Why So Judgmental?

Why do so many Christians choose to justify their own sins while pointing out the sins of others?

We are given detailed instructions on how to address those that sin against us. We are supposed to address them directly. If they do not repent, then we are to bring them before two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to repent, then we bring them before the entire congregation. After that, we are to remove them from the congregation.

If we know that we are sinning against God, Christ, or other people, we are supposed to seek forgiveness and repent. In other words, we should acknowledge that what we are doing is wrong and change our behavior so that we are no longer sinning. In no way should we justify our sin. The mere attempt to justify our sin shows that we know what we are doing is wrong. 

However, many care more about societal/worldly acceptance than God’s approval. That’s a clear indicator that you have not made God the top priority in your life and you may not be saved like you think you are. That is why sinners that refuse to repent are instructed to be removed from congregations. So, how does individual justification of sin fall into this? Is it not the same for your sin as it is for the sin of another? How is your sin justifiable while their sin is not? IT’S NOT! You cannot justify sin. You can only seek forgiveness and try not to sin again.

Aside from not justifying sin, it’s also important to note that our instructions are strictly for dealing with fellow Christians that sin against us. It is not our place to judge those that sin but are not part of the body of Christ. They are living in their ignorance like we once were. What we believe to be sinful now was not always viewed that way through our own eyes. Personally, I used to think that the death penalty was an appropriate punishment and viewing pornography was okay. 

Now that I can see clearly, I know that executing someone goes against Christ’s teachings and viewing pornography damages the relationship you have with your spouse, your own personal relationship with God, and your mental and physical well-being. Execution shows a lack of forgiveness and we are told that we will not be forgiven if we cannot forgive others. Pornography is lust toward someone other than your wife; which we are told by Christ is adultery.

The purpose of judging others is to keep the body of Christ strong. That is why we are instructed to only judge Christians. By declaring yourself a Christian you are proclaiming that you are part of the body of Christ. It is up to the rest of us Christians to keep you strong and free of sin. Those that do not belong to the body of Christ do not damage the body of Christ with their sin. I believe that that is why we are not instructed to judge non-Christians. Unfortunately, many Christians believe that it is their responsibility to force others out of their sin. This is obvious with highly politicized issues like same-sex marriage.

As Christians, we need to stop justifying our own sin and stop trying to force others to leave their sin. Following Christ is meant to be a choice and we need to show the world what that means through our actions.