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?