Is it ever appropriate to speak out about sin even though we all have sinned?
Worded this way most of us would say, "sure!, of course. Especially if the Bible calls it sin." And I would agree.
What if I worded the question like this?
"Since we have all sinned, and many of us sin terribly in secret, is it hypocritical to condemn the sin of someone else?"
This one should make us all think a little more before answering.
I think Jesus spoke to this matter. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 7:1ff
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
It would take a lengthy post indeed to explain this section of scripture in-depth, so I'm just going to make a few observations, and hopefully encourage you do dig further on your own.
People love to throw out Matthew 7:1 whenever anyone points out someone else s sin. "Judge not, lest ye be judged"...always in the King James too, it seems. This has become the most often quoted scripture in public discourse...now quoted more often than John 3:16. I love Paul Washers response to people that misuse this verse.
"Twist not scripture, lest ye be like Satan!"
So how are people "twisting" scripture when that use this verse to silence people who condemn sinful behavior in others? It takes a careful look, because reading the illustration that follows, could further lead one to the wrong conclusion. In one of Jesus's most humorous moments, Jesus crafts a word picture that is fairly simple to understand. The simple meaning, "consider your own sin--which we see clearly, before rashly condemning sin in others--which can not always be so clearly seen." This advice, along with this entire "sermon", was apparently spoken to his close disciples, even though in the movies. and Sunday-school flannel-graphs Jesus is always preaching to a huge crowd. The key to a balanced understanding of this section, is to focus on the idea of "seeing". The passage concludes with the statment, "first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly..." We can't see into the mind of another person, and we are never to pretend that we can do what only that person and God can do. That is the offence when we "judge" someone else. There is only one Judge. If we pretend to see the motives of someone else's heart, we attempt to unseat the one true and righteous Judge.
So back to the question I first posed. "is it ever appropriate to condemn the sin of someone else?"
It depends. If dealing with a brother or sister in Christ, then YES! Outward public sin, or hidden sin proved by many trustworthy witnesses must and should be "rebuked" (censured, admonished)...always with a goal to encourage repentance and restoration. If it's on a personal level, a humble, loving, exhortation is appropriate.
1 Timothy 5:20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
1 Corinthians 5:6b. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump...
Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love,
We can't truly know the state of another persons soul, but when dealing with someone that most likely is a non-believer, I would say it's probably not the best idea to confront sin unless you are evangelizing that person, or trying to protect the innocence of children. And even then, done with love.
Proverbs 9:7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.
* This is a tough subject for a short blog post and it was not meant to be comprehensive. Please feel free to comment and add your own thoughts.
Comments
Post a Comment