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Anglicans Are Confused! We Will Judge!!

In the news today there was a short story about what is causing a rift in the Anglican church.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, addressing theology students in Toronto, said an oft-quoted passage in Paul's Epistle to the Romans meant to warn Christians not to be self-righteous when they see others fall into sin.

His comments were an unusually open rebuff to conservative bishops, many of them from Africa, who have been citing the Bible to demand that pro-gay Anglican majorities in the United States and Canada be reined in or forced out of the Communion.

"Many current ways of reading miss the actual direction of the passage," Williams said on Monday, according to a text of his speech posted on the Anglican Church of Canada's Web site.  (Click here for Speech Text)

"Paul is making a primary point not about homosexuality but about the delusions of the supposedly law-abiding."

The problem with this interpretation is not that it doesn't make either side happy. The problem is that is states that there should be no judgment against sinners in church.

Mr. Williams did go on to state that the passage obviously describes homosexuality as being wrong in as much as idolatry and dishonouring parents is wrong but he states that judging others is "self righteous" or hypocritically wrong.

Poor (I'll explain why that term later) ministers often support such a view with verses like Romans 14:10 "who are you to judge your brother". The problem they have is that Paul does judge sinners in church. He said, "deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh"

1 Corinthians 5:5. What sin did that person do to receive such an indictment - incest. 1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God.

So how is it possible to understand this apparent contradiction of judging and not judging. Paul says, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Corinthians 5:12-13. This is an incredibly simple principle. You judge what your family does in accordance with your rules of the home. You do not judge those outside your home in that matter, it is up to the authority to judge them.

Because you judge proper behaviour for your children does not make you self-righteous, it makes you a responsible adult. Of course you ought to be setting the example for them. This also requires that when you fall short you apologize too and move forward. If your child attempts to live by the rules and makes a mistake you forgive them, correct them, maybe even discipline them to help them learn the lesson. On the other hand, if your child is rebellious to the rules and refuses to live by them then he/she ought to be corrected or removed. The rules of the house must mean something because they are in the families and the individuals best interest.

On the other hand, each of our children is different. They show love to mom and dad differently. They have various gifts, talents and opportunities. If one provides a hand made card with a song for a gift and the other buys a $1 card for a gift - why would you judge them for the difference. You love each of your children for who they are and help them to develop there talents and to be productive in life - not compared to others in pride, or in guilt, but to be the best they can be. Despite their differences - which you can love and appreciate - they are ALL expected to live within the rules of the House.

Like I said these are incredibly simple concepts.

The problem with the Anglican interpretation stated above is that Mr Williams states you have no right to expect others to uphold God's rules (commandments) in His house. You have no right to judge between clean and unclean and holy or unholy. This is exactly the way the priests of Israel were before God destroyed Jerusalem.

"In you they have treated father and mother with contempt; in you they have oppressed the alien and mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths. In you are slanderous men bent on shedding blood; in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts. In you are those who dishonor their fathers' bed…. In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor's wife, another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law, and another violates his sister, his own father's daughter….. Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Ezekiel 22:excerpts from v7-26

God also said, "I hate your Sabbaths and Feast Days because your hearts are far from me". This wasn’t because there was anything wrong with the Sabbath but that we aren’t justified and holy before God because we go to church but because we accept the sacrifice and testimony of Jesus and act as His disciples – in accordance with the Spirit of God and the Commandments of God. God doesn't want people to go through liturgical practices to feel holy. Real religion is to act properly before God always. Unfortunately, people like Mr. Williams turn religion into spirituality instead of moral responsibilities and thus seek unity in worship service instead of unity by following God's Commandments and the Testimony of Jesus. In the end, Jesus will likewise say, "I hate your worship for your hearts are far from me - you who attempt to justify yourselves in spirituality".

It is okay to judge in fellowship those who refuse to follow God's simple commandments, ones that even nature teaches us are wrong. The commandments are ultimately against pride, arrogance and lust shown in sexual immorality, envy, jealously and selfishness. In its place God expects us to honour his authority, our parents, His Sabbaths, and our neighbours putting our responsibilities before our desires. In so doing, we exercise self control because righteousness in love is more important then our wants and desires.

On the other hand, Satan wants us to do whatever we want and by the way don’t judge others who feel free to commit sexual immorality either.

Whose disciple are you anyway?

 
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Last modified: 18/04/2007