Not Judging---He who is within sin

  • Thread starter Thread starter aborodki
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

aborodki

Guest
I often hear Christians invoking Christ’s saying " let he who is without sin cast the first stone" to justify not judging others or correcting someone else’s behavior. To me their interpretation doesn’t sound correct, for if somebody is sinning, shouldn’t we correct them or point out their mistake? :onpatrol:
 
It should be remembered that Jesus spoke this (“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”) to the hypocrites who had condemned the woman caught in the very act of adultery, but apprently forgot to bring in the man. There are some who need to keep this in mind (for example, some people who will disparage others in gossip should not be throwing stones). However, if I see a Christian brother in a fault, I had better say something (“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20 NAS).
 
Only God will conduct the final judgment.

Correcting someone’s error with love and compassion is not judging them. If they choose to disregard your help, that is their problem, not yours.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
Well, yes we do have a duty to point out the sin of others. Not to judge it, but to mention it for the good of the sinner. This is an act of charity and love, and love disciplines those whom she loves.

Luke 17:3 So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”

Note the caution to watch ourselves for the presence of sin, as well as caution in dealing with it in order to avoid that very same sin.

Additionally, the Catechism teaches that sin is a danger to the unity of the Church (CCC 814 & 817) and causes harm to the community of believers (CCC 952). We also have a responsibility for the sins of others if we cooperate with them by participating in them, or by ordering, advising, praising or approving them, as well as by failing to disclose or hindering them when we have an obligation to do so (CCC 1868).
 
Note that the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus. If He said stone her they would turn Him in to the Romans for killing her. If He said don’t stone her He would be discredited with the crowd for rejecting the law.

He turned the trap around. The Pharisees professed to be without sin. He told them to do it themselves if they were without sin. Now in order not to be charged by the Romans for killing her they had to drop their claim of sinlessness. Note
But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest
Click to expand...
The eldest caught on to the trap the quickest. 😃

Note also
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground
Click to expand...
I have seen someplace, but have misplaced the reference, that He was writing their names in the dust. This linked to an OT prophecy that used having one’s name written in the dust as symbolic of eternal disgrace. Most modern versions unfortunately translate the OT as eternally disgraced rather than the more accurate written in the dust so the linkage is lost.
 
aborodki said:
I often hear Christians invoking Christ’s saying " let he who is without sin cast the first stone" to justify not judging others or correcting someone else’s behavior. To me their interpretation doesn’t sound correct, for if somebody is sinning, shouldn’t we correct them or point out their mistake? :onpatrol:
Click to expand...
IMHO, I think this is mostly used as an excuse to justify sinful behavior. In addition to the passages others have mentioned in this thread I believe Jesus had a righteous anger when he overturned tables in the temple; and before you say, “Yeah, but that was Jesus…He was perfect.”, He is also our example. In addition, I remember Him speaking some very strong language toward the Pharisees due to their ‘self-righteous’ (not to be confused with ‘righteous’ ) behavior, including “Ye Vipers, Ye Hypocrites!”. In addition, He said that the repentant sinners in the crowd would get to heaven before they would. That’s not just judging their behavior…but their hearts, and the fate of their eternal souls! And yet, even on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

On another note, if we WEREN’T supposed to recognize sin for what it is, “You will know them by their fruits.” would seem to contradict that notion would it not? (forgive me for using uppercase for emphasis, but for some reason it will not allow me to switch editor mode and change fonts, italicize, etc.)
 
From what I got from Fr. John Corapi, the judging we are to keep away from is rash judgement. He says that it is rash judgement that Jesus is talking about when he says we should not judge. Fr. Corapi says that judging wrong behavior from good behavior is a good thing and not what we are talking about when we are exhorted not to judge.
 
ready said:
From what I got from Fr. John Corapi, the judging we are to keep away from is rash judgement. He says that it is rash judgement that Jesus is talking about when he says we should not judge. Fr. Corapi says that judging wrong behavior from good behavior is a good thing and not what we are talking about when we are exhorted not to judge.
Click to expand...
Cudo’s to Fr. Corapi! (-; I very much enjoy listening to his conversion story…and I’m not being judgmental about it either…LOL.
 
I have always interpreted this as we are never to judge the man, but that judging actions is not forbidden. Judgment of men is reserved for the Lord alone.

For example
  • The Lord hates a lying tongue (OK)
  • You have lied (OK)
  • The Lord hates you (NO!)
  • You are a liar (NO!)
  • The Lord hates a lying tongue and you have lied (OK)
  • The Lord tells us that he hates the action–lying–that you have committed (OK)
  • The Lord hates your actions (NO!)
Joe_Kelley said:
Note also I have seen someplace, but have misplaced the reference, that He was writing their names in the dust.
Click to expand...
What Jesus wrote is not recorded in the Bible.
 
aborodki said:
I often hear Christians invoking Christ’s saying " let he who is without sin cast the first stone" to justify not judging others or correcting someone else’s behavior. To me their interpretation doesn’t sound correct, for if somebody is sinning, shouldn’t we correct them or point out their mistake? :onpatrol:
Click to expand...
The simple fact is that the elders who brought the woman to our Lord had indeed determined that sin had occurred. Fine so far. However, they had subsequently judged her guilty and then made preparations to exact punishment of her - unto death. There was no problem in pointing the sin out. The problem arose when they attempted to usurp God’s role in judging and either punishing or forgiving. Notice that God (in Christ) also judged her guilty, but revealed His mercy rather than mere condemnation.
 
andrewagill said:
I have always interpreted this as we are never to judge the man, but that judging actions is not forbidden. Judgment of men is reserved for the Lord alone.

For example
  • The Lord hates a lying tongue (OK)
  • You have lied (OK)
  • The Lord hates you (NO!)
  • You are a liar (NO!)
  • The Lord hates a lying tongue and you have lied (OK)
  • The Lord tells us that he hates the action–lying–that you have committed (OK)
  • The Lord hates your actions (NO!)
What Jesus wrote is not recorded in the Bible.
Click to expand...
I guess I don’t follow the last statement. If lying is an action you have taken, why would the Lord NOT hate your actions? Unless you mean all your actions in general?
 
Genesius said:
I guess I don’t follow the last statement. If lying is an action you have taken, why would the Lord NOT hate your actions? Unless you mean all your actions in general?
Click to expand...
Yes–not specifying which action the Lord hates. Not only because it implies that the Lord hates everything you do, but it gets dangerously close to speaking for the Lord. I dunno, it gets a little difficult to tease out that particular bit, so I may have been overcautious there.
 
andrewagill said:
Yes–not specifying which action the Lord hates. Not only because it implies that the Lord hates everything you do, but it gets dangerously close to speaking for the Lord. I dunno, it gets a little difficult to tease out that particular bit, so I may have been overcautious there.
Click to expand...
Gotcha! Mind you, I’m not judging…(-;
 
Not saying anything (or doing anything) to those who sin would mean the ultimate destruction of civilized society, anarchy and chaos. See someone kill a dog-- don’t say anything. See someone kill your mother-- don’t say anything. See someone steal a car part-- don’t say anything. See someone steal a car-- just blow it off. Who cares. It wasn’t you. That is until somebody cuts out your tongue after they steal your car. And so on and so forth. Just don’t judge people-- you sinner.
 
atassina said:
Not saying anything (or doing anything) to those who sin would mean the ultimate destruction of civilized society, anarchy and chaos. See someone kill a dog-- don’t say anything. See someone kill your mother-- don’t say anything. See someone steal a car part-- don’t say anything. See someone steal a car-- just blow it off. Who cares. It wasn’t you. That is until somebody cuts out your tongue after they steal your car. And so on and so forth. Just don’t judge people-- you sinner.
Click to expand...
:(I will tell you this only because I care, I was judged this week by a prayer warrior (not here) and what this person said I needed to hear, I am set with it . It is finished! God Bless, But may we not be judgemental, we can go to our brother and sisiter and let them know what they are or were doing is not of God but we should do all this with Love not just in love. For yes we are our Brothers keeper! Love is correction, and in all things let your voice be pleasent, but to the point, yes we need correction, and careing. Father can speak through us and the ministering angels will guide us if we do all things for the Glory of God, through Him, with Him, in Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank You Nancy
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top