelical friends are starting to believe that they have been too judgmental in their treatment of others and that they should start changing their ways, be more relaxed about things not going the way they think they should, and going to the extreme of wanting to vote for president Obama just to prove to themselves and others that they are being more relaxed in their views and not being judgmental. The talk show host responded that it is necessary to make moral judgments about the way people act without a concern for righteousness that comes about only from faith in God.
One has only to visit Scripture to see what God really wants of us. Jesus Christ made moral judgments concerning the corruption of the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees and doctors of law who did not do what God wanted, but what they wanted. He told his disciples to do what ever these leaders said since they were the leaders of the Jews but at the same time not to do what they do. What this means in our time is that the leaders of our country have authority to tell us that we should follow what they say as authorities, but we should not do what they do. It is becoming more and more evident that the officials within the Obama administration are a pack of liars, including the president himself. To make such a moral judgment is correct, good and moral, and is essential because in so doing we are simply following the way that Jesus acted while he was on earth.
To make this even more clear we see in Scripture Christ associating with sinners; when Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees and the doctors of the law that He should not be associating with such people. Jesus responds that He has come into the world to heal the sick and so does not associate with those who do not need healing. So Jesus does not condemn sinners, he heals them.
In another part of Scripture his disciples ask Jesus whether they should not rain down fire from heaven upon towns that will not receive Jesus; Jesus responds that he has come on earth not to destroy but to save. So Jesus and his disciples simply go around these towns.
Two of the most beautiful encounters Christ has with his sinners are with women. One of the encounters deals with a woman caught in adultery; those who have brought her to Christ remind Him that Moses had said such women should be stoned to death. They asked Jesus what he thought. Jesus responded that whoever was without sin should cast the first stone; Jesus then, seemingly disinterested, started writing in the sand. One by one the woman’s accusers left leaving the woman standing alone in front of Jesus. Has no one remained to accuse you, Jesus asked. The woman responded, no one sir. Neither then will I accuse you, says Jesus; go your way but sin no more.
Notice that the people who wanted to stone her judged her just as we as Christians many times condemn others who’ve done wrong and in some way indicate that they should be condemned. Jesus however shows us the way He wants us to respond when we see someone who has sinned. While He wants us to recognize that the person has sinned, he warns us not to judge, that is condemn the person. Necessary judgment can only come either from God directly or through those officials, who by their God given authority, can exercise judgment or condemnation.
The second example is the encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. He knows that she is a sinner but He does not judge her. He engages her in conversation where He hints at is divinity but asks her to bring her husband to the well which forces the woman to respond that she has no husband. Again Jesus does not condemn her but simply tells her that she has told the truth and that not only does she not have a husband but she has previously had five husbands. The woman then remarks that the Messiah is coming and will tell them everything. Jesus then tells her that He is the Messiah. Her response in leaving her water jug at the well and immediately going to the nearby town and telling others that Jesus is the Messiah, brings salvation not only to herself but to the members of the Samaritan town.
Jesus does not condemn; He reveals to the sinner that He is there to heal if only they desire it. Condemnation will come only to those who completely reject God’s love and saving graces; but this will be known only to Jesus. We do not know how great His mercy is so that we dare not condemn anyone. What Jesus Christ asks us to do is to surrender ourselves to Him so that we, in union with Christ, his love and grace, act Christlike as he directs us through his grace to accomplish His will through us..
St. Paul in his epistles makes it clear that we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ but that this entails our complete surrender to Him so that He may use us, His loving servants, in accomplishing His will through us.
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