Charismatic Bible Studies - James 1:22-27

[Hidden In Him]

Before Passing Judgment, Look Yourself Deeply In The Mirror Of His Word



Satan stands as an accuser of the brethren, and this is one of his primary strategies. The word "Satan" itself means "accuser" or "adversary" in a court of law, and just as he did when he appeared before the throne of God to accuse Job, he accuses believers of evil actions and evil motivations, wanting to pass judgment upon them as both judge and jury.

The sad part is there are many Christians who serve Satan's purposes rather than God's by doing the very same things today. They assume the role of judge and jury to condemn their own brethren. Granted, scripture teaches that it's wrong to simply give sin a pass. But the New Testament teaching was that in spite of a person's sins we are not to pass the final judgment on the individual but be merciful to them and leave judgment in the hands of God. Yet men have a tendency to look at a splinter in someone else's eye but fail to see the beam in their own, which amounts to exercising a double standard, something the Devil is always pleased with because it leads to greater strife, resentment and division.

But James now urged his readers to be merciful by stressing what he called the "perfect law" or the "law of Liberty." Loving your neighbor as yourself kept such spiritual abuses from happening, for a true "doer of the word" would not pass sentence like a judge and jury nor would he curse his neighbor with his tongue over supposed transgressions, real or imaginary. Instead he would look in the mirror, remember his own sins, and be more inclined to be merciful.

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if a man is a hearer of the word yet not a doer, this is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, in that he observed himself and went away and immediately forgot what he himself was like. But the one who has looked deeply into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and has continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his doing. If anyone presumes to be religious yet does not bridle his tongue, this man's religion is in vain. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: To visit orphans and widows in their oppression, and keep oneself unblemished from the world. (James 1:22-27)

The "perfect law" here was "love your neighbor as yourself" (James 2:8 ). The Jews were strictly keeping many laws, including things like the unclean food laws, but in matters of the heart their religion was by no means "pure and undefiled." Unclean spirits now governed their behavior, and they were lashing out against those they disagreed with doctrinally (James 3:1, 4:1-2), speaking curses over those they despised (James 3:9), and treating the poor like they had likewise been "cursed by God."

But was this what Jesus taught? In the Gospel of John, when a woman was caught in the act of adultery and was about to be stoned to death for violating Jewish law, what did He respond with?

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life.” (John 8:1-12)

Asking her, "Where are your accusers?" shouldn't go unnoticed here, for they would now be asked if they wished to serve the Accuser of the brethren or the Lord. Adultery was most certainly a serious sin, and afterwards He would tell her, "Go and sin no more." But He was telling them to let God be the One to pass the final sentence, and not simply serve the accuser in becoming one themselves. Instead, when they heard the words, "Let whoever among you who is without sin cast the first stone," they suddenly they began seeing the woman in a different light. They saw their own sins and the circumstances that lay behind them. Maybe she had lived a hard life married to a cruel man, and had just wanted to be treated like someone loved her. Maybe she had reached out seeking a friend for help or protection, but it had now come to this. Yet the ones who wanted to stone her were most certainly not sinless either. Though they might not have committed adultery, they had all committed some form of sin, and as a result they could not stand before the Lord and act like they should not show compassion. So they each dropped what they were holding and began to walk away. Starting "from oldest to youngest," each one saw glimpses of their own past and knew they were not without guilt themselves.

This then is why James was saying to always look in the mirror. If you did, you'd find something you had done wrong as well, and the result would be adopting a more merciful attitude towards others and being far less judgmental. And as we shall see, this applied especially to how they were to treat widows and orphans. Satan wanted the weakest and most helpless members of society to be crushed under, rejected and despised, but James was here reminding them that pure religion involved not judging them but loving them instead.


Helping Not Judging

To quote from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "Without a legal protector, the position of the widow in Israelite society was precarious. She was often neglected and exploited. Part of the reason for the harsh treatment may have been the common view that widowhood was a reproach from God Himself (Ruth 1:13, 20; Isaiah 54:4)."

Verses in Deuteronomy 28 also stated that servitude, severe lack, and being dependent upon others for survival were signs of being "accursed" by God, and this was the financial state that many widows and orphans found themselves in during New Testament times. Some within Judaism were therefore judging them as being deserving of abuse and mistreatment, and thus felt no qualms about oppressing them even further, despite God's repeated commands in scripture about providing for them and seeing they were taken care of.

You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. (Exodus 22:21-24)

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. (Isaiah 10:1-34)

These passages warned about preying upon such women financially and taking their homes from them after their husbands died. It left them destitute and utterly dependent upon charity, yet the scribes and Pharisees were engaging in these practices nonetheless, which is what led Jesus to eventually rebuking them, saying, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation" (Matthew 23:14). The way this was done was by convincing husbands while alive to dedicate their homes as "Corban" (i.e. a gift to God) to the temple and its leadership upon death, so that such men would not be obligated during their lifetimes to sell the property if their parents should need help (Mark 7:9-13). After the man's death, the Pharisees would come in and make long-winded, religious speeches about how "righteous" the brother had been during life, and then proceeded to take the only place the widow and her children had to live. This was the same spirit of greed that led them to force men to swear by the gold of the temple but not by the temple itself, leading Jesus to warn them in another place.

16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, "Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it." 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

 

[Hidden In Him]

But the Pharisees walked in a holier-than-thou and covetous spirit that was spiritually unclean, and it's one of the reasons they hated Jesus and His teachings. He exposed them for what they truly were. As Matthew stated, "The Pharisees - who were covetous - heard all these things, and they derided Him." (Matthew 16:14). No small wonder they were exploiting widows and orphans while speaking evil of those who condemned it, and declaring their victims to be "unrighteous" in order to justify their own greed. But the story of Job proved that not everyone who was afflicted or financially downtrodden was "accursed of God," and God Himself stated several times in the Old Testament that He watched over the orphans and widows to provide for them in their times of need.

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families. He brings out those who are bound into prosperity. But the rebellious dwell in a dry land. (Psalm 68:5-6)

Praise the Lord... Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to prisoners... and raises up those who are bowed down. The Lord watches over strangers, He relieves the fatherless and the widow, but the way of the wicked He turns upside down. (Psalm 146:7-9)

Thus James was teaching what God's true intentions were from the beginning, and how the scribes and Pharisees were corrupting a religion He first instituted by engaging in practices that were not only wicked but cloaked in spiritually impurity.


Defiling Pure Religion

As James suggests, by the time Jesus was preaching, Judaism was no longer the "pure and undefiled" religion God had instituted. Instead it had become a spiritually defiled distortion of its original self. Just how defiled would become clear in what Jesus told the Pharisees towards the end of His ministry.

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:25-28)

Spiritually, they were "whitewashed tombs," and dead bodies were unclean according to Jewish law, which was used to symbolize the need to avoid all contact with unclean spirits (2 Corinthians 6:17). Moreover, the word "uncleanness" carried a distinctly spiritual sense in the New Testament, especially in contexts that implied allowing in demons through fornication (1 Thessalonians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 12:21, 2 Peter 2:10, Colossians 3:5). As if this were not enough, Jesus also referred to the Pharisees as "sons of vipers" because much like Satan manifested himself as a snake in the garden with the intent to murder, so too were demons implanting murder in the hearts of the Pharisees, leading Jesus to tell them at one point, "How can you escape the damnation of Hell?"

29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, "If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets." 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of Hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 23:29-35)



Why was Jesus telling them they were children of the Devil? Because of the demonic and evil spirits they had welcomed in. They harbored murder in their hearts, not only towards Him but towards anyone else they were condemning as a heretic or "servant of Beelzebub."

42 Jesus said to them... "You are of your father the Devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him." (John 8:42-44)

It was for these reasons that Jesus eventually declared that Jewish leadership had become spiritually defiled. They were focusing on keeping plates and cups washed in order to keep their hands clean, yet what mattered most in His eyes was not allowing unclean spirits to defile their hearts; evil spirits that were encouraging them to murder the just, commit adultery, and rob the helpless of their belongings and property.

18 Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man. (Matthew 15:18-20)

Instead of condemning others and harboring murder in their hearts, James was telling believers in the Lord Jesus Christ that they needed to look themselves in the mirror, see that they were not perfect either, and find ways to be merciful. If they kept the Law of Liberty rather than the letter of the law, it would free them to think about how they themselves would want to be treated if they were in the other person's shoes. They now had the freedom to walk in a Spirit of mercy and compassion, not one of condemnation, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy.


Questions And Applications

1. What came to mind in reading through this study. Do you recall any thoughts in particular as you were reading?

2. Do you find yourself bringing to mind the commandment to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" or is it not something that comes to mind very often. I will openly admit that I have not yet perfected always bringing it to mind.

3. As an exercise, ask the Lord to bring back to memory a sin that was committed against you. If you were to apply the Law of Liberty, ask yourself how would you have/ should have responded.

4. Most people more easily forgive those whose sins are similar to their own, but if you put yourself in the shoes of someone whose sins absolutely disgusted or enraged you, would you still be able to keep the Law of Liberty? If not, then why?

5. What do you think is the ultimate reason why Christ Jesus asked us as believers to keep this law?

6. Would you say modern Christianity as a whole is a "pure and undefiled religion," or has it become corrupted in some ways now as well? If so, in what ways?

 

[JLB]

6. Would you say modern Christianity as a whole is a "pure and undefiled religion," or has it become corrupted in some ways now as well? If so, in what ways?

They taking up of offerings in many churches that only serve to enrich the Pastor and family members who are given positions of leadership in the church and are neither qualified or deserving.

Everyone else outside the clique is to volunteer when it’s time to work.

 

[Hidden In Him]

The taking up of offerings in many churches that only serve to enrich the Pastor and family members who are given positions of leadership in the church and are neither qualified or deserving.

Everyone else outside the clique is to volunteer when it’s time to work.

Yeah.

I have long been of the opinion that this especially took over as a trend when the Faith and Prosperity movement gained momentum. Without realizing it, they reverted the church back into Old Testament mentality and the desire to seek earthy prosperity as a reward from God rather than store their treasures in Heaven like He commanded.

Once they made that turn it justified everything, including living in 4 and 5 million dollar mansions at the expense of Christians who were giving into their “ministry.” Then it just filtered down to lesser “pastors” who were simply doing the same things on a smaller scale.

So easy for the flesh to take over and start living on the take, even in the name of Christ. But as I stated in one of the early studies in this series, they have to utterly ignore the Book of James in order to do so. He absolutely nails that mindset almost from start to finish, and it’s a shame people don’t actually read their Bibles more or maybe it wouldn’t be happening as much.

 

[Lafftur]

Questions And Applications

1. What came to mind in reading through this study. Do you recall any thoughts in particular as you were reading?

I love it when Jesus stoops down to write with His finger in the ground…

I’m pretty sure He wrote the 10 Commandments just like God’s Finger wrote them for Moses…

Just imagine… God’s Finger writing the 10 Commandments right in front of me while I’m trying to accuse someone else of sin to Him??!!!!! Yikes!!!!

2. Do you find yourself bringing to mind the commandment to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" or is it not something that comes to mind very often. I will openly admit that I have not yet perfected always bringing it to mind.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is a great verse that reminds me of sowing and reaping… I will reap the same treatment from others that I have sown to others.. God is not mocked…

We need to be so careful how we treat others because we will reap what we have sown.

3. As an exercise, ask the Lord to bring back to memory a sin that was committed against you. If you were to apply the Law of Liberty, ask yourself how would you have/ should have responded.

If I want to keep my joy, have peaceful sleep, and walk in love… I MUST forgive and be quick about it because Satan stands ready to devour me if I choose to not forgive and all the unrighteous judgments I pass on another, Satan will be able to do to me.

Don’t let Satan win! Forgive everyone and everything… forgiveness is a waterfall, not a faucet. It’s a constant flow, we don’t turn it on and off.

4. Most people more easily forgive those whose sins are similar to their own, but if you put yourself in the shoes of someone whose sins absolutely disgusted or enraged you, would you still be able to keep the Law of Liberty? If not, then why?

Yes! Our peace, joy, love, and righteousness depends on it! Refer to answer to #3.

5. What do you think is the ultimate reason why Christ Jesus asked us as believers to keep this law?

The Law of Liberty gives life to us and life to others. Abundant life!

6. Would you say modern Christianity as a whole is a "pure and undefiled religion," or has it become corrupted in some ways now as well? If so, in what ways?

I wouldn’t call it “modern Christianity”… I’d simply say:

God’s Plan is pure and undefiled and it gives Life.

Man’s Plan is only pure and undefiled in his own eyes and it gives Death.
——————
Hidden In Him
Thank you for this wonderful teaching. I enjoyed it very much!

 

[Hidden In Him]

I love it when Jesus stoops down to write with His finger in the ground…

I’m pretty sure He wrote the 10 Commandments just like God’s Finger wrote them for Moses…

Well that's very insightful.

Gonna save reading and responding to the rest for later. I like being able to sit down when I can relax and give my best replies. Thanks for answering.

 

[JLB]

He absolutely nails that mindset almost from start to finish, and it’s a shame people don’t actually read their Bibles more or maybe it wouldn’t be happening as much.

Amen.

Paul as well.


But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9

 

[Blain DeCastro]

Before Passing Judgment, Look Yourself Deeply In "The Mirror," Part 1

View attachment 22396

Satan stands as an accuser of the brethren, and this is one of his primary strategies. The word "Satan" itself means "accuser" or "adversary" in a court of law, and just as he did when he appeared before the throne of God to accuse Job, he accuses believers of evil actions and evil motivations, wanting to pass judgment upon them as both judge and jury.

The sad part is there are many Christians who serve Satan's purposes rather than God's in this by doing the very same things today. They assume the role of judge and jury to condemn their own brethren. Granted, scripture teaches that it's wrong to simply give sin a pass too. But the New Testament teaching was that in spite of a person's sins we are not to pass the final judgment on the individual but be merciful to them and leave judgment in the hands of God. Yet men have a tendency to look at a splinter in someone else's eye but fail to see the beam in their own, which amounts to exercising a double standard, something the Devil is always pleased with because it leads to greater strife, resentments and division.

But James now urged his readers to be merciful by stressing what he called the "perfect law" or the "law of Liberty." Loving your neighbor as yourself kept such spiritual abuses from happening, for a true "doer of the word" would not pass sentence like a judge and jury nor would he curse his neighbor with his tongue over supposed transgressions, real or imaginary. Instead he would look in the mirror, remember his own sins, and be more inclined to be merciful.

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if a man is a hearer of the word yet not a doer, this is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, in that he observed himself and went away and immediately forgot what he himself was like. But the one who has looked deeply into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and has continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his doing. If anyone presumes to be religious yet does not bridle his tongue, this man's religion is in vain. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: To visit orphans and widows in their oppression, and keep oneself unblemished from the world. (James 1:22-27)

The "perfect law" here was "love your neighbor as yourself" (James 2:8 ). The Jews were strictly keeping many laws, including things like the unclean food laws, but in matters of the heart their religion was by no means "pure and undefiled." Unclean spirits now governed their behavior, and they were lashing out against those they disagreed with doctrinally (James 3:1, 4:1-2), speaking curses over those they despised (James 3:9), and treating the poor like they had likewise been "cursed by God."

But was this what Jesus taught? In the Gospel of John, when a woman was caught in the act of adultery and was about to be stoned to death for violating Jewish law, what did He respond with?

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life.” (John 8:1-12)

Adultery was most certainly a serious sin, for afterwards He would tell her, "Go and sin no more." But He was telling them to let God be the One to pass the final sentence. When He said to them, "Let whoever among you who is without sin cast the first stone," suddenly they began seeing the woman in a different light. They saw their own sins and the circumstances that lay behind them. Maybe she had lived a hard life married to a cruel man, and had just wanted to be treated like someone loved her. Maybe she had reached out seeking a friend for help or protection, but it had now come to this. Yet the ones who wanted to stone her were most certainly not sinless either. Though they might not have committed adultery, they had all committed some form of sin, and as a result they could not stand before the Lord and act like they should not show compassion. So they each dropped what they were holding and began to walk away. Starting "from oldest to youngest," each one saw glimpses of their own past and knew they were not without guilt themselves.

This then is why James was saying to always look in the mirror. If you did, you'd find something you had done wrong as well, and the result would be adopting a more merciful attitude towards others and being far less judgmental. And as we shall see, this applied especially to how they were to treat widows and orphans. Satan wanted the weakest and most helpless members of society to be crushed under, rejected and despised, but James was here reminding them that pure religion involved not judging them but loving them instead.


Helping Not Judging

To quote from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "Without a legal protector, the position of the widow in Israelite society was precarious. She was often neglected and exploited. Part of the reason for the harsh treatment may have been the common view that widowhood was a reproach from God Himself (Ruth 1:13, 20; Isaiah 54:4)."

Verses in Deuteronomy 28 also stated that servitude, severe lack, and being dependent upon others for survival were signs of being "accursed" by God, and this was the financial state that many widows and orphans found themselves in during New Testament times. Some within Judaism were therefore judging them as being deserving of abuse and mistreatment, and thus felt no qualms about oppressing them even further, despite God's repeated commands in scripture about providing for them and seeing they were taken care of.

You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. (Exodus 22:21-24)

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. (Isaiah 10:1-34)

These passages warned about preying upon such women financially and taking their homes from them after their husbands died. It left them destitute and utterly dependent upon charity, yet the scribes and Pharisees were engaging in these practices nonetheless, which is what led Jesus to eventually rebuking them, saying, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation" (Matthew 23:14). The way this was done was by convincing husbands while alive to dedicate their homes as "Corban" (i.e. a gift to God) to the temple and its leadership upon death, so that such men would not be obligated during their lifetimes to sell the property if their parents should need help (Mark 7:9-13). After the man's death, the Pharisees would come in and make long-winded, religious speeches about how "righteous" the brother had been during life, and then proceeded to take the only place the widow and her children had to live. This was the same spirit of greed that led them to force men to swear by the gold of the temple but not by the temple itself, leading Jesus to warn them in another place.

16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, "Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it." 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

i enjoyed this lesson it was very well thought out and full of spiritual truth

 

[Blain DeCastro]

A mirror to ourselves can really make us look deep into our hearts but holding a mirror up to others serves no purpose unless done in correction and love. the enemy has done a great job in this regard with me personally a lot of self worth issues self doubt self hatred and in fact I don't see myself in a very good light at all. I see every flaw every sin every thing lacking and it is so easy to let those things darken your spirit towards yourself but what does God say? he says we are his children his betrothed his loved ones just as we are not how we ought to be.

And the enemy will always accuse us and also make us want to accuse others in a self righteous way or perhaps instead he will cleverly make us judgemental towards others and their sins or their self serving lifestyle we can hold a mirror up to them but what goofd would that do if not done in love?

 

[RandyK]

1. What came to mind in reading through this study. Do you recall any thoughts in particular as you were reading?

What came to my mind was the recognition of how bad I am without the Lord. We are absolutely bankrupt without the Lord. Even though we pursue the good, that only enables us to be partly good. The evil that remains within us needs to be contained, which is possible when we turn to Christ and repent of our waywardness.

2. Do you find yourself bringing to mind the commandment to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" or is it not something that comes to mind very often. I will openly admit that I have not yet perfected always bringing it to mind.

Oh, that and Scriptures like it always come to mind. It does not always prevent me from getting carried away and reacting in a carnal way to certain temptations. But it does help to keep these Scriptures in mind.

It is the Christian way to love unconditionally. And we can't do that if we're taking upon ourselves judgment that belongs to God. "Make place for God's wrath," the Bible says. If we enact our own brand of justice, we are taking the place of God and acting as if we are God. That is certainly idiotic and foolish, not to mention sinful.

3. As an exercise, ask the Lord to bring back to memory a sin that was committed against you. If you were to apply the Law of Liberty, ask yourself how would you have/ should have responded.

I try not to keep a record of wrongs committed against me. But certainly sins have been committed against me. Our objective should be to induce repentance so that those who judge us will be liberated from condemnation and divine judgment.

We should encourage obedience to God from the heart, and not encourage living up to rules like "You need to attend church every Sunday," or "You need to pay your full tithes." Acts of charity are not the thing. The bigger thing is to simply be charitable, forgiving constantly.

4. Most people more easily forgive those whose sins are similar to their own, but if you put yourself in the shoes of someone whose sins absolutely disgusted or enraged you, would you still be able to keep the Law of Liberty? If not, then why?

Well, if the sins become the acts of demons, I'm not likely to forgive them at all! However, when I see someone who has committed the worst of sins show some kind of contrition, I know that God's mercy extends even to these.

5. What do you think is the ultimate reason why Christ Jesus asked us as believers to keep this law?

The Law bound mankind to his sin guilt. But the very purpose of the Law was to give hope with the notion that there are offerings that provide forgiveness.

So, at some point there would be no more need to provide offerings that never complete our forgiveness. Finally forgiven we can live righteous lives without worrying about the effect of our sin nature.

6. Would you say modern Christianity as a whole is a "pure and undefiled religion," or has it become corrupted in some ways now as well? If so, in what ways?

Christianity has become defiled just as ancient Israel became defiled. This is the way of mankind. There is always a cooling off, a compromise, and ultimately, an apostasy. Fortunately, there is always a group that is determined to remain pure and undefiled, or at least forgiven.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Yes! Our peace, joy, love, and righteousness depends on it! Refer to answer to #3.

I find this particular thing (not being merciful to others whose sins and lusts seem so far distant from our own) to be a real obstacle for many. They do not step outside themselves, thinking instead that everyone is exactly like them and that therefore the sins they commit are horrendous and something they should take no pleasure in, while utterly dismissing their own as fully understandable. Meanwhile, the person they judge is thinking the same thing about them and has no interest or weakness whatsoever for the sins they are vulnerable to committing. So it ends up being a condemnation contest because no one wants to look outside themselves to have compassion on the burdens anyone else might have to carry.

It's a shame.

 

[Hidden In Him]

the enemy has done a great job in this regard with me personally a lot of self worth issues self doubt self hatred and in fact I don't see myself in a very good light at all. I see every flaw every sin every thing lacking

Very good answer, and this is another reason why - as you say - telling others how they are doing wrong is often a worthless exercise (unless it has become necessary to execute some form of discipline). They already know. If the love God they already know and they are struggling with it to do their best. Do they really need you coming in and condemning them all the more? It offers no help, only more misery and despair.

 

[Hidden In Him]

It is the Christian way to love unconditionally. And we can't do that if we're taking upon ourselves judgment that belongs to God. "Make place for God's wrath," the Bible says. If we enact our own brand of justice, we are taking the place of God and acting as if we are God. That is certainly idiotic and foolish, not to mention sinful.

And not only that, but it angers the other person and in some cases drives them away from the Lord, because they know we are mortal men just like they are, and in no position to be assuming the role of high and mighty like we have arrived and they have not. Paul said, "Let him who is spiritual among you correct them" (paraphrased), and it's because the spiritual man will never vaunt himself over others no matter how far progressed he is in the things of God. He knows himself much too well to ever do that.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I try not to keep a record of wrongs committed against me. But certainly sins have been committed against me. Our objective should be to induce repentance so that those who judge us will be liberated from condemnation and divine judgment.

I was having an interesting conversation with a friend the other night. I mentioned how there was someone I had been deeply angry at, yet I was finally cooling off some, and was thinking about messaging this person somehow to let them know I wished them the very best and I was sorry things didn't go as planned. But the thing I had to consider is this: Just because I'd cooled off and come to a place of contrition regarding my own state of mind, does that necessarily mean they have yet as well? Or will opening the Pandora's box just start creating the same issues all over again? So while I try not to keep a record of wrongs committed against me, I do think there is still a wisdom in not falling into the same ditches over and over again. I believe this to be another facet of keeping the law of liberty. If were truly doing into the other person as I would have them do unto me, would I start them down the road to there being strife and resentment between us again, or in love would I just choose to leave it alone?

As in all things, it takes wisdom, and knowing when to act and when not to, so that love is the over-riding rule in all things. We can come back to being in a place of peace with someone, but would they be ready to be in a place of peace with us? Things are never about just us only. They are about the other person as well, and what would be best for them.

 

[RandyK]

I was having an interesting conversation with a friend the other night. I mentioned how there was someone I had been deeply angry at, yet I was finally cooling off some, and was thinking about messaging this person somehow to let them know I wished them the very best and I was sorry things didn't go as planned. But the thing I had to consider is this: Just because I'd cooled off and come to a place of contrition regarding my own state of mind, does that necessarily mean they have yet as well? Or will opening the Pandora's box just start creating the same issues all over again? So while I try not to keep a record of wrongs committed against me, I do think there is still a wisdom in not falling into the same ditches over and over again. I believe this to be another facet of keeping the law of liberty. If were truly doing into the other person as I would have them do unto me, would I start them down the road to there being strife and resentment between us again, or in love would I just choose to leave it alone?

As in all things, it takes wisdom, and knowing when to act and when not to, so that love is the over-riding rule in all things. We can come back to being in a place of peace with someone, but would they be ready to be in a place of peace with us? Things are never about just us only. They are about the other person as well, and what would be best for them.

That's truly wisdom from the Lord--something that we spend all our lives trying to get right. If we forgive too quickly, will that help the party who hasn't truly repented? Of course not. Even if you have put your own anger in check, that doesn't mean the other person is ready to be forgiven.

I'm not talking here just about forgiveness with respect to Salvation, but rather, forgiveness in the sense that you now see the person contrite and fully ready to repent. They don't, of course, need to repent on our behalf necessarily, but in particular, towards the Lord.

So when someone offends us in some serious or semi-serious way, we need to hold back our wanting to be vengeful and overly angry, or out of control. That is difficult!

But for the other person's sake, we cannot forgive them too quickly, or they will think wrong, that they are not responsible to behave properly.

If we truly love them we need them to repent. To accomplish this we may not be able to induce it by preaching to them, or by calling them to repentance. But we can certainly withhold our approval of them, which they can see is our perspective by recognizing our reaction to what they've done and what they're doing.

The bottom line is that we must try to keep our own conscience clear, and to maintain our love, even if the other party may continue to accuse us and misrepresent us. We have to know that God is good with us, regardless of whether anybody else acknowledges that.

 

[Lafftur]

I find this particular thing (not being merciful to others whose sins and lusts seem so far distant from our own) to be a real obstacle for many. They do not step outside themselves, thinking instead that everyone is exactly like them and that therefore the sins they commit are horrendous and something they should take no pleasure in, while utterly dismissing their own as fully understandable. Meanwhile, the person they judge is thinking the same thing about them and has no interest or weakness whatsoever for the sins they are vulnerable to committing. So it ends up being a condemnation contest because no one wants to look outside themselves to have compassion on the burdens anyone else might have to carry.

It's a shame.

This happens when both people are operating in their "flesh." If at least one of them would walk in the "spirit," they still would not agree but perhaps God could do something.

I've come to the conclusion, behavior is rooted either in the "flesh" or in the "spirit." I have learned to pay attention to warning flags that alert me if I am in the "flesh" or in the "spirit."

"flesh" - disobedience, fruit of the flesh hurts God, hurts others, and hurts me
"spirit" - obedience, fruit of obedience blesses God, blesses others, and blesses me

If the "flesh" - judgmental critical, condemning others
If the "spirit" - mercy, compassion

If the "flesh" - angry at the person
If the "spirit" - angry at the spiritual evil operating in the person

If the "flesh" - angry at God "why are You doing this to me? I've been good!"
If the "spirit" - humble under God, trusting God will work all things for my good and the good of others

If the "flesh" - I'm right and you're wrong!
If the "spirit" - Not a big deal if people think I'm wrong, or even if I am wrong - God will correct me and make sure I walk in Truth.

At the end of the day, I got to know what spirit I'm operating in.... and I need to discern what spirt others are operating in. Total reliance on the Holy Spirit and God's Word.

 

[Hidden In Him]

This happens when both people are operating in their "flesh." If at least one of them would walk in the "spirit," they still would not agree but perhaps God could do something.

Yes. At the very least the situation doesn't get worse. And it tends to isolate the problem down to one person, so that they are closer to a genuine solution.

 

[Blain DeCastro]

Very good answer, and this is another reason why - as you say - telling others how they are doing wrong is often a worthless exercise (unless it has become necessary to execute some form of discipline). They already know. If the love God they already know and they are struggling with it to do their best. Do they really need you coming in and condemning them all the more? It offers no help, only more misery and despair.

You know, I was in a discussion on CC once about transgenders coming to church. One person stated that church is not for sinners it is for the body of Christ and then went on to say how they needed to be rebuked of their sins.

My argument was that church is the exact place for sinners and that we don't need to rebuke them of their sins because they already know and have heard it all before. They didn't need us to hold a mirror to them because they are fully aware our job is to show the love of God not judge or rebuke and if rebuke is done it has to be done in love.

 

[RandyK]

you know I was ina discussion on cc once about transgenders coming to church one person stated that church is not for sinners it is for the body of Christ and then went on to say how they needed to be rebuked of their sins.

My argument was that church is the exact place for sinners and that we don't need to rebuke them of their sins because they already know and have heard it all before tyhey didn't need us to hold a mirror to them because they are fully aware our job is to show the love of God not judge or rebuke and if rebuke is done it has to be done in love

Not necessarily. In our church my daughter's school friends came to church, and a gay guy came along. We were all happy to have him get exposed to the Gospel.

However, the guy was not there to respond to the Gospel. He wanted to "play" with all of his friends, and none of it had anything to do with the Gospel. He was just looking to socialize. He kept coming wearing his shoes with "gay pride" written on them.

There comes a time when you don't want this kind of guy infecting your Christian teens. For them it's all about wearing down our resistance to the world and its ways. Over time Christians tend to not just endure but actually begin to embrace diversity as something "forgiveable," or just a matter of being "tolerant."

This is how churches die. They get infiltrated by people who have no interest in repenting or converting whatsoever, unless it is purely an artificial, cosmetic "conversion." What they really want is to bring their licentious lifestyle into the church.

We see that in the churches in the book of Revelation. In one place God said He would deal with them. In another place God rebuked good Christians for even tolerating them. We simply have to be wise as serpents, and know what we're dealing with.

 

[Hidden In Him]

You know, I was in a discussion on CC once about transgenders coming to church. One person stated that church is not for sinners it is for the body of Christ and then went on to say how they needed to be rebuked of their sins.

My argument was that church is the exact place for sinners and that we don't need to rebuke them of their sins because they already know and have heard it all before. They didn't need us to hold a mirror to them because they are fully aware our job is to show the love of God not judge or rebuke and if rebuke is done it has to be done in love.

Well, there are a couple of additional things in play here, Blain, so let me explain. There needs to be a type of s screening for admittance into a congregation, and that's because once they are admitted they will be held to the standards of holiness that the church has long held down as necessary. Some were not taking this into account in Corinth, and were not "judging themselves" in matters of sin, leading to some being sick and some even dying (see 1st Corinthians 11). The reason was because... oh, I'm just noticing RandyK is posting and may be making some of the same points I am, but the thing the Lord will do is protect those who truly do belong to Him from corruption, and that's something that has to be taken into account as well.

Doesn't mean we are condemning. We should be welcoming. But if they do not bring a true heart of repentance, they can potentially influence people away from Christ, and He is not into seeing His children die and go to Hell on His watch when He can be preventing it.