Criticism in the Church

Sometimes the followers of the Messiah are a mob. We as Christians come together to criticize and condemn. Someone stumbles in sin and the immediate response is to stone them or crucify them. Without mercy a man or woman is trampled; their reputation destroyed. In revelry of bringing 'reviler' to justice, the religious feel they have had a victory, that another sinner has been corrected and the sin itself is on display and shown to be a source of death and punishment.

Unfortunately, that is the not the primary effect it has. Rather than making people feel afraid to sin due to the consequences, people feel judged and afraid to confess anything in fear of being crucified publicly by those they trust. Instead of inspiring reverential fear before God and right living; the spectacle of condemning people who have "missed the mark" publicly makes more people struggling privately afraid to speak up and seek help for their addictions, sins, and bad habits.

A taboo in the Church these days is sexual sin. While yes it is wrong to commit adultery, to live in sexual immorality, and to tempt others to be sexual promiscuous; the church in its zeal to keep these evils at bay is willing to bring anyone struggling with the aforementioned sins to the burning stake metaphorically and have then socially strung up and served to the wolves. The inevitable result is that trust is lost and the person in dire need of deliverance, accountability, and reproof is sent to the axe man.

Jesus Christ was confronted with a case. A women caught in adultery was brought forth. The religious leaders accused her, made spectacle of her, and held stones to put her to death according to the Law of Moses. How did Jesus respond? He said, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone." (John 8:7). Woah, lets pause there for a minute. Here the Savior does not correct the one in sin, but those who seek to strike the sinner and make a spectacle. Wake up church, this is lesson for us all. The Scriptures say, "each of us has sinned, each of us has fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). We all carry a cross and struggles in our flesh. The only One who has authority and right to judge this woman in sin is Jesus and here is what happened, "Jesus asked, "Does anyone remain who condemns you? She respond, "no my lord." Jesus then said, "then I do not condemn you, go and sin no more." (John 8:10-11). This final part is important too, Jesus forgives the woman, but He warns her to not sin again. We shouldn't lose sight of this either; I don't want my post to become a case for unsanctified mercy and clemency for living in sin.

The Church is suppose to respond like Jesus. We are suppose to say to those who confess, "I do not condemn you, you are forgiven, go and sin no more. We can provide accountability on the "sin no more" part, but instead many saints and servants of Christ want to pick up stones. This desire to crush another and publicly ruin another person comes from sin. It is escape goating, a desire to crush someone for the injustices done to us and thus feel some sense of relief at ruining them; but in truth many who pick up the stones to cast upon the sinner are the very people who struggle with the same weaknesses and "missing the mark." In fact, my mentor has remarked, "notice that when the religious leaders bring the woman caught in adultery, that they didn't bring the man caught in adultery. The Mosaic law says both the man and woman are to be stoned, but it is likely the man was a Pharisee, perhaps one in Sanhedrin and so the men seeking to stone her were actually trying to get rid of the evidence of their friend or religious leader's guilt. Jesus knew this likely and it probably what he wrote in the dirt or sand; the name of man who is guilty too."

The reason we stone, burn at the stake, or socially slay a person is we are guilty. We know we have the same struggles, but to cover up our secret sin we stone someone else who is caught in it. This way people seeing us strike and speak against the sin the person is accused of will think we aren't guilty, because we are protesting and persecuting the one who is guilty of our same sin. If we can shame someone else, and join in stoning of that person, no one can look at us and possibly find fault; but the paradigm will shift, because are stoning it coming if we continue in this way. For Jesus said, "judge not lest you be judged, for in manner that you judge, you shall be judged. By the measure you measure others, you shall be measured" (Matthew 7:2). Jesus is not saying you can never judge or that it is never proper to judge evil; on contrary Jesus is the Great Judge, who will judge all on the Day of Judgment (2 Timothy 4:1, Acts 17:31, 1 Peter 4:5, Revelation 19:11). No, what I believe our Savior is saying is that if you are going to harshly judge someone for a fault, be prepared to be measured in the same way; to be receive the same sentencing. We are called to forgive people, no condone the sin, but to forgive people; for The Scriptures say, "Be kind and compassionate towards one another, forgiving each other as Christ first forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32, cross ref Colossians 3:13). We must beware of being critical and harsh judges, for Jesus says, "The day is coming when all your secrets, when everything in the shadows will come into the light and be seen by all." (Matthew 10:26, Luke 12:2). This should humble us, because if we have something to hide and yet bring the heat of judgment on someone else, then we are going to be exposed as well. This coupled with what Christ also said should alarm us: "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15).

Correction should come from compassion. When we see sin and wrong behavior we should correct it from a heart full of love. "Correct in love." (). We should be concerned, not critical. We should approach a brother and sister in Christ who is in sin with this heart, "God will forgive you if you repent, but I am concerned for this behavior. If you continue in it, it will lead to death; first spiritual death, then relational death with those who won't be around you, and finally and most devastatingly it can lead to eternal death. I don't want you to experience this, I wan you to have abundant life in Christ and this sin is robing you of it." Of course there is call to be more to the point by saying, "turn from your sin, lest you perish!" But even this should come from a heart of compassion, concern, and love.

The Church is fracturing and schismatic because of condemnation. We condemn each other over minor doctrinal differences such as, "did Jesus wear purple or scarlet? Will the Second Coming and Rapture be one event or two separate events? Was Peter the Rock or was the Gospel the Rock?" Worse than this we leap on each other like starved lions when a sin or fault is exposed; like an open wound and blood in the waters; the saints like sharks devour one another. And it is not what I believe Jesus would be proud of, for He said, "May they be one as I and You are One Father," (John 17:21) and "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34-35). Now tough love is real and people do need to pay their debts to society, face consequences with Christ's forgiveness, and make reparations. But judgment and condemnation without love is like Jesus said, "why do you try to take the log out of your brother's eye? First take the speck in your eye out, then you can see clearly to remove the log from your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:5, Luke 6:42). We need to examine ourselves before we caste the first stone and seek to publicly humiliate someone. I argue that humiliating isn't Christ-like, because it is celebrating in their folly and fall. The Scriptures say, "do not rejoice in the fall of your enemy, lest the Lord become displeased with you and turn his wrath away from your enemy." (Proverbs 24:17-18). Similarly, Our Lord said, "love your enemies, and pray for those who persecuted you." (Matthew 5:43-48). If we are called to pray for our enemy and persecutors, don't you think we are called to pray for brother and sisters caught in sin?

Its not about defending sin. Its about saving the sinner. We are to love the sinner and hate the sin. Remember that while it can be gratifying to rejoice in downfall of another or to join in mob of those who destroy another's reputation; you could be on the other end of the stones. In fact, you deserved death; even crucifixion, but Jesus Christ "paid the debt in full," (1 Timothy 2:6) and "He bore our sins in His body." (1 Peter 2:24). We as Christians should not be spurred to delight in someone else's downfall, for had the Lord decided to do the same to us, then salvation would not be ours in Christ Jesus and we would all have to face the stoning, crucifixion, and flames of hell. Thank our Lord Jesus that He did not delight in our downfall, but pitied us and came to save us! Amen.