A beautiful, sunny, crisp Autumn day – thank You, Father, for the gift of Your creation in all of its glory!
1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (<<click here to read the passage)
Have you heard the phrase, “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back at you”? Basically, when we accuse someone else, often we are guilty as well. Sometimes we’re guilty of the same offense (we just may be better at hiding it), and other times we’re guilty of sin, just as heinous.
In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul is very clear and straightforward. But before we get too far down this road, read once more verses 12-13,
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” NLT
I spoke of this not that long ago, but our modern-day church culture is quite caught up in our accusations of those in the wrong, spiritually. The thing is many “believers” put their entire focus on those outside the church…all the while neglecting the importance of keeping our own houses clean. Our society is replete with politicians, and church leadership quick on their heels, calling out the world…for being the world. Yes, on multiple fronts those outside the church are in the wrong. But Scripture clearly states that it is not our responsibility to judge outsiders…God will judge those on the outside.
We like to put ourselves and other mere human beings on pedestals and from that stance it is easy to point out the wrongs of others. But doing that also makes it fairly easy to distract others from the truth of our sin. If others are looking at “them” and “their” sin, they are less likely to notice our sin. There is definitely some spiritual sleight-of-hand going on here.
If we would take care of the log in our eye, then we could genuinely…lovingly, help remove the speck of dust from the eyes of others. Those are the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…dare we ignore them? Read them yourself!
Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5 AMP
Lord Jesus, help us. We like keeping our sin hidden, but You see it all. Your light leaves absolutely nothing in the shadows. The world – our filthy, disgusting, contaminated world – needs us, not to condemn but to love…to model the humility and compassion of You. Very few of us have changed because someone assaulted and berated us for the error of our ways (and if that’s how we corrected it, I’m not sure that that is a very solid foundation on which to build our spiritual lives.) A life built on Your love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness, is the foundation upon which to build.
Oct 23rd, 2023, Mon, 12:42 pm
