The bible says “do not judge,” but many Christians are judgemental – Christian Blog

The bible says “do not judge,” but many Christians are judgemental – Christian Blog.

By Michal Ortner

Michael Hidalgo, a pastor at Denver Community Church and contributor to Relevant Magazine, addresses the issue of judgmental Christians in his blog, “Why are Christians so Judgmental?” The phrase “do not judge” is so commonly used among Christians and non-believers, but not so easily understood.

Hidalgo says that the real problem is not in discerning the difference in good from evil, but when condemnation comes into play.

“Just last week, I spoke with a young woman who had not been to Church in over 10 years. Her reason was simple: she felt condemned. When she was younger, she made a mistake. The attitude and words of those in her Church told her she was not welcome. So she left. To this day she carries the wounds given to her by others,” he writes.

Something about a judgmental attitude “feeds” humans and their need to feel “superior and righteous.” In contrast, to “reconcile, restore and renew” does not seem to bring as much fulfillment. According to Hidalgo, “the people of God are called to be ministers of reconciliation.”

“The cross was the single greatest act of love in human history, and it was, at the same time, extremely violent. The difference is Jesus took the violence on Himself. He did not strike out at those who mocked Him or fight against those who nailed Him in place; He forgave them. In the midst of punishment at the hands of humans, Jesus loved and loved violently,” he explains.

This is the ultimate solution to the prideful attitude of judgment. Hidalgo continues the story of the young woman who left the church for over 10 years. He says that she returned because someone showed her love. Rather than condemnation, she was met with empathetic tears that led to reconciliation.

“We must see our appetite for judgment has caused us to be overstuffed and unconcerned for the hearts of others. Many of us have abandoned our call to be ministers of reconciliation. Rather than renew, redeem and restore, we tear down and create mounds of ruin. We have a bloodlust, forgetting all the while that the blood spilled on the cross was enough for all of us—and no more blood needs to be spilled,” Hidalgo writes.

Hidalgo gives a call for Christians to abandon their judgmental attitudes and to take up their cross of violent love for others. This can only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit.

Rev. Graham on ‘Transgender’ Policy: It’s ‘Wicked,’ and ‘They Want to Brainwash Our Children’ | End Time Bible Prophecy

When is enough, enough?

I don’t expose my children to everything in the world just because it is in the world.

What are we asking our children to ‘tolerate’?

Who will God hold accountable?

Rev. Graham on ‘Transgender’ Policy: It’s ‘Wicked,’ and ‘They Want to Brainwash Our Children’ | End Time Bible Prophecy.

Bibi showdown with Iran a ‘replay of Bible story’

“Esther 3:13 states: “And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.”

But since the biblical day starts at sunset, Netanyahu’s speech Tuesday will actually begin the 13th of Adar here, and it will be the 13th of Adar in Israel as he is speaking.”

via: World Net Daily (WND) Bibi showdown with Iran a ‘replay of Bible story’.

Black Ministers Welcome Netanyahu to Congress – YouTube

“This act of sabotage on the part of the Black Congressional Caucus is a betrayal to the Black church and our faith. We will preach of this betrayal from our pulpits and let it be known that our black elected congressional leaders have betrayed us, have betrayed our faith, have betrayed our Bible, and have betrayed our God!”

Black Ministers Welcome Netanyahu to Congress – YouTube.

In Ferguson both Liberals and Conservatives Fail to “Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself”

Recently I read an article written by political columnist and commentator, Sally Kohn.  I can only surmise that Sally’s audience for her piece are white Americans – all white Americans, as she does a fair job, as a white woman, telling them 1) what Black Americans are protesting about, 2) explaining (for the umpteenth time) what ‘white privilege’ is, 3) revealing white’s ‘true’ feelings about blacks (with references to studies to back it up), and 4) proceeding to tell whites what they must do to resolve the inequality and injustices against Black Americans (sigh… we must ‘have the talk’).

To her credit, Kohn does make it a point to acknowledge that “It’s not wrong to be white” (how very ‘white’ of her)! She manages, by hit or miss, to get and keep my attention through the piece, but I liken the read to that of drinking a bland and tepid diet drink that left me with a bad after-taste. It wasn’t the ‘real’ thing.

The ‘real’ thing is that this ‘talk’ never occurs. Kohn ironically admits the same thing. Why is it that no real actions occur to change perceived inequality and injustice? I perceive the truth is given by God (here is where I believe most liberals and some conservatives will check-out), but I will proceed anyway.

Jesus left us with two commandments that embody all the commandments of God. The first command is to ‘love God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength’ (Matthew 22:37).

The second command is “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (‘Matthew 22:39).

It is only by the first commandment that we are enabled by God to do the second.

You see, for Kohn and other liberal die-hard Democrats, the actions of their own party at its 2012 national convention to remove God from its political platform and boldly boo God when there was a vote to put God back into the platform, occlude and block any actions to truthfully ‘love thy neighbor.

Removing God and His principles (the foundation from which this country was established) assures that the Democratic/liberal/progressive policies will do more to harm rather than help. Even the President’s attempt to use scripture to invoke God to provide help to the ‘stranger’ (illegal immigrants) too left an after taste that was both unpleasant and galling, because the love of God was sorely missing.

Those incapable (or unwilling) to do what they admonish others to do are called ‘hypocrites’.  The ‘talk’ about racial inequality and injustice may occur, but whatever actions become of it will fail if not rooted in the love of God.

Those who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength will allow the seed to fall on good soil, grow, and produce good fruit which truly demonstrates love towards thy neighbor.

Even as I write about liberal hypocrisy, I have only had to listen to FOX news, read articles written by both black and white conservatives, and my twitter timeline (from my conservative followers) to see another brand of hypocrisy.

Many who claim, like me, to love God, family, and country have made comments that fail to demonstrate the love of God (who sent His Only Son) to die for the sins of the whole world, yes, even the looters, arsonists, and peaceful protesters.

Instead I read comments that don’t just condemn the crimes Michael Brown committed, but aim to condemn his family, and the protesters. I read comments from Christians that condemned Officer Darrin Wilson for what turns out to be no crime, but an act of self-defense to protect his own life. There is nothing good about sin, yet even Jesus (who was perfect) didn’t condemn. Where are the prayers, compassion, and Godly sorrow for the human suffering being witnessed in Ferguson, as well as the acknowledgement that we all fall short of God’s Glory and any ‘good’ in us comes from Him.

How can any Christian who loves family not have compassion for a mother (and father) who is grieving both for her son’s destroyed reputation (a reflection on her) and his violent death? Or an officer who had to take a young life in the line of duty and will forever lose his peace and position as a police officer?

How can any American who loves country not support the rights of others who have grievances against government to assemble and protest? No, this doesn’t mean we support rioters, looters; but in many instances peaceful protesters are mercilessly marginalized resulting in a dominating rage against all constitutionally protested protests?

Any Christian who says he loves God but hates his neighbor (even the wrong-doers) is a liar (1John 4:20) and as much a murderer as one who deliberately and without provocation takes a life (1 John 3:15). Those who judge harshly can expect the same judgment from Jesus Christ, The Holy Judge. We don’t make excuses for sin — the wages for it is death. But when compassion is missing, something in the heart is wrong.

For both liberals and conservatives, the only answer is God. Conservatives (many of whom are Christians) must repent of pride, self-adulation and unrighteous judgment; acknowledging that the only thing ‘good’ in them that separates them from the liberal heathen, is Jesus. Liberals must acknowledge His sovereignty and repent of their own admitted ‘godlessness’. It is God alone, in our hearts, who can bring truth and life to ‘loving thy neighbor as thyself’.

Protestant Pastors Vow To No Longer Perform Government Marriages | The Daily Caller

I have been waiting for this!

Mr 12:17 “And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.”

Lord, bless these men of God as they abide in your Holy will. Amen!

Protestant Pastors Vow To No Longer Perform Government Marriages | The Daily Caller.

Your Salvation Includes Deliverance from Sin

God’s work on the Cross through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ did not just pay the penalty for our sins, we died to sin. By the power of the Holy Spirit, and the recreation of our spirit, we become a new creation — no longer a slave to sin.

This is not to say we are never tempted, but God’s Word assures us in 1Co 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].” God’s Spirit within us will always whisper (in a strong voice), ‘my child stop, go this way’.

God has not promised Christians that we will not be tempted. The devil is the tempter, bold enough even to tempt Jesus, the Son of God (Mat 4:3). It is not to say that we won’t fail — we will — because we are being perfected. Perfection is the on-going process of sanctification. But if we have the Spirit of God (are truly saved), we will abhor the sin and not return to it again and again, like a dog to his own vomit, or like a sow that’s been washed to her own wallowing in the mire (2 Peter 2:22).

God has given us Jesus, His Spirit, and His Word. With the full armor of God (Eph 6:11), no Christian is enslaved to sin and is therefore, without excuse. Returning to the altar repeatedly, seeking forgiveness for a sin that has not been truly forsaken and given to God, is not a good testament of God’s faithfulness – it is however a testament to ‘walking in the flesh and not in the spirit’ (Romans 8:1, 8:4).

David prayed in Ps 19:13 “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous [sins]; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” Intently sinning over and over, taking God’s forgiveness for granted, is the presumptuous sin that David is earnestly pleading with God to keep him from making.

Yes, born-again, Spirit-filled Christians can rest upon the promise of God that when we do fall into sin (very different from presumptuous sin), we can trust 1Jo 2:1 which says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

Praise God for His enduring mercy! But praise Him even more that He has given us the spiritual “might” that comes from His Holy Spirit, empowering us to overcome any temptation, resist evil, and cause the devil to flee. We can rest not only in our promised salvation, but also in our deliverance! Amen!

Pastors to mayor: Don’t mess with Texas pulpits | Fox News

Lu 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and [unto] magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

Lu 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Pastors to mayor: Don’t mess with Texas pulpits | Fox News.

UPDATE Via: cnmNewz:

Breaking: Houston Mayor Backs Off From Subpoenas to Pastors

Repent of evil – don’t accommodate it

“But matters of right choice require an activity of mind. For it is with the mind that we reflect upon the alternatives involved. Because moral matters always involve the choice between right and wrong, this activity of mind always takes place in the presence of evil, whether as temptation or as accomplished fact. In either case, repentance is in order if any good is to come of what we do. For even when evil is only a thought, we can only repent of it by turning our mind toward God.”

WND Commentary — Author: Alan Keyes –  Repent of evil – don’t accommodate it.

‘Kept here for His glory,’ Abedini writes

As hatred increases against Christians all over the world, yes even within our own America; I often wonder if God will look down and find any faithful in the Earth.

Then I read the stories like this one about Pastor Saeed Abedini and others like Miriam Ibrihim, and my faith is bolstered.

Yes, a human faith, even as small as a tiny mustard seed, is multiplied 100-fold and sustained by Almighty God (Mat 17:20, Luke 17:6).

When the time comes to face real adversity, even unto death, Christians can believe beyond a doubt that our heavenly Father is the sustaining power for our faith, as witnessed in the courage displayed by Pastor Abedini. Praying for Pastor Abedini and his unwavering witness of Christ.

“Father, increase our faith.” Luke 17:5

via Baptist Press  ‘Kept here for His glory,’ Abedini writes.