You are not supposed to judge and you did

Question: In regards to “Can a girl get pregnant before her first period?” I really want to say that by reading this, you can no more tell if this is the person who may have sinned or someone who is uneducated and has a child who has been sinned against. Just as it is written,…

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Is it right to say “Rest in Peace” in regard to a known sinner?

Question: I would like to ask a question regarding a statement left by many of my friends, as well as my Christian brothers and sisters in Christ. The statement is “Rest in Peace” to Whitney Houston. I know according to the Bible that no one is in Heaven yet. We all go to Hades either…

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The First One to Plead His Cause Seems Right

by Bryan Matthew Dockens “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:17). Wise Solomon observed the reflexive tendency on the part of man to accept as truth the first version of events presented in a potential controversy. When gossip circulates through the workplace, the neighborhood,…

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The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 39   I.         It was a rickety wagon that the man was using. He had been moving goods for many years and was quite good at it. This family needed to be moved across town, so he piled their worldly possessions onto his wagon. The last load made quite a…

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Who are you to judge Catholics?

Question: I read your page about Catholics; who are you to judge? I think if your heart is into preaching this much maybe you should reach for the lost or non-believers or even possibly people that attend church regularly but believe they are saved for that mere fact. Answer: A classic response: In telling me not…

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Judging with Righteous Judgment

by Steven Harper The world’s favorite Bible passage must surely be Matthew 7:1, where Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” This verse is most often cited when someone points out a sin in the life of another and the accused one is then quick to reveal the depths of their Bible knowledge by…

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You shouldn’t mention names or say why groups are wrong

Question: I was doing a study and happened upon your web site. I read a few of your articles and also checked out your Facebook page. I figured it would be more appropriate to email me you than to post on your Facebook my concerns on your Facebook. I agree you do have some interesting…

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Is it wrong to say that a preacher isn’t teaching the truth?

Question: Hello, Like many, I have struggled with the issue of unforgivable sin. I know you have addressed this already in other questions, and I just have a quick question. You mentioned that someone who commits the unforgivable sin does so knowingly and purposely. A little while ago, I had listened to a preacher condemning…

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Conspiracy Theorists

by Gardner Hall via Gospel Power, Vol. 14, No. 36, Sept. 9, 2007. “Richard Nixon is a communist!” the man told me with certainty. “Why do you say that,” I asked. “He went to China to talk to them. Must be one of ’em,” was the response. Another man told me something to the effect that…

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You shouldn’t judge the Salvation Army on doctrine. See their works instead

Question: After reading your article I was rather puzzled about your thinking. I understand you are a church that focuses only on spiritual work, yet I see you are mixing, doctrine, church administration, church practice, and social work all in one comment. As a fellow Christian let me share some thoughts on this, I do certainly…

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What do you say about guilt by association in regards to fellowship?

Question: What do you say about guilt by association in the fellowship problem? We have some friends who worship in a congregation that had someone at their lectureships, although they do don’t support marriage with intent, and when he speaks they didn’t go to support him. Now we do not believe this person’s doctrine, but…

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Problems with Assigning Motive

by Sam Stinson “For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (I Thessalonians, 2:3-4). Why does Paul elaborate…

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The Faith of Toleration

by Todd Chandler via Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 7, July 2008. Right and Wrong … Fewer People Like to Think in Those Terms or Listen to Those Who Do. The business of drawing lines is risky and a quick way to get labeled judgmental, self-righteous, or hateful. So, a more peaceful option becomes popular. The…

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If you judge atheists, then aren’t you contradicting your beliefs?

Question: If you judge atheists and you think that atheists judge you Christians, then you are pretty much contradicting yourself, which is a sin in God’s eyes because “all men are created equal.” I don’t judge Christians and their beliefs, so why do you? Thank you for listening to me. Answer: What I find amusing…

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How do you keep doing right when others react badly?

Question: I feel like I need some words of encouragement and counsel on a personal issue. Thank you in advance for taking the time to give me a scriptural response that I can apply to my personal life. May God bless you in your efforts. What I’m trying to do is conform my life to…

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You think you have the right to judge your fellow man

Question: I was raised in the Church of the Nazarene, but my husband was raised in the Church of Christ.  I cannot believe that you continue to perpetuate the untruths, misconceptions and basic misinterpretations of the Bible.  The Church of Christ does not believe in the forgiveness of sin and the grace of God but…

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Don’t Jump to Conclusions

by Allen Dvorak via Gospel Power Vol. 15, No. 14, April 6, 2008. Elkanah, the father of the Old Testament prophet Samuel, had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah (I Samuel 1). Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren. In a mean-spirited way, Peninnah “provoked” Hannah because of her infertility. When Elkanah and his wives went…

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Jesus: Intolerant, Confrontational, and Exclusionary

 by Dan Gatlin The typical denominational view of both Father and Son is that “God is love,” and only love. What is so easily forgotten is His severity (Romans 11:22) and wrath (II Thessalonians 1:3-10). Jesus is depicted as quiet, soft-spoken, harmless, almost a wimp (nothing could be further from the truth). The consequence of…

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Don’t you feel guilty telling young people they have sinned?

Question: When you look over these posts and see how miserable and guilty the children that you advise feel about their “sins,” don’t you regret the way you teach? God loves us all no matter what mistakes we make and it would be nice to find some Christians who teach the love and not the…

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Why is Jude 9 linked to Zechariah 3:2?

Question: I have a question about the book of Jude. In particular, verse 9. It talks about the archangel Michael and the devil in a dispute about the body of Moses. I had not read this before, or at least don’t remember it. At the bottom of the page, the reference is Zechariah 3:2. I…

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How can you judge others?

Question: Christians are not supposed to judge, only your God is supposed to. In the constitution, it states “Freedom of Religion.” I guess people that believe in Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. are going to hell I suppose right?  If your a real “Christian” then you don’t judge people by their religion, sexuality, etc.  It says so…

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Is a person condemned if others hate him?

Question: Is it really possible that a person is condemned to hell if people fight with him or still hate him after an incident that he is perhaps sorry about but has no courage to talk about it? He would think he has nothing against his past friends in his heart. I don’t think that…

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Should We Criticize Others?

by Kent Heaton The nature of truth is that it exposes error. In a world fueled by a politically correct presentation of non-offensive language, criticism is not accepted. This is especially true when this criticism speaks of religion. Challenging the teachings and beliefs of others is perceived as a personal attack upon the moral character…

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Look to Yourselves

by Ron Drumm Have you ever noticed how easy it is to see the faults of someone else? Most of us know how to point the finger at the person who has messed up. Taking responsibility and accepting the blame is not what most of us think about when something goes wrong! In the church,…

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Is It Always Wrong to Judge?

by Bob Myhan There are those who seem to think that it is always wrong to judge because Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). We can know with certainty, however, that this was definitely not what Jesus meant. We know this because He also said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge…

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Is It Right to Criticize Another Person’s Religion?

by Kevin Kay It’s not only right to criticize false religion, no matter whose religion it is; it’s the faithful Christian’s responsibility. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:7-9). Paul criticized those who tried to bind the shadows of the Mosaic law on New Testament Christians (Colossians 2:16-23).…

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That Church Isn’t Doing Anything!

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 1:24-30   I.         Periodically criticism is leveled at a church – not just this church, I’ve heard it said against many churches – “That church isn’t doing anything!”             A.        I will admit that there is always room for improvement.                         1.         There are many things I wish we had accomplished.                         2.         I sure there…

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