ArchivedWhat are your opinions? :: Re: Truth Seeker-JoshuaRe: Truth Seeker-Joshua Let us put this quote back into context. In John 8:1-11, the Pharisees brought Christ a woman who had committed adultery and asked him if she should be stoned to death as Mosaic Law required. This question was intended to get Christ to say something that would get him in trouble. If Christ answered in the affirmative, the Pharisees would have reported Christ to the Roman authorities because the Romans would not allow the Jews to execute people themselves (John 18:31). But if Christ answered in the negative, the Pharisees would have accused Christ of violating Mosaic Law (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22). Christ responded by pointing out that both parties had violated Mosaic Law (John 8:7). The woman had violated it because she had committed adultery, while the Pharisees had violated it by only wanting to stone the woman when Mosaic Law required both the woman and the man she committed adultery with to be stoned. The Pharisees left after realizing what Christ had said, thus the woman was not condemned because she no longer had any accusers. Therefore, John 8:7 does not refer to a generalistic command to not judge anybody, but instead an issue related to the workings of Mosaic Law. James 4:11-12 is speaking about judging by slandering the character of others, not about the complete prohibition of judging others. First, let us examine James 4:11. James 4:11 [NIV] Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. James 4:11 [NASB] Do not speak against one another, brethren He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. James 4:11 [KJV] Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. The Greek word for "slander" [NIV], "speak against" [NASB], and "speak [...] evil" [KJV] in the first sentence of this verse is katalaleo (Strong's #2635), which means "to speak against one, to criminate, traduce" [Strong's Lexicon] and "to be a traducer, i.e. to slander:--speak against (evil of)" [Strong's Greek Dictionary]. This same Greek word is also used in the second sentence of this verse twice, both in reference to others and the Law. When one reads this verse, one sees that the subject matter is about certain people judging fellow Christians through "traducing, slandering, speaking evil of" (katalaleo). In other words, this verse is about passing judgment through wrongfully attacking the character of fellow believers. And the implication here is that such people were doing the devil's work (ref. James 4:7). In addition, notice that James says that judging others by speaking evil of them equates to judging the Law by speaking evil of it. This is because if one poses false witness against others as true witness, then one perverts and misuses the Law, thereby creating a Law of their own. As a result, such a practice inherently assumes that the Law, as is, is an insufficient guide and thereby flawed, thus slandering it. Now let us examine verse 12. James 4:12 [NIV] There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? James 4:12 [NASB] There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? James 4:12 [KJV] There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? The Greek word for "Judge" [NIV and NASB] is krites (Strong's #2923), which means "one who passes or arrogates to himself, judgment on anything," as in "of God passing judgment on men" [Strong's Lexicon] and "a judge (genitive case or specially):--judge" [Strong's Greek Dictionary]. In this verse, James says there is only "one lawgiver and [one who passes or arrogates to himself]." In other words, there is only one lawgiver and one person who defers to himself to make judgments, which is God. This means that those who rely on their own perverted judgment, as in false witness (verse 11), to judge others have no basis by which to judge others. And to make this point, James ends with a rhetorical question. In short, the point here is that we must judge by the standards that God sets us to judge by. For instance, Paul instructs us to compare what people teach with proper doctrine (Romans 16:17, ref. 2 John 1:9-11). In addition, John instructs us to test spirits by seeing which one recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah (Christos, Strong's #5547), or God (ref. Micah 5:2), in the flesh (1 John 4:1-3). The list could go on, but I believe the point is made. No, you are trying to create a superficial line between these two groups. Anyone can become a false prophet, therefore both groups must be watched in the appropriate manner. Remember that in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Paul commands us to "test everything." Testing requires making judgments, even with regards to others. For instance, in 1 John 4:1, Paul says: 1 John 4:1 [NIV] Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This applies to all people with suspicious spiritual activity surrounding them, not simply "big name prophets." Anyone can become associated with questionable spirits who encourage them to spread false doctrine. And in testing them, one must engage in the process of judging them. Also, remember that in 1 Corinthians 5, Paul instructs one to judge others so that the immoral brother may be expelled: 1 Corinthians 5 [NIV] 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." But as the context of Matthew 7:1 and James 4:11-12 shows, the issue is about making righteous or proper judgment, not unproper ad hoc judgment. Agreed. When the Spirit offers one guidance and discernment, then one should follow what the Spirit says instead of engaging in their own judgment. However, the Spirit does not always judge for us, thus requiring us to some judging of our own. |
🌈Pride🌈 goeth before Destruction
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