Romans 8:1

[Jullianna]

Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 43:25
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Heb 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 10:17
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,


I understand that we need to call sin, sin. I understand that, if someone is still in sin, out of LOVE (not self-righteous hypocrisy) we are to educate them with regard to sin.

Is it okay to pass judgment on a sibling in Christ whose sins have been forgiven and who is not continuing in that sin when God does not?

 

[Oncefallen]

I guess it depends on what you're considering to be passing judgement. If you mean condemning them and treating them like a lower class of person, absolutely not. I do however believe in exercising wisdom and discernment both among friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

[LightningClap0002]

Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 43:25
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Heb 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 10:17
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,


I understand that we need to call sin, sin. I understand that, if someone is still in sin, out of LOVE (not self-righteous hypocrisy) we are to educate them with regard to sin.

Is it okay to pass judgment on a sibling in Christ whose sins have been forgiven and who is not continuing in that sin when God does not?

And how do you quanitfy "continuing in sin"

It's a good question. The answer seems pretty obvious to me. :S But it's the following through on what you know that's a little bit tougher. I sure hope I'm living it in my life, though!

 

[Nautilus]

I guess it depends on the level of judgment being passed. I wouldnt treat the person badly or anything but it would certainly effect personal decisions about them. Like extreme example: I could forgive someone if they had say killed someone and then became saved, I still wouldnt let him date my daughter.

 

[Jullianna]

Clarification:
Is it okay to speak of them badly or do/say things about their past that might cause them to stumble or leave the faith?

Lightning:
Not continuing in sin example: If the woman at the well did as Jesus said and stopped hopping from guy to guy

 

[niceguyJ]

Clarification:
Is it okay to speak of them badly or do/say things about their past that might cause them to stumble or leave the faith?

The immediate answer that popped into my head is simply NO.....but.....I also believe we're each responsible for our own actions. So if someone leaves the faith, it's on them ultimately. If someone leaves I always question if they were ever truly God's. I know I've gone through periods where I wasn't where I should be with God, but He always draws me back.
That said, if we do something against said person that is wrong or a sin, we'll have to answer for that too of course. Hopefully we'd recognize it, repent, and do better.

It seems you're basically just saying, "Don't gossip.".

 

[LightningClap0002]

Clarification:
Is it okay to speak of them badly or do/say things about their past that might cause them to stumble or leave the faith?

Lightning:
Not continuing in sin example: If the woman at the well did as Jesus said and stopped hopping from guy to guy

Hehehe, I was just putting my devil horns on with that comment. If she cut her guy hopping down to 1 more or 2 more, is she still continuing in her sin?

 

[Jullianna]

I'm talking about this:


And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. Mark 9:42


Matthew 18:6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.


Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

1 Cor 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

I'm talking about mocking, fingerpointing, gossip, and any other negative speaking about fellow christians, ESPECIALLY regarding things God has forgiven.


It hurts my heart to see it/hear it. How about you?
Have you seen people leave the church because of this?

If someone turns away from the faith, yes, it's their decision. But, according to these verses, we can be a contributing factor.

 

[Jullianna]

Hehehe, I was just putting my devil horns on with that comment. If she cut her guy hopping down to 1 more or 2 more, is she still continuing in her sin?

Don't make me put my high heels on and come up there

 

[zeroturbulence]

I'm talking about this:


And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. Mark 9:42


Matthew 18:6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.


Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

1 Cor 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

I'm talking about mocking, fingerpointing, gossip, and any other negative speaking about fellow christians, ESPECIALLY regarding things God has forgiven.


It hurts my heart to see it/hear it. How about you?
Have you seen people leave the church because of this?

If someone turns away from the faith, yes, it's their decision. But, according to these verses, we can be a contributing factor.

You know what, I was reading posts on a secular forum a couple nights ago and they were discussing how christians do that to one another.

 

[LightningClap0002]

I'm talking about this:


And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. Mark 9:42


Matthew 18:6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.


Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

1 Cor 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

I'm talking about mocking, fingerpointing, gossip, and any other negative speaking about fellow christians, ESPECIALLY regarding things God has forgiven.


It hurts my heart to see it/hear it. How about you?
Have you seen people leave the church because of this?

If someone turns away from the faith, yes, it's their decision. But, according to these verses, we can be a contributing factor.

Yes, I'm sorry. I really did understand. I was just not acting my age.

I don't know for sure, but I think I have my parents to thank for being sheltered from much of this. Looking at my church now I can't believe how much drama is going on. Or maybe things truly were just simpler for everyone 20 years ago. It really is saddening either way that churches are so full of drama.

 

[Jullianna]

This is something that is so incredibly close to my heart, Gabe. I left the church at 17 for a couple of years because of gossip coming from ladies I considered to be pillars of the faith about a young lady I knew who was new to the church. I was crushed. And I was stupid. And I made some huge mistakes while I was away. I'm so glad Jesus came after me.

I know now not to follow others in the faith, only Christ, but I wasn't wise to that as a teen.


This is why it breaks my heart. It's why I'm so passionately determined to defend others who've made mistakes when I see them trying to live for the Lord, but others keep throwing their past in their faces.

 

[nw2u]

I'm talking about this:

I'm talking about mocking, fingerpointing, gossip, and any other negative speaking about fellow christians, ESPECIALLY regarding things God has forgiven.


It hurts my heart to see it/hear it. How about you?
Have you seen people leave the church because of this?

If someone turns away from the faith, yes, it's their decision. But, according to these verses, we can be a contributing factor.

I have been on both sides of this. It is terribly painful. I believe there is a time, a place and a way to confront. Christ did it. He also left a place and even shook the dust off his feet! I believe I must be very careful I do not sin grievously by my words.

 

[Oncefallen]

I get Julianna's point probably better than most because I've lived with judgment firsthand from some "christians." The point is partially about the gossip that can go on behind people's backs, but likewise the condemnation that some people freely hand out that is typically rooted in legalism and hypocrisy.

As one who has a rather shameful past I have received great grace from my Lord, and likewise from many that I have chosen to share that past with. Likewise I have had some in the church who have reacted as if I were still engaged in that life and blasted me for how horrible I was. Believe me those of us with a severe past don't need any help kicking ourselves around, we do it plenty on our own.

Don't make me put my high heels on and come up there

Post pics or it didn't happen.

 

[Jullianna]

I have been on both sides of this. It is terribly painful. I believe there is a time, a place and a way to confront. Christ did it. He also left a place and even shook the dust off his feet! I believe I must be very careful I do not sin grievously by my words.

Christ confronted about present sin, not forgiven/repented sin, but I get where you are coming from

 

[Nautilus]

I'm talking about this:

I'm talking about mocking, fingerpointing, gossip, and any other negative speaking about fellow christians, ESPECIALLY regarding things God has forgiven.


It hurts my heart to see it/hear it. How about you?
Have you seen people leave the church because of this?

If someone turns away from the faith, yes, it's their decision. But, according to these verses, we can be a contributing factor.

I agree that fingerpointing and gossiping is bad regardless of what the person has done in the past, we have all sinned so we have no right to judge them.

THough how guess how we decide to personally react to them is another thing, but no one should ostracize anyone.

 

[Jullianna]

I get that, Nautilus. I know christians that I'm not fond of being around, but I most certainly don't ever want to say anything to needlessly hurt or discourage them in any way.

 

[Jullianna]

1 Thes 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.


Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.


Romans 14


14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

satan is constantly seeking to devour us. We don't need to help him out by devouring one another...

 

[Beloved57]

The only time we should judge any kind of sin is when it throws a stumblingblock in front of another person faith.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Romans 14:13
I believe this is what Jesus calls righteous judgment (John 7:24).

Can a Believer hold another sins, against them, Yes. But it is just asking for trouble, because if we forgive others, our Heavenly Father forgives us, but if not He is no longer consider Heavenly, but just Father, and our trepasses our mention, as not being forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15) This is part of the work of faith that James speaks of; James 2:8-14. True faith forgives because we are forgiven by Christ:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32
Peter even speaks of this in Chapter 3 of his first epistle in verse 8 and 9.

I never want to hear about another person sin, because as God is my witness, it may give me a holier than thou attitude, and I don't want God having to adjust it, as it can be painful, and I will have to confess I'm just sinful (Romans 7:14-25). If as a Saint one looks at another sins, and starts to judge them (unless as in the case of Romans 14:13) we run the risk of playing devil's advocate. For God has cast those sin in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19), and no one has any business fishing for what God, has cast into the depths of the sea.

 

[rus_lady]

we have lot of gossip going on on in my old church where i used to go ... the most saddest thing is tht pastor of tht church instead of going to talk to this or tht person he is happily believes all gossip tht been told to him ... dont understand why he does tht ... away too lot of ppl left church cuz of it and ppl continue to leave from thier ...