Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong.
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

I was singing this one night and felt something was missing – our response to this love.

We had taught our children that Jesus died on the cross for their sins; and how they needed to ask Him into their hearts.  This song tells them about His love and where we learn of His love, but they needed to know more.  So one night I came up with this response:

I love Jesus, He’s my Lord.
On the cross, His blood He pour.
Rose again to set me free.
Lives in heaven to interceed.
Yes, I love Jesus.
Yes, I love Jesus.
Yes, I love Jesus.
Because He died for me.

They loved it and learned more about what Jesus did for them on the cross.  I hope you like it, I felt that I need to share this tonight.

So feel free to use this as you put you kids to bed at night and teach them about Christ.

The Bible on the surface can hold what some would say are confusing contradictions. However, if one takes the time to study the Scriptures for all they are worth, and seek to understand the culture in which is the context for the Bible; the Holy Writ comes alive with meaning and makes perfect sense. If people would spend as much time studying the Bible as they do sport team stats or senseless blog arguing , what kind of understanding would they have, what kind of society would we see?

I have learned that non-Christians do study and memorize some Scripture.  But mainly for use against Christians, not to change their lives.  A popular verse that is often quoted, out of context, is Matthew 7:1

Judge not, that you be not judged.

[Why do non-Christians choose not to memorize Romans 3:23 or John 8:58]  

They love to throw this in the face of a Christian who is really trying to help them see salvation and the joyous life in Christ. Those who live in darkness hate to have the light shine on their sin, and will use methods to divert the attention away from themselves, “What do you mean what I do is wrong?”  “Who are you to judge me, does your Bible say….” And their sudden biblical scholarship beats back the Christian to squelch the convicting feelings. It’s like trying to save a drowning person, get to close and they jump on you and drown you – you die and your only intent was to save their life.

There is truth to the non-Christians complaint that a majority Christians tend to act like Pharisees. You know “We’re better than you.” Or “Unclean, don’t touch me.”  They are hypocritical, expecting the non-Christian to live a life the Christian is not even able to maintain.  It’s like expecting a tadpole to jump like a frog, it’s impossible until the transformation occurs.

But is that the heart and mind of Christ, is that truly what we are called to model to the world?

Paul said it best in Philippians 2:5; have the attitude of Christ. We are not to judge others, we are not called to condemn. BUT…. 

In contrast, we are supposed to be Fruit Inspectors.  From the same chapter in Matthew 7 comes a balancing point.

You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

“Now wait a cotton pickin’ minute. Jesus just said don’t judge now we are supposed to look at what someone does and determine whether they are good or evil? Isn’t that judging?”

Actually when you look at the cultural context of the “judge not” passage this seeming dichotomy makes perfect since.  Let me explain.

During the first century, and it is still true today, judges could be corrupt, not honestly weighing the evidence before them. The Pharisees certainly were and they are the target of this “judge not” passage. For they took the 10 commandments of God and created 613 additional laws to make sure everyone followed perfectly. Only problem, no one can, not even them.

 William Barclay illustrates this corruption idea in a story from medieval essayist Michel de Montaigne about a Persian judge who wrongly condemned a man in court. King of Persia, King Cambysses, heard about this in justice and put in place a solution for future judges. King Cambysses had that judge killed, flayed his skin, and used his skin to cover a chair that judges were to sit on when they passed their judgments – a grim reminder to never allow prejudice to affect their verdicts. This is like the native America saying, “Do not judge a man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins.”  This is the idea behind ‘judge not lest you be judge’ statement.  We are not to look at someone and, to add another cliché, judge a book by its cover.  We are to love unconditionally. Christians are not called to judge; really no one is called to judge. The verse everyone should learn, Romans 3:23

 For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

That does not change once we become Christians. As long as we are in these bodies that have not been transformed like our spirits, we will have to battle with sinfulness.

But again, we are to be fruit inspectors. Jesus states in Matthew 7:15, we are not to believe everything someone says just because they say they are Christians.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

The reason being, false prophets come into the church and lead people astray. So we are to listen to what other say and evaluate their meaning in light of the Bible. The Greek word used here is yeudoprofhtwn which means a false teachers or one who falsely speaks by divine inspiration.

See it is not the job of Christians to evaluate non-Christians lives, they have not been transformed; the old man has not been put to death.  They have not received the newness of life that Jesus Christ can give them.

So the non-Christian is correct in saying we are not to judge them; think less of them.  We are also not supposed to judge one another either, judging is for the Most High at the end of days.  No one if perfect and therefore they cannot judge.

However, by the same token we are to be fruit inspectors, not allowing the heresies, incomplete or perverted doctrines to be espoused in the church.

Then there is the question of eternity.  I am excited about my prospect for eternity. But do I know what my neighbor thinks? Where will he spend eternity.  Now I am a strange bird [pun intended]. I do talk to my neighbors. I know the neighbor on my left’s wife died 6 months ago. I have spoken with him on several occasions prior and after. They are Christians and though he has grieved her passing, he lives on, putting together the story of their live in pictures for their children. I like him and enjoy the times we get to talk.  The neighbor on my right and his wife travel on business all the time; I rarely see them, but when we do talk, they are great people too. The neighbor across the street, my mom loves talking to him; and she lives in another town. He’s a bit weird, but I enjoy talking about life with him too. I know my neighbors I share the alley with too.

But that brings me back to the 21st Century Christian [21CC]. 2100 years after the birth of Christ. Would he even recognize a 21CC.  I don’t mean to sound judgmental but when one claims to be a Christian, there are certain expectations placed upon that title.  If you do not believe me, spend some time on the wordpress.com sites and link to others that speak about their experiences with “Christians”.

Yeah I put quotes around Christian that time, because there are those who are Christians and others who just love to be called that.My heart is saddened when I read that someone was a Christian, then felt judged or molested or shunned by the “Christians” they were surrounded by. 

That is not Christ like. Jesus said, ”A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples [Christians], if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34,35).This is how those round the 21CC will know that they are Christians, by the way that they show their love to other Christians.  That is the test. 

Now I know some will come at me with arguments, “Christians are not supposed to judge”. And I agree at this point, as a Christian I am not supposed to judge non-Christians period. But I am supposed to be a “fruit inspector” when it comes to other Christians.  I will cover that in my next blog. I am long winded here already. 

My heart is sad with those who felt driven away by those who claimed to follow Christ, as I am sure God’s heart is too. 21CC needs to be on alert as there are wolves among us, there are tares that have been sown amongst the Church (Matthew 13:25-ff).Those who have lost confidence in the Church, I feel your sadness, your loss, your disgust.  But not all Christians are the same. There are those who love unconditionally.

We weep for those of you who have felt driven from the church building, but Jesus has not forsaken you. He loves unconditionally, hey, He died for you before you were even a gleam in your fathers eye.

More later… 

God, please be with those who feel betrayed and who have lost faith because of those who do not truly follow you, but make the claim.  In Jesus name – Amen