Monday, January 23, 2012

Love Covers Over

"Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."  Matthew 7:1-5 KJV

"Judgmental."  A word many feel describes the church today.  Many use it as an excuse to get out of going to church, claiming the members judge them an that makes them uncomfortable.  And while an unbeliever should feel uncomfortable in church, it should come from God's conviction instead of the congregation.

See the Pharisees, Scribes, and religious leaders of Jesus's day judged people left and right.  Sadly, many members of the church today have taken to making others' sins into a platform to parade their self-righteousness on.

Jeff Beckth once said it well by stating, "There is no such thing as good people and bad people.  There's only bad people and Jesus"

It doesn't make sense for a criminal to be the judge of another criminal, yet that's what we do whenever we condemn someone just because of their attitude, manner of dress, lifestyle, or even any sin they might be in.  That's right, you heard me, it's wrong for us to judge people by the sin they have/are committed/ing.


So many times we as Christians simply look at someone in sin, who's hardened their heart towards God and condemn them.  
When really it should break our hearts. 


What if God had judged you before you accepted Christ?  You'd have really been up a creek then.  But in his abundant love he didn't come to judge you.  Instead he said 'I love you and no matter how much you break my heart, I still love you.'  


So today stop judging and start loving, for "Love covers over a multitude of sins."  And ask God to break your heart for what breaks his.