Saturday, May 24, 2008
"Judge Not!"
Quit repeating "Judge Not!" We Are Suppose To "Judge"!
"Judge not lest you be judged..."
The popular Western Interpretation of this scripture includes:
"Live and let live."
"If it feels good, do it."
and...
"If a man calls himself a man of God, prophet, healer, and has a great following, don't say anything bad about him."
Rather than proof-text the appropriate scripture references, let me just trust your desire to do a concordance search on the word "JUDGE". You will find that there are numerous usages and the definitions are numerous as well. You will find that there is a certain biblical criteria that requires us to judge. The Judgment that is prohibited and the most quoted is that found in the book of Matthew. This is a personal judgment akin to private murmuring with the intent to disclaim a fellow Christian. In this sense the warning is clear that to judge another has direct repercussions. Others will judge you as well, because we are all sinners.
You will also discover, however, that we are commanded to judge according to the truth. That judgment includes those who would say they are Christians and yet do not hold to the basic tenants of the faith as preserved by the Church. In this instance, judgment isn't an attitude but, rather, an understanding or, in some cases, a public proclamation that the subject of the judgment is a heretic. For this purpose were the Councils of the Church called and for this purpose did God place those with prophetic mantles in the body of Christ. Without this type of Judgment, we would have fewer Martyrs. The misconstruing of these two types of judgments causes some to take great offense when another points out modern day heretics. "Don't judge", they say. "Do judge", the scripture says.
Case in point is Benny Hinn. I made the comment to a Charismatic Protestant friend the other day that Benny Hinn is a heretic. He took great exception and gave me a quick lesson on not judging and accepting everyone as a brother. Both points of his lesson were contrary to the scriptures and the Tradition of the Church. Using the strong word, heretic, in its accurate meaning, suggests that Benny Hinn does not hold to at least one basic tenant of Christianity. I do judge him as should my Protestant friend. Judge by his own words. Here is Benny Hinn on the nature of God and the structure of the Trinity:
"God the Father, ladies and gentleman, is a person and He is a triune being by Himself, separate from the Son and the Holy Ghost. See, God the Father is a person, God the Son is a person, God the Holy Ghost is a person; but each one of them is a triune being by himself. If I can shock you and maybe I should, there's nine of them!" (Oct. 13, 1990 Orlando Christian Center Broadcast)
ALL seven of the ecumenical Councils of the Church were called to fight some heresy having to do with the nature of Christ. It was settled long ago. Father, Son, Holy Spirit are "Three in One". Benny Hinn blatantly claims that he is presenting a doctrine that no one has heard before. That is because it has never been "believed at all times, in all places, by all the Church." Sorry friends, we can talk all day about whether or not tongues still exist, or the state of Christian TV, etc, but mess with the nature of Christ and the Trinity and you have left the faith. By his own words, Benny Hinn is a heretic. By the way, his blood brothers in similar heresy are numerous but include the likes of Crefflo Dollar and Paul Crouch.
"Jesus did not come as God. He came as man, and He did not come perfect." (Crefflo Dollar Dec. 8. 2000)
"God draws no distinction between Himself and us. God opens up the Godhead and brings us into it."
(Paul Crouch TBN 11/91)
You had better judge lest you too are counted with the Heretics.
"Judge not lest you be judged..."
The popular Western Interpretation of this scripture includes:
"Live and let live."
"If it feels good, do it."
and...
"If a man calls himself a man of God, prophet, healer, and has a great following, don't say anything bad about him."
Rather than proof-text the appropriate scripture references, let me just trust your desire to do a concordance search on the word "JUDGE". You will find that there are numerous usages and the definitions are numerous as well. You will find that there is a certain biblical criteria that requires us to judge. The Judgment that is prohibited and the most quoted is that found in the book of Matthew. This is a personal judgment akin to private murmuring with the intent to disclaim a fellow Christian. In this sense the warning is clear that to judge another has direct repercussions. Others will judge you as well, because we are all sinners.
You will also discover, however, that we are commanded to judge according to the truth. That judgment includes those who would say they are Christians and yet do not hold to the basic tenants of the faith as preserved by the Church. In this instance, judgment isn't an attitude but, rather, an understanding or, in some cases, a public proclamation that the subject of the judgment is a heretic. For this purpose were the Councils of the Church called and for this purpose did God place those with prophetic mantles in the body of Christ. Without this type of Judgment, we would have fewer Martyrs. The misconstruing of these two types of judgments causes some to take great offense when another points out modern day heretics. "Don't judge", they say. "Do judge", the scripture says.
Case in point is Benny Hinn. I made the comment to a Charismatic Protestant friend the other day that Benny Hinn is a heretic. He took great exception and gave me a quick lesson on not judging and accepting everyone as a brother. Both points of his lesson were contrary to the scriptures and the Tradition of the Church. Using the strong word, heretic, in its accurate meaning, suggests that Benny Hinn does not hold to at least one basic tenant of Christianity. I do judge him as should my Protestant friend. Judge by his own words. Here is Benny Hinn on the nature of God and the structure of the Trinity:
"God the Father, ladies and gentleman, is a person and He is a triune being by Himself, separate from the Son and the Holy Ghost. See, God the Father is a person, God the Son is a person, God the Holy Ghost is a person; but each one of them is a triune being by himself. If I can shock you and maybe I should, there's nine of them!" (Oct. 13, 1990 Orlando Christian Center Broadcast)
ALL seven of the ecumenical Councils of the Church were called to fight some heresy having to do with the nature of Christ. It was settled long ago. Father, Son, Holy Spirit are "Three in One". Benny Hinn blatantly claims that he is presenting a doctrine that no one has heard before. That is because it has never been "believed at all times, in all places, by all the Church." Sorry friends, we can talk all day about whether or not tongues still exist, or the state of Christian TV, etc, but mess with the nature of Christ and the Trinity and you have left the faith. By his own words, Benny Hinn is a heretic. By the way, his blood brothers in similar heresy are numerous but include the likes of Crefflo Dollar and Paul Crouch.
"Jesus did not come as God. He came as man, and He did not come perfect." (Crefflo Dollar Dec. 8. 2000)
"God draws no distinction between Himself and us. God opens up the Godhead and brings us into it."
(Paul Crouch TBN 11/91)
You had better judge lest you too are counted with the Heretics.
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