What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?
This one little verse packs a powerful punch. What business is it of mine to judge the behavior of those who do not know Christ?
I have a tendency to apply my Christian values to the behavior of others who live in my community. When I see someone steal something or hurt someone, my immediate reaction is “that’s wrong - how could anyone do that?” Well, after reading this verse, the answer becomes pretty clear…
…I am applying the character of Christ to people who don’t even know Christ, much less know his character.
Why should I expect anyone “outside the church,” meaning anyone who doesn’t know Christ, to conform to Christian standards of behavior?
It’s no wonder that non-Christians so often see Christians as harsh and judgmental - because WE ARE - we judge them and their behavior by a set of values that they have never agreed to.
Jesus didn’t walk up to the tax collector and say “you’re stealing from people - that’s not right!’ What did He do? He invited the guy to dinner, established a relationship with him, and let the guy get to know Him. And then, AFTER the guy had a relationship with Christ, and he knew Christ’s heart and his character, THEN he figured out for himself that his behavior needed to change.
So what do I need to do differently? I need to stop criticizing the behavior of people who don’t know Christ, and instead focus on the fact that the very reason they behave that way is because they don’t know Christ. And the only time their behavior will ever conform to the character of Christ is if when they actually know Him.
I have a tendency to apply my Christian values to the behavior of others who live in my community. When I see someone steal something or hurt someone, my immediate reaction is “that’s wrong - how could anyone do that?” Well, after reading this verse, the answer becomes pretty clear…
…I am applying the character of Christ to people who don’t even know Christ, much less know his character.
Why should I expect anyone “outside the church,” meaning anyone who doesn’t know Christ, to conform to Christian standards of behavior?
It’s no wonder that non-Christians so often see Christians as harsh and judgmental - because WE ARE - we judge them and their behavior by a set of values that they have never agreed to.
Jesus didn’t walk up to the tax collector and say “you’re stealing from people - that’s not right!’ What did He do? He invited the guy to dinner, established a relationship with him, and let the guy get to know Him. And then, AFTER the guy had a relationship with Christ, and he knew Christ’s heart and his character, THEN he figured out for himself that his behavior needed to change.
So what do I need to do differently? I need to stop criticizing the behavior of people who don’t know Christ, and instead focus on the fact that the very reason they behave that way is because they don’t know Christ. And the only time their behavior will ever conform to the character of Christ is if when they actually know Him.
