HarryStotle:
Just a question or ten: Is it likewise fruitless to speculate on our own spiritual condition? If so, then how do we know with any certainty whether we are making headway towards a more positive spiritual state or falling headlong into the abyss?
One presumably has more access to one’s own internal states. And we are not clueless, we simply do not know for certain. Still, the church has very strongly told us that we are to never, ever presume, but to trust in God.
Sure, but that would seem a very inadequate answer because we are responsible to act in the world which means we must constantly be making judgements about our own motivations, the good or bad consequences of our actions and the moral values to be given priority at any one time. This involves both ourselves and those around us because we are social creatures.
I think there is a strong case to be made that by saying, “Do not judge,” Jesus meant something like do not condemn or do not write others off as beyond the possibility of redemption.
Jesus also said not to judge by appearances, but by right judgement.
John 7:24 English Standard Version (ESV)
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
This seems to imply we are, indeed, permitted to judge, but rightly, which supports my first point.
In any case, my post wasn’t directed at you, it was in response to this one…
Hence, the most important thing about him for us, as faithful, non-judgmental persons, is his generosity in sharing his musical talent with us.
The implication being that if we are faithful, we are “non-judgmental,” whatever that means, which I suspect is incorrect. My post was to get @kill51 to flesh out what he meant by non-judgmental.
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