One commentator wrote that the United Methodist Church offered “a safe affiliation for politicians of all stripes because it provided a vague respectability without offering much of a clue about what they actually believed. UMC leaders at all levels have been extraordinarily skittish about drawing even minimal boundaries of doctrine and discipline. UMC culture has placed a high priority on not offending people within or beyond our congregations.”
Statements of belief are oftentimes very vague, much like a politician who is evading a question from a member of the press. An example of this view is a statement by a UMC which described itself as “a safe, non-judgmental community. . . committed to loving and being in ministry with all people.” What exactly does this mean? Is being “judgmental” wrong? Is it unloving? Unchristian?
In John Wesley’s sermon entitled The Great Assize (judgment), which he considered to be his best sermon, he called on those court officials in attendance who pass and execute judgment on others to “consider carefully that God the Son, at the second coming, was going to pass judgment on them! They would hear the joyful words, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’ (Matt. 25:34), or they would hear the dreadful words, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’ (v. 41). And Wesley encouraged those officials to live in fearful anticipation of that future judgment so that they might be properly motivated to live holy lives. Heaven, hell, judgment, and the second coming were all recurring themes in much of John Wesley’s preaching. “The Great Assize” was simply his best.”
One Methodist pastor found himself growing more aware that his responsibility to preach the whole counsel of God and not simply what he or his congregation was comfortable hearing. Then God whispered to him, “You need to be more afraid of me than your people.”
While that message of judgment may not be heard very much these days, it is neither ignored in the Bible, nor in the ecumenical creeds.
Judgements that have already occurred:
The judgment of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:14-24). God banished the first couple from the Garden of Eden.
The judgment of the antediluvian world (Genesis 7:17-24). God sent a worldwide flood in judgment of mankind’s sin in Noah’s time.
The judgment at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:5-9). Noah’s post-flood descendants remained in one location in defiance of God’s command, so God confused their language, causing them to disperse over the earth.
The Judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19). Besides homosexuality, the people were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned about the poor among them
(Ezek.16:49–50).
The judgment of Egypt and their gods (Exodus 7-12). The ten plagues against Egypt at the time of the exodus were “mighty acts of judgment”
(Exodus 7:4) against a stubborn, cruel king.
The judgment of believers’ sins (Isa. 53:4-8). Jesus took this judgment upon Himself by His crucifixion and death. Because our sin was judged at the cross, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”
(Rom. 8:1)
Judgments
occurring now in the church age:
Self-evaluation (1 Cor.11:28). Self-judgment requires each believer to be spiritually discerning, with a goal of being more like Christ
(Eph. 4:21–23).
Divine discipline (Heb.12:5–11). The Lord disciplines His own; that is, He brings His followers to a place of repentance and restoration when they sin. In so doing, He makes a distinction between us and the world: “When we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world”
(1 Cor. 11:32). Whom Christ loves, He chastens
(Rev.3:19).
Judgments to occur in the future:
The judgments of the tribulation period (Rev. 6-16). God’s judgment against the wicked leaves no doubt as to His wrath against sin. Besides punishing sin, these judgments will have the effect of bringing the nation of Israel to repentance.
The judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Resurrected (and raptured) believers in heaven will be judged for their works
(1 Cor. 3:12). Works of lasting value to the Lord will survive (the “gold, silver, and precious stones”). Rewards, which the Bible calls “crowns”
(Rev. 3:11) will be given by the One who is “not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him”
(Heb. 6:10).
The judgment of the nations (Matt. 25:31–46). After the tribulation, the Lord Jesus will sit in judgment over the Gentile nations. They will be judged according to their treatment of Israel during the tribulation. This judgment is also called the judgment of the sheep and the goats because of the imagery Jesus uses in the Olivet Discourse. Those who showed faith in God by treating Israel favorably (giving them aid and comfort during the tribulation) are the “sheep” who will enter into the Millennial Kingdom. Those who followed the Antichrist’s lead and persecuted Israel are the “goats” who will be consigned to hell.
The judgment of angels (1 Cor. 6:2–3). Satan’s hordes of demons will be judged by the redeemed ones of the Lamb. Some of these demons are already imprisoned in darkness and awaiting judgment, according to
Jude 1:6, due to their leaving their proper dwelling place.
The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11–15). This final judgment of unbelievers for their sins occurs at the end of the Millennium. The unbelievers of all the ages are judged for their sins and consigned to the lake of fire.
Specific sins that Jesus condemned included:
1.
Hypocrisy: Jesus pronounced a curse on hypocrites seven times in
Matt. 23:13-29. Jesus told the Pharisees that their inner life was “full of self-indulgence”
(Matt. 23:25). They judged others for sins that they were guilty of themselves
(Matt. 7:1-5).
2.
Spiritual Pride: there is the parable of the self-righteous Pharisee who despised others even in his prayer
(Luke 18:9-14)! It is spiritual pride that makes believers constantly judge other believers.
3.
Impurity: Impurity enters into our hearts mainly through our eyes and our ears. This impurity then comes OUT from our hearts and expresses itself through the various members of our bodies – primarily through our tongues and our eyes. Jesus hated impurity so much that He told His disciples that they should be willing to pluck out their right eye and cut off their right hand rather than sin with those members
(Matt.5:27-29).
4.
Indifference to Human Need: Jesus was angry when the leaders of the synagogue did not want Him to heal a man, just because it was the Sabbath day
(Mark 3:5). The rich man went to hell because he did not care for his brother Lazarus. The priest and the Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan, were condemned because they did not show compassion on their fellow-brother-Jew who was lying on the roadside wounded.
5.
Greed: Hoarding riches and serving money rather than God
(Matt. 6:24)
6.
Immorality: The woman at the well caught in adultery was told to go and sin no more
(John 8:11)
How should the church deal with outward sins in the church?
Gal. 6:1 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”
2 Thess. 3:14-15, “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.”
Gal. 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
1 Cor. 5:11 “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”
1 Tim. 5:20 “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.”
James 4:4 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
With the above passages in mine, how should the church handle domestic abuse, embezzlement of church funds, drunkenness at church picnics, identity theft, bank fraud, adultery, drug trafficking, arson, prostitution, homosexual behavior, assault, or kidnapping by member of the congregation?
A. Celebrate it
B. Tolerated it
C. Ignore it
D. Censure it