Not Commanded Nor Forbidden

      Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Romans 14:13 

 

I love a good sermon. Sometimes it takes a while to sink in that I have heard one. The title for last Sunday was “Judge Not One Another.” It was based on Romans 14:1-19. This topic of judging one another has always been difficult because culturally we have taken it to have a meaning that does not seem biblical – like we are never to judge anyone for anything.   

Matthew 7:1-2 quote Jesus as saying, “Judge not lest you be judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” He goes on to point out that we often will judge someone else for a behavior while we are doing something far worse. So, if we are severe in our judgment of others then God will be severe in His judgment of us. We need to hear the warning but we also need to put the command in the context of the rest of scripture – in this case the same chapter.  

Only a couple of verses later it seems that Jesus expects us to make a judgment. Matthew 7:5 says to the man who is judging someone with sin in his own life, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” So, when we get our hearts right with God He does expect us to speak to our brother who is in sin – but not to judge him to others. That pertains to a brother in Christ.  

In the next verse 7:6, Jesus goes on, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” Now this looks like it would take some judgment. We have to be able to discern the “dogs” and the “pigs” which I take to mean those who would reject the things of God. If they were told to get the speck out of their own  eye they would think it was foolishness. Matthew Henry explains dogs and pigs as those the disciples would preach to but who would remain hostile or vehemently opposed to the Gospel after hearing it. So, we do have to judge unbelievers by what they say and how they act toward the Gospel.  

Let’s go back to our brothers. Romans 14 is clear that there are things we judge each other for or about that God has not given us any guideline to judge against. My Pastor called them “things not commanded nor forbidden by God.” Romans 14 points us to the weak in faith who quarrel over foods that are to be eaten or not eaten or the esteem they gave to certain days (could that be holidays today?). Romans 14:19 says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”  

These verses point us to the fact that though there were once dietary restrictions for the people of God those guidelines are not as important as faith in Christ. We are to respect each person’s convictions about food or about days to celebrate and not condemn them because we think or act differently. Our Pastor pointed out other “not commanded or forbidden” things that we use against each other in the church. Many churches actually split over the kind of music that’s sung on Sunday mornings, does God address choruses verses hymns?! The Bible speaks clearly about drunkenness but does not forbid alcohol all together. I was not raised in a Bible believing church that taught that movies or dancing were sin so that I do not have a problem with anyone attending a movie at a theater or dancing to secular music. Though I believe we have to be careful about the content, movies can be just plain entertaining. Nothing wrong with dancing, I wouldn’t want a married woman to go out dancing without her husband. It would not honor God or her husband and would be a source of temptation.  

These things are not essentials — they are not forbidden or commanded — and we waste a lot of time and emotional energy trying to make someone else look bad when we harp on them as though they were all important to God. He clearly tells us what He is looking for: 

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3 

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. Proverbs 15:8 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17 

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. Galatians 3:7 

My fear is that if more mature Christians make a big deal out of these non-essential things to a new or immature believer, then we are a stumbling block to their spiritual growth. Things like righteousness, justice, humility, and faith will get lost in the arguments.  

Good sermons are a gift from God and this one was really good…but only if those who heard it take it to heart and live the truth that was taught. We can tear down one another or we can build one another up. We are not commanded to tear down one another – in fact we are forbidden to do that. Judging the non-essentials often tears down. We are commanded to build one another up – it will never be forbidden. Judging someone’s behavior as sin may be the most loving thing we do to build someone’s faith– if we don’t approach them as dogs or pigs.