Over the weekend I got the following email:
“Bob I am not coming to stir up any sort of trouble but come to you with gentle rebuke. Yesterday’s email was like sharp daggers to my heart.”
Whenever a letter starts out like that, I prepare myself for a stirring . . . LOL
“Sometimes we get caught in the snares so we can’t see the big picture. President Trump has done more for our country than anyone. Our pastor is his spiritual adviser, and she has told us so many things about this man that you just couldn’t even imagine. God specifically warns us not to judge for He is the only one that knows the heart… God chose him because he is a strong leader and has exposed the evil and corruption of our government that we never even imagined existed. I love you Bob, you are my brother in Christ and we are on the same team working in the same army… Please pray and see if the Lord moves you to send out an email repenting for those harsh words that were said about our president… Remember we are all a work in progress with rough edges. Look at God how he used Paul to become His greatest Warrior ( A man that once hated Christians)…. Please go back and read your email …it is filled with so much hatred… Jesus says LOVE covers a multitude of sins.”
So, I thank this lady for her opinion, but she is in my opinion misguided. First, I do agree that Trump did a tremendous amount of good for our country, and I said as much in the post to which she refers, but I also think he has harmed our country and continues to do so with his divisive hateful rhetoric. I’m not being misled by the media as I have listened to his many speeches and even saw him mock a disabled reporter for Politico. He is indeed mean-spirited, has a foul mouth, and is a self-serving narcissist. I’m just calling it what it is . . .
I assume your “pastor” is Paula White. As an aside the Bible is clear that women are ineligible to be a pastor. There is perhaps no more hotly debated issue in the church today than the issue of women serving as pastors. As a result, it is very important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible places restrictions on the ministry of women, and there are men who believe women can serve as pastors and that there are no restrictions on women in ministry. This is not an issue of chauvinism or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.
Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15), just not in a pastoral role.
That is a topic for a different post and before anyone pens any nasty letters, read the Scripture. If you disagree, please debate it with God because these are His words and not mine. I am aware that Trump uses her as his spiritual advisor and I’m sure she is enamored with him and him with her.
The Bible is clear that we shall know them by their fruits. And Paul states that we are to judge. “He who is spiritual judges all things.” (1 Corinthians 2:15). He says furthermore: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? Jesus famous quote is widely taken out of context. “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged: and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3)
BUT, then Jesus immediately says, “You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5). in Matthew 7:16, “By their fruits you will know them.” Jesus is talking about false prophets, but again a judgment has to be made. Jesus is NOT only saying that we should not judge, He actually is telling us to judge others based on their actions.
Why? Because our actions reveal the truth about us. Someone can say, “I’m not a killer,” but if they kill someone, their actions have proven them wrong. Someone can say, “I’m not a thief,” but if they steal, then their actions have proven them wrong. Someone can say, “I have repented,” but if they recommit that sin, then they have not repented.
So the idea that we are to “not judge” others is an incorrect teaching.
However, there are two types of judging.
There is objective judgment of “Calling it what it is” and there is subjective judgment of looking down on people and viewing them as less than you because of what they do. Objective judgments are non-sinful, and we see Paul doing it in the Bible as well. Arrogant, prideful, belittling judgments are obviously sinful, as the Bible repeatedly speaks against arrogance, pride, and belittling others. Hypocrites are subjective in their judgment.
It’s a paradox, Christians are not to judge other Christians. And Christians are to judge other Christians. That’s what the Bible teaches. In fact, the apostle Paul says both things in the same letter just a few paragraphs apart.
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
Bottom line? Don’t judge other Christians.
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? (1 Corinthians 5:12)
Bottom line? Judge other Christians.
Is Paul contradicting himself? No. Paul is simply instructing us that there are things we must not judge and things we must judge. As for Trump I continue to think he is harmful to our country and there are far better choices such as Ron DeSantis who has the conservative values, but without the hate filled rhetoric.
This entire post addresses hot button issues and all of us have our interpretations of the Bible. I prefer to look to the Scriptures instead of Paula White or any other flesh. It is our guide. As for me, yes, I’m a sinner and freely admit it and try my utmost daily to repent. Christians can feel free to judge and rebuke me for my sins, but in the end, I’m only trying to please God. This lady seems to be making this a personal issue; however, it is not about me and I’m not running for the highest office in the land.
Finally, I want to make it explicitly clear that my musing about Donald Trump are not condemnations. I just think the country would be far better served by a presidential candidate who is less divisive and more measured with his words…
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.