How do you balance discernment with “judge not” without falling into hypocrisy?

General Faith
21

Just because someone calls correction “pride” doesn’t make it pride. All that does is show a heart that does not want to be corrected.

God has never called correction sinful. He calls us to do it. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction” ~2 Timothy 3:16. If correcting others were sin then God would be commanding us to do evil. That accusation will not stand with Him.

Appealing to Scripture is not elevating ourselves. We are humbling ourselves. “Let God be true, but every man a liar” ~Romans 3:4. The Sword does not belong to me or you. The authority rests in God’s Word.

Jesus never said we shouldn’t correct others. He called out hypocrisy. Remove the beam from your eye first ~Matthew 7:5. Correction has not been cancelled by Christ. Love commands that we do it sincerely.

Hypocrisy is not in warning. Rebuking. Or discerning. Hypocrisy is hardening our heart against God’s Word when it confronts us. “He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed” ~Proverbs 29:1.

Truth always divides. Light shines whether it is received or whether men hate it ~John 3:19–20. The problem is not tone. The problem is a lack of submission.

God’s Word is not here to protect our feelings. It is here to judge, correct and save.

22

Correct. But putting yourself before God is. Which is what I commented on with how you phrased what I quoted. Again, it seems you are trying to twist the narrative or to turn focus away from the sin being examined.

Correct. But Judging others leads to Judgement. And not all are called to be teachers, worthy of offering correction. As James 3:1 clearly states: My brethren, not many of you should become teachers, for you know that we will face a more severe judgment.

Why do they face a more severe Judgement? Could it be the consequence for guiding others when you yourself might be wrong?

For instance, if you “correct” falsely, in a manner that goes against Christ’s Teachings, you are hateful with those you correct, or teach others to do as you do and you are wrong yourselves and mislead them by doing so, the Wrath you rake up will be Glorious in comparison with that sinner you tried to “correct.”.

You don’t think the Pharisee attempted to “correct” people? Yet, like hot coals when you LOVE and show kindness, meeting people where they are instead of setting yourself above them, aka self-elevation. As Christ did. Who lowered Himself and served at the feet of his disciples. That is Godly Behavior.

Not setting yourself up above others. Like thinking you have any authority over another person and their sins when you too are a sinner. When Christ is the only reason those sins of yours are not counted against you. And he is on the floor washing feet while you stand high looking for sinners to correct. That is the sin here. The audacity and the gall of this kind of prideful behavior that destroys life. LOVE does not do that.

Am I perfect? Not by a long shot. Do I say any of this because I am sinless and better than you? Absolutely not. I say this because I know the LOVE of God, and I know what is not the LOVE of God. And I have seen behavior disguised as love that destroyed people. And we live in an age where stone throwing happens all the time. Social Media has made it extremely easy to throw stones and to destroy lives. Kids are killing themselves because of spiteful behavior. And if the Church models that behavior, then it has succumbed to it.

You have been transformed by the World rather than the World being transformed by God moving through you.

23

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Quote. No one presumes to teach an art till he has first, with intent meditation, learnt it. What rashness is it, then, for the unskillful to assume pastoral authority, since the government of souls is the art of arts!

The New Testament makes clear that justice has something to do with an attitude and inner transformation that moves beyond an individual or community’s action or inaction. The Sermon on the Mount illustrates this emphasis on heart attitude. There, Jesus revisits the Law and asks His listeners to do not just what it requires of them, but more. Not only must one not commit adultery, one should not even entertain the idea in thought by lusting in one’s heart (Matt 5:27–30). Obedience to God requires not only that one act in accordance with God’s will, but that one seek in their inmost self to put on the mind of Christ.

This charge to be transformed in thought and attitude does not diminish the duty to seek social justice. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus clearly demonstrates concern for the marginalized and downtrodden. Matthew 25:35–40 displays God’s concern for the poor, the stranger, and those who suffer from hunger. He enters into community with those society normally considered outcasts—the tax collector, the woman of ill repute, and the leper.

Throughout the biblical text, the theme of justice remains a constant presence. In some contexts, the pursuit of justice may require punishment for misdeeds or inaction that remind the people of God of their responsibilities to the covenant relationship. In other contexts, the notion of justice may require that the marginalized receive equitable treatment in the community. Whatever the case, it is undeniably clear that God is just and requires justice of His people.

Sally Holt.

Stay strong in Messiah @Tillman.

J.

24

Rebuke, judge, or not?

The problem Paul addresses in the Pastoral Epistles is not vague disagreement or minor doctrinal diversity, but organized and persistent false teaching that was actively damaging the church’s faith and life, especially in Ephesus where Timothy was stationed.

The false teachers themselves are not named, but Paul gives enough internal evidence to identify their character, message, and behavior with reasonable clarity.
They were insiders, not outsiders, operating within the church and presenting themselves as teachers.

Doctrinally, they were promoting “different doctrine” (ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν) rather than the apostolic gospel.

This included myths and endless genealogies, speculative interpretations of the Law, and teachings that generated controversy rather than love flowing from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.

[Note, nothing to do with Greek and Hebrew, LXX etc.]

Their misuse of the Law is especially important.
Paul says they desired to be “teachers of the law” but did not understand what they were saying or asserting.
This suggests not faithful Torah observance, but distorted legalism combined with speculative interpretation, likely blending Jewish elements with emerging philosophical or ascetic ideas.

By the time of 1 Timothy 4, their teaching had taken on a more clearly ascetic shape.
They forbade marriage and required abstinence from certain foods, presenting these practices as spiritually superior.
Paul identifies this as a rejection of God’s good creation and frames it as a denial of the gospel’s implications, not a harmless lifestyle choice.

In 2 Timothy, the problem deepens.
The false teaching now includes irreverent babble, speculation that spreads like gangrene, and claims that the resurrection had already occurred.

This is especially serious, because it undermines future hope and distorts the meaning of Christ’s resurrection, which sits at the center of the apostolic message.

Their theology was not merely mistaken.
It was corrosive, unsettling the faith of believers and pulling them away from sound teaching into confusion and instability.

Just as significant is their moral and relational conduct.
Paul repeatedly connects false teaching with corrupt character.
These teachers were described as arrogant, argumentative, greedy, and lacking self-control.
They viewed godliness as a means of gain, whether social influence, authority, or material benefit.

They also disrupted households, exploiting vulnerable people and inserting themselves into private spaces where they could spread their ideas unchecked.
This is why Paul gives such careful instruction about household order, leadership qualifications, and public teaching.
The issue was not theoretical error, but lived disorder.

Their lives contradicted the faith they claimed to teach.
Paul says they professed to know God, but denied Him by their works.
This disjunction between confession and conduct is one of Paul’s strongest indicators of false teaching.

So when Paul instructs Timothy to reprove, rebuke, and correct, he is responding to a sustained pattern of doctrinal distortion combined with moral inconsistency, not to isolated misunderstandings or sincere questions.

The pastoral concern driving all of this is the health of the church.
False teaching was deforming people’s understanding of God, damaging their hope, and producing lives marked by pride rather than love.

That is why Paul’s response is firm but not reckless.
He aims to protect the flock, restore what can be restored, and silence teaching that leads away from Christ rather than toward Him.

Understanding that context helps prevent these passages from being weaponized today.

They were written to address real, harmful error within the church, not to authorize constant suspicion or unrestrained judgment, but to call leaders to faithful, patient, and courageous pastoral care.

nothing to do with studying morphology and syntax in Scripture peeps.

Shalom.

J.

25

No one is doing that. Not even close. Just because you do not like calling sin what it is, sin, and just teaching people to be themselves, will lead them straight to hell. Why not share the Truth with them, in an effort that perhaps they may live?

“If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.”

This seems to be what you are doing. Love, love, love, yet not warning someone of their sin.

“But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.” Ezekiel 3:18-19

Which is what I, @bdavidc @Bestill @Johann and many others ARE doing.

Very true. Neither does calling it something it is not. Which is also what you are doing.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20

Also read Romans 1:18-32, 1 Timothy 4:1-4, and 2 Timothy 3:1-7

No one here is.

Calling someone who corrects sin, as instructed to do, is not hateful. Saying nothing and letting them burn IS. There is no wrath, except that of God, on the Day of the Lord.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31

We really are all trying to help you. Teach you, not our opinions, our views, or our beliefs, but rather what God says about the situation.

Peter

1 Like
26

Indeed, you “do it.“ Thanks for owning it. And anyone who reads the full threads can judge for themselves what exactly it is that you, “do.”

27

I noticed you never brought any receipts. You made the claim that you point out sin and try to lead people to Christ. I asked for just one instance of you doing this, but you got nothing because you do not believe in TRUE repentance. You believe that you can live however you choose and still go to heaven. Simply not true.

Thanks for acknowledging that we are teaching the Truth, the only Truth, and repentance is needed. As for those who read this. You are correct. They will see you calling sin good and good sin. Trying to say someone, not just me, but anyone, who calls out sin is sinning, is completely ridiculous. I guess that would include Jesus Himself. I’m in good company then.

Your lies are crumbling right before everyone’s eyes. For your own sake, pretty please, learn the Truth, and let the Truth set you free from the bondage of sin and death.

With love,

Peter

28

Is what you are promulgating biblical @Tillman ?

Since…

… the primary Greek verb commanding repentance is μετανοέω (present active imperative or aorist imperative forms), meaning to change the mind in a way that reorients the whole life, not regret, not emotion, not apology theater.

John the Baptist opens the New Testament with a blunt imperative, not a vibe:
“Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[1]
Here the verb is μετανοεῖτε (present active imperative), demanding ongoing repentance as a condition of readiness for God’s reign.

Jesus himself begins his public ministry with the exact same command, deliberately echoing John and making repentance foundational rather than optional:
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[2]

Again μετανοεῖτε, continuous, authoritative, non-negotiable.

Jesus intensifies the demand in Luke by tying repentance directly to destruction, eliminating any category for “loving God without repentance”:
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”[3]
The verb μετανοήσητε (aorist subjunctive) points to decisive turning, not perpetual delay.

After the resurrection, Jesus commissions repentance as a universal proclamation, not a pastoral suggestion:

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.”[4]
The noun μετάνοια here functions as the necessary precondition for ἄφεσις (forgiveness), structurally linking repentance and pardon.

Peter, preaching after the resurrection, commands repentance explicitly and publicly:
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”[5]

The aorist imperative μετανοήσατε demands immediate, decisive action, not gradual emotional warming.

Peter repeats this again, tying repentance to conversion and erasure of sin:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”[6]
Here μετανοήσατε is paired with ἐπιστρέψατε (turn back), showing repentance is internal reorientation that produces external movement.

Paul continues this exact command structure in Acts, explicitly stating that repentance is what God commands, not what humans negotiate:

“But now commandeth all men every where to repent.”[7]
The verb μετανοεῖν appears here as an infinitive dependent on divine command, grounding repentance in God’s authority rather than human preference.

Paul summarizes his entire ministry in repentance-first terms:
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”[8]
The noun μετάνοιαν is directional, toward God, not inwardly therapeutic.

Even the glorified Christ speaks in imperatives to repent in Revelation, dismantling the idea that love replaces repentance:
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”[9]
Here μετανόησον (aorist imperative) is issued because of love, not instead of it.

Now the theological point, stated cleanly and textually.

In Scripture, love without repentance is linguistically hollow, because love (ἀγάπη) never functions as a substitute for repentance (μετάνοια), only as its motive and confirmation.

When repentance is absent, love becomes λόγος μόνος, word alone, speech without submission, affection without surrender.

John states this principle without apology:
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”[10]

Repentance is the first deed of truth, the moment love stops talking and starts bowing.

Strip repentance away and love becomes a theological sound effect, impressive in tone, empty in authority, incapable of reconciling sinners to a holy God who raised Jesus from the dead and commands every person to turn toward him.

J.

  1. Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. - KJV ↩︎

  2. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. - KJV ↩︎

  3. <h1**>I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.** - KJV ↩︎

  4. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. - KJV ↩︎

  5. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. - KJV ↩︎

  6. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. - KJV ↩︎

  7. But now commandeth all men every where to repent. - KJV ↩︎

  8. Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. - KJV ↩︎

  9. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. - KJV ↩︎

  10. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. - KJV ↩︎

29

You’re blending concepts and misapplying Scripture to justify refusal of biblical correction.

Look, teachers do indeed hold themselves accountable to a stricter judgment by virtue of James 3:1. James 3:1 does NOT say that you cannot correct others. What it DOES say is that teachers should understand that they will give an account for how they publicly teach God’s Word. If James 3:1 was referring to correcting others as sinful, then James was contradicting himself in the chapter before when he instructed believers to plainly correct sin. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” ~James 5:19-20. That is NOT pride. That is obedience to Scripture.

Additionally, you equate judgment with condemnation. Jesus never said, “Don’t judge anyone.” He said “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Then what does He tell us to do? “First cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” ~Matthew 7: 1-5 Jesus follows that up with “Judge righteous judgment” ~John 7:24 Case closed.

Invoking “love” to avoid biblical correction is selfishly unChristlike. God has defined love for us, not our feelings or our “tone police.” “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” ~1 John 5: 3 Love “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth” ~1 Corinthians 13:6 If we allow sin to continue in the name of kindness, we are disobeying God and not loving at all. We are compromising.

You bring up the Pharisees. Christ didn’t condemn them for lovingly correcting sin. Christ condemned them for hypocrisy. Christ condemned them for making God’s Word void by their traditions. Christ HAD corrected sin as he openly rebuked the world. He told them plainly they needed to “Repent, or ye shall all likewise perish” ~Luke 13: 3 Jesus instructed His disciples to continue this work of correction. He told them “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault” ~Matthew 18:15

Scripture NEVER says that we have to be without sin to correct others who are sinful. If you applied that standard to everyone then no prophet could speak. No Apostle could write letters. No Christian could love their neighbor. Instead we are told to “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness” ~Galatians 6:1. To restore someone you must confront them. Being “meek” does not equal cowardice.

Correcting sin is “worldly,” “hateful,” and “self-elevating” is ludicrous. God hates those who refuse to listen to correction FAR more than those who lovingly correct a sinning brother. “He that hateth reproof shall die” ~Proverbs 15:10.

This is not throwing stones. This is loving our brothers enough to obey God’s Word. When God clearly speaks, then “feelings” and “tone” arguments, and cries of pride do not supersede His Word.

30

Quoting Gregory the Great does not give your argument authority. Scripture does. And Scripture never teaches that only a trained clerical class may speak truth or correct sin. That idea is foreign to the New Testament. Gregory the Great was a bishop of Rome in the late sixth century, serving from AD 590 to 604. He is commonly called Pope Gregory I and later given the title “the Great” by the Roman Catholic Church, which is a cult and not Christian. So when someone uses Gregory the Great to silence correction or elevate clerical authority, they are not standing on the Bible. They are standing on tradition like you always do.

The Bible says God rebukes His people through His Word, not through institutional rank. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” ~2 Timothy 3:16. Scripture does the correcting. Men should simply speak what God has already said.

James 3:1 does not silence correction. It warns teachers to fear God when handling His Word. If that verse forbade correction, James would contradict himself when he later commands believers to turn sinners from error, saying it saves a soul from death ~James 5:19-20. God does not contradict Himself.

You keep appealing to love as if love means silence. Scripture defines love, not sentiment. “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” ~1 John 5:3. Love does not shield sin from rebuke. Love exposes it so repentance can happen. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” ~Proverbs 27:6.

Dragging in Matthew 5 to soften justice misses the point of the passage. Jesus intensifies the Law to expose the heart as guilty before God. He is not redefining justice. He is stripping away self-righteousness. The Sermon on the Mount leaves everyone condemned unless they repent. That is why it begins with poverty of spirit and ends with a warning of destruction ~Matthew 7:13-27.

Matthew 25 is not a social justice manifesto. Jesus identifies “the least of these my brethren.” Scripture defines His brethren as those who do the will of His Father ~Matthew 12:50. The passage is about accountability before Christ, not activism detached from repentance and faith.

You warn against pride. That is exactly the issue being addressed. And it is frankly comical that the warning is coming from you.

You appeal to humility while positioning yourself as the final judge of who may speak, who may correct, and who has authority. That is not humility. That is self-appointment. Scripture says, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” ~James 4:6. Humility submits to what God has said. It does not redefine obedience as arrogance. You speak against “setting oneself above others,” yet you place yourself above Scripture by deciding when correction is permitted and when it is sinful.

Yet Scripture warns more fiercely against refusing correction. “He that hateth reproof shall die” ~Proverbs 15:10. God does not say the rebuker is the danger. He says the one who rejects correction is.

Jesus did wash feet. And the same Jesus publicly rebuked sin, exposed false teachers, and pronounced woes without apology. He did not confuse humility with silence. He told His followers to do the same, saying, “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault” ~Matthew 18:15.

No one is claiming sinless authority. Scripture never requires it. What it requires is obedience to truth. “Judge righteous judgment” ~John 7:24. When God speaks plainly, standing with His Word is not arrogance. It is submission.

Calling biblical correction “worldly” or “destructive” while appealing to post-biblical tradition is exactly how the Pharisees operated. Jesus said they “made the word of God of none effect through their tradition” ~Mark 7:13.

This is not stone throwing. This is standing where God stands. And when God’s Word confronts us, the issue is never tone. The issue is whether we will bow to the truth or find a reason to evade it like you constantly do.

31

You said this well, “persistent false teaching that was actively damaging the church’s faith and life” because that is what you do.

You are using “context” to excuse silence where Scripture commands correction. Paul did not limit rebuke to rare, institutional crises. He commanded it whenever truth was being distorted.

The Word says, “Reprove, rebuke, exhort” ~2 Timothy 4:2, and “Contend for the faith” ~Jude 1:3. Those commands are not suspended because error is polite, subtle, or framed as concern.

Calling correction “weaponized” while error spreads is not pastoral care. It is disobedience. “They will not endure sound doctrine” ~2 Timothy 4:3. That is the very moment rebuke is required.

This is not pride. This is submission to what God has already said. You did post something that is worth reading from Paul Washer.

“In modern day evangelism, this precious doctrine of regeneration has been reduced to nothing more than a human decision to raise one’s hand, walk an aisle, or pray a sinner’s prayer. As a result, the majority of Americans believe that they have been “born again” even though their thoughts, words, and deeds are a continual contradiction to the nature and will of God.” ~ Paul Washer

Funny thing is, you keep doing just that, whether you realize it or not. You affirm biblical language while functionally contradicting biblical commands. You speak about love, humility, patience, and pastoral care, but then resist, reframe, or restrict what Scripture plainly commands regarding correction, rebuke, and contending for truth. That is a contradiction between what you say you do and what you actually practice.

32

Repent.

I am done dealing with the three of you and this predatory behavior. I have given my answers, and the three of you keep circling back for more and more like sharks and vultures. The Holy Spirit does not behave that way. Your behavior shows the spirit in your hearts. And yes, I do call people to repent. I am telling you to repent. Before it is too late.

You are only hurting yourselves.

2 Peter 2:20-22

For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

John 13:34-35

34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. **35**By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Galatians 5:22-23

**22**But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, **23**gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Ephesians 4:22-24

**22**You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; **23**to be made new in the attitude of your minds; **24**and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Mathew 9

**17**Nor is new wine put into old [a]wineskins [that have lost their elasticity]; otherwise, the wineskins burst, and the [fermenting] wine spills and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, so both are preserved.”

**2**And some people were carrying to him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, child; your sins are forgiven.” **3**Then some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” **4**But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? **5**For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? **6**But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Stand up, take your bed, and go to your home.” **7**And he stood up and went to his home. **8**When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

**10**And as he sat at dinner[a] in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting[b] with Jesus and his disciples. **11**When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” **12**But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. **13**Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Hebrews 6:4-6

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Galatians 5:4

**4**You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Mathew 23:15

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!

Mathew 12:

**30 **Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. **31 **Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. **32 **And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

33

You’d best not think of this as a game. You will stand before God on judgment day, and it will not go well for you as you twist God’s words to make them say what you want them to. You just proved the point. You threw a pile of verses, then used them like a club, not like Scripture that must be handled in context. That is not discernment. That is emotion dressed up as holiness.

Yes, the Bible commands love. It also commands correction. Love is not silence, and love is not letting error spread. “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” ~1 John 5:3, and love “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth” ~1 Corinthians 13:6. If you use “love” to forbid correction, you are contradicting God’s definition of love.

You cited James 3 earlier to argue that most people should not correct. But Scripture commands believers to correct and restore those in error. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him… he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death” ~James 5:19–20. So no, correction is not self-elevation. It is obedience, when done with humility.

And your closing “Repent… last chance… I’m done dealing with your games” is exactly the hypocrisy you keep accusing others of. You condemn “stone throwing” while doing it. You warn about pride while speaking as judge over hearts. That is comical coming from you, because you keep positioning yourself as the authority who decides when Scripture may be applied, and who may apply it.

If you want to use Matthew 9, then read what Jesus actually did. He showed mercy to sinners, and He also confronted the Pharisees’ false thinking. He didn’t choose mercy instead of truth. He brought both.

Here is the simple biblical balance. First examine yourself, then correct your brother. Jesus said, “First cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” ~Matthew 7:5. He did not cancel correction. He commanded it be done without hypocrisy.

So drop the fog. Stop using “love” as a shield against truth. If you think a correction is wrong, open the Bible and show it from the text in context. If you can’t, then the problem is not the correction. The problem is your refusal to submit to what God has plainly said.

34

love-you-anyway-love-you

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35

Don’t let him bother you @Tillman apparently I’m “hateful” when I share the gospel.

J.

36

Jhn_7:24 Stop μὴ judging κρίνετε by κατ’ outward appearances, ὄψιν, [and start] ἀλλὰ judging κρίνετε. - τὴν justly δικαίαν . . . .” κρίσιν*

Rom_14:13 Therefore οὖν vvv Μηκέτι let us stop judging κρίνωμεν· one another. ἀλλήλους Instead ἀλλὰ . . . , μᾶλλον, make up your mind κρίνατε - τοῦτο not μὴ - τὸ to put τιθέναι [any] stumbling block πρόσκομμα or ἢ obstacle σκάνδαλον. vvv τῷ in your brother’s way. ἀδελφῷ

(II) To judge, to form and express a judgment or opinion as to any person or thing, more commonly unfavorable. Followed by the acc. of person (Jhn_8:15; Rom_2:1, Rom_2:3; Rom_3:7; Rom_14:3-4, Rom_14:10, Rom_14:13; Col_2:16); by the acc. of thing (1Co_10:15). In an absolute sense (Mat_7:1-2; Luk_6:37; Jhn_8:16, Jhn_8:26; Rom_2:1; 1Co_4:5; 1Co_10:29). Followed by the interrogative with ei (G1487), if (Act_4:19).

Also with an adjunct of manner, equivalent to krínō krísin, to make a judgment according to appearance (Jhn_7:24); to judge that which is right (Luk_12:57); to judge rightly (Luk_7:43); to judge according to the flesh (Jhn_8:15). By implication to condemn, followed by the acc. (Rom_2:27; Rom_14:22; Jas_4:11-12; Sept.: Job_10:2).

(III) To judge in a judicial sense.
(A) To sit in judgment on any person, to try. Followed by the acc. (Jhn_18:31; Act_23:3; Act_24:6; 1Co_5:12). In the pass. krínomai, to be judged, tried, be on trial (Act_25:10; Rom_3:4; Sept.: Psa_51:6). Followed by perí (G4012), concerning, with the gen., to judge for something (Act_23:6; Act_24:21); by epí (G1909), upon, with the dat., for (Act_26:6 “to be judged for the hope” [a.t.]); by epí with the gen., meaning before someone (Act_25:9). Spoken in reference to the gospel dispensation, to the judgment of the great day of God as judging the world through Christ (Jhn_5:22; Jhn_8:50; Act_17:31; Rom_3:6); the secret things (Rom_2:16. See 1Co_5:13; Jas_2:12; 1Pe_1:17; 1Pe_2:23; Rev_11:18; Rev_20:12-13); of Jesus as the Messiah and Judge (Jhn_5:30; 2Ti_4:1); of Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead (1Pe_4:5; Rev_19:11); figuratively of the Apostles and saints (Mat_19:28; Luk_22:30; 1Co_6:2, “And if the world shall be judged by you”).

(B) In the sense of to pass judgment upon, condemn, with the acc. (Luk_19:22; Jhn_7:51; Act_13:27). As also implying punishment (1Co_11:31-32; 1Pe_4:6). Of the condemnation of the wicked and including the idea of punishment as a certain consequence, meaning to punish, take vengeance on. Spoken of God as judge (Act_7:7 quoted from Gen_15:14; Rom_2:12; 2Th_2:12; Heb_13:4; Rev_6:10; Rev_18:8, Rev_18:20; Rev_19:2); of Jesus (Jhn_3:17-18; Jhn_12:47-48; Jas_5:9; Sept.: Isa_66:16; Ezk_38:22).

(C) To vindicate, avenge (Heb_10:30, “The Lord will avenge His people” [a.t.], i.e., by punishing their enemies).

(IV) Mid. krínomai, particularly to let oneself be judged, i.e., to have a lawsuit, go to law, with the dat., meaning with someone (Mat_5:40; 1Co_6:6); with the gen., to be judged before, followed by epí (G1909), upon or before someone (1Co_6:1, 1Co_6:6). With metá (G3326), with, and the gen., with someone (Sept.: Ecc_6:10); with prós (G4314), before or toward and the acc., toward someone (Sept.: Job_31:13).
Deriv.: anakrínō (G350), to judicially investigate, examine; apokrínomai (G611), to respond; diakrínō (G1252), to separate thoroughly, discriminate, make to differ, judge thoroughly; egkrínō (G1469), to class with, count along, approve; eilikrinḗs (G1506), pure, sincere; epikrínō (G1948), to give sentence; katakrínō (G2632), to judge against, condemn; kríma (G2917), judicial decision; krísis (G2920), judgment; kritḗs (G2923), judge; sugkrínō (G4793), to judge one thing comparing it with another, to interpret; hupokrínomai (G5271), to speak or act under false identity.
Syn.: egkaléō (G1458), to accuse before a court of justice; kataginṓskō (G2607), to know something against, think ill of, condemn as a result of an enlightened conscience; katadikázō (G2613), to pronounce judgment, condemn; diaginṓskō (G1231), to ascertain exactly; diakrínō (G1252), to discern; logízomai (G3049), to reckon, esteem; exouthenéō (G1848), to set at naught; dokéō (G1380), to form an opinion.
Ant.: apologéomai (G626), to answer back in making a defense, to excuse oneself; dikaióō (G1344), to regard as just or innocent; aphíēmi (G863), to dismiss, forgive, remit, let go; apolúō (G630), to release; timáō (G5091), to judge well, render honor.
Word study.

Rom_14:13 “let us not judge one another” This is a present active subjunctive with the Negative particle which implies stopping an act already in process. This is not a warning but a prohibition. This is very similar to Rom_14:16. The term “judge” has already been used 5 times by Paul in Rom_14:1-12 and now four more times in Rom_14:13-23.
SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGING (SHOULD CHRISTIANS JUDGE ONE ANOTHER?)

“not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way”

This is a present active infinitive with the negative particle which implied the stopping of an act already in process. The same truth is stated in Rom_14:21 and 1Co_8:9.
The term “obstacle” referred to something in the road that causes one to stumble. The term “stumbling block” literally refers to a triggering mechanism on a baited animal trap.
There is a corporate aspect to Christianity. We are our fellow believers’ keeper, encourager, and friend. Faith is family!

SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGMENT IN THE NT)

J.

37

No, you never did. But as you said, those who read this will see the truth. Although others reading this and discerning you leaving half the Gospel out is not, nor was it ever my goal. Helping you to see the truth according to God was and is my goal.

And this is what you leave out. All the time. This is what you refuse to answer. Just be saying I do not love because I point out that we are to do this. Allowing God to change us is simply false. An allegation that you cannot back up.

Amen. This is what we are trying to help you see.

Peter

38

Um @Johann You are not letting your anger or dislike for @bdavidc cloud your judgement, pun intended, or cloud your ability to clearly see what the Word clearly says?

“Stop judging each other.” As in Romans 14:13, not “never evaluate anything,” but stop the kind of judgment that tears people down or creates division. Paul is speaking to a community arguing over food laws and religious practices — things that weren’t moral issues but personal convictions.

The phrase “stumbling block”, in this contex means: don’t pressure someone to violate their conscience. Don’t flaunt your freedom in a way that harms someone else. Don’t make someone’s spiritual journey harder than it needs to be.

This has nothing to do with pointing out sin and trying to lead people to repentance.

Peter

39

Pun right back at ya @PeterC

Should Christians judge one another? This issue must be dealt with in two ways.
believers are admonished not to judge one another (cf. Matt. 7:1-5; Luke 6:37,42; Rom. 2:1-11; James 4:11-12)
believers are admonished to evaluate leaders (cf. Matt. 7:6,15-16; 1 Cor. 14:29; 1 Thess. 5:21; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; and 1 John 4:1-6)
Some criteria for proper evaluation may be helpful.
evaluation should be for the purpose of affirmation (cf. 1 John 4:1 ‒ “test” with a view toward approval; see SPECIAL TOPIC: Testing (peirazō and dokimazō)
evaluation should be done in humility and gentlenessstrong text (cf. Gal. 6:1)
evaluation must not focus on personal preference issues (cf. Rom. 14:1-23; 1 Cor. 8:1-13; 10:23-33)
evaluation should identify those leaders who have “no handle for criticism” from within the church or the community (cf. 1 Timothy 3)

In the Hebrew Scriptures, judgment is most often expressed with the verb שָׁפַט (šāphaṭ), which means to judge, govern, administer justice, or render a verdict according to covenant standards rather than personal irritation, and this verb is routinely applied to prophets evaluating Israel from within the covenant, not outsiders looking in.

For example, Ezekiel is commanded by God to judge Jerusalem, not by inventing criteria but by publicly exposing covenant violation, which frames judgment as revelatory rather than merely punitive[1], where the purpose is disclosure of sin in light of God’s law, not emotional condemnation.

The noun מִשְׁפָּט (mišpāṭ), meaning justice or legal judgment, is central to prophetic rebuke, because Israel’s failure is not that they judged, but that they judged unjustly, privileging power, wealth, or preference over God’s revealed will[2], which makes clear that judgment is commanded when it protects the vulnerable and enforces covenant faithfulness.

Moving forward, Jesus does not abolish this framework but intensifies it, shifting the focus from external compliance to internal integrity, while retaining judgment language with precision, using the Greek verb κρίνω (krinō), which means to decide, evaluate, or distinguish.

When Jesus forbids judgment in Matthew 7, the issue is not evaluation but hypocrisy and role confusion, because the same discourse immediately requires discernment of dogs, swine, false prophets, and fruit, all of which are acts of judgment whether people like the word or not[3].

Jesus explicitly commands judgment when grounded in righteousness rather than appearance, using κρίνετε κρίσιν δικαίαν, literally “judge a just judgment,” which assumes judgment is unavoidable and only its standard is in question[4].

In Pauline literature, the vocabulary becomes more precise, especially with ἀνακρίνω (anakrinō), meaning to examine, interrogate, or discern carefully, often used in legal or evidentiary contexts, which Paul applies to spiritual evaluation rather than condemnation.

In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul contrasts the natural man with the spiritual man, stating that the spiritual person evaluates all things because he possesses the “mind of Christ,” not because he is superior, but because he is aligned with divine revelation[5].

When Paul addresses church discipline in 1 Corinthians 5, he deliberately uses κρίνω for internal judgment while forbidding judgment of outsiders, making the boundary explicit and non-negotiable[6], which destroys the claim that Christian love equals moral non-evaluation.

Paul also employs **

δοκιμάζω (dokimazō), Do a study on this @PeterC and @bdavidc. And PEIRADZO, and you tell me if this is nor what is going on here.

…meaning to test with the aim of approval, not suspicion, which frames judgment as constructive discernment rather than fault-finding[7].

Finally, when judgment concerns restoration, Paul deliberately changes tone and posture, commanding correction to be done in meekness, because judgment that forgets human frailty has already failed its biblical purpose[8].

So across the prophets, Jesus, and Paul, the pattern is consistent and frankly inconvenient: God’s people are commanded to judge covenant faithfulness, doctrine, leadership, and behavior using God’s revealed standards, while being strictly forbidden from condemning motives, enforcing preferences, or assuming divine prerogatives.

If you don’t understand, let me know.

J.

  1. Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations. Ezekiel 22:2 KJV ↩︎

  2. Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:17 KJV ↩︎

  3. Beware of false prophets… ye shall know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15–16 KJV ↩︎

  4. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. John 7:24 KJV ↩︎

  5. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 1 Corinthians 2:15 KJV ↩︎

  6. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 1 Corinthians 5:12 KJV ↩︎

  7. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV ↩︎

  8. Restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Galatians 6:1 KJV ↩︎

40

OK, now I think I understand the problem, well, between you and me. My issue could be called into the realm; however, judging a brother is not my original position. What my issue with @Tillman is, is this. He seems to only preach half the Gospel. Leaving out something even Christ Himself never left out when seeking to save the lost. Repent.

Love, love, unconditional love. Sin? How dare you? You are not loving if you point out sin. This is not even close to Biblical. If I love someone enough to tell them about their sin, and they become offended or hurt, that is called conviction. That is called God attempting to have them turn and be saved. Which, by the statement above, and my history with you, I think you agree with.

.Yes. We agree. When I point out to Tillman, of whom I truly do hope is a brother, I am doing so to admonish him in not teaching the whole Truth. I am not judging his salvation or his love of God.

Are we on the same page now? Do you think my pointing this out is due to a lack of love, or is it wrong in some way? I would love your opinion.

Peter