"Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged"

• 1 Corinthians 5:1 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:2 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:3 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:4 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:5 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:6 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:8 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:9 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:11 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:12 (NLT)
• 1 Corinthians 5:13 (NLT)

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This chapter continues Paul's writing & discipleship to a church he has planted. And something struck me. Today there are so many social issues politicized in our country, like abortion & same sex marriage, sexual immoralities, etc. And I see more and more people quickly quote the scripture "Judge not lest ye be judged" to defend a position FOR abortion, homosexuality. Some folks have probably never read the Bible & are not Believers. But some were raised in church and made a profession of faith at a young age but are not living for the Lord. Others are perhaps immature Christans.

Do we then never call out sin or have a right or responsibility to discern through scripture right and wrong issues? This "Judge not lest ye be judged scripture is taken out of context. Even when Jesus stood up to the Pharisees who were going to stone the woman who had been adulterous - He DID say He who is without sin cast the first stone. But when He told her "neither do I condemn thee" He then told her to "Go and sin no more".

Paul tells the church that he has heard about sexual immorality among them, and specifically refers to a man living with his step mother in sin. He tells them to withdraw fellowship from him. He doesn't say "leave them be, and judge not".l In fact, in other writings from Paul, he instructs the proper way to keep each other accountable, confronting in Christian love, helping each other not to stray.

I know the worldly reasons for using "Judge not lest ye be judged" - it's a free pass to do anything you want.

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