Posted on 06/26/2017 8:05:42 AM PDT by Salvation
In the Gospel for Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, there is a Scripture passage that is almost too well known. I say this because the world has wielded like a club to swing at Christians. The text is quoted almost as if it represented the entirety of the Bibles teaching; it is often used to shut down discussions of what is right vs. wrong, what is virtuous vs. sinful. Even many Christians misinterpret the passage as a mandate to be silent in the face of sin and evil. I say that it is too well known because it is remembered while everything else in the Scriptures that balances or clarifies it is forgotten. Here is the passage:
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye (Matt 7:1-5).
Anytime the Church or an individual Christian labels a particular behavior as wrong or sinful, wagging fingers are raised. This is followed, in an indignant tone, with something like this: Youre being judgmental! The Bible says, Judge not. Who are you to judge your neighbor? This is clearly an attempt to shut down discussion and to shame Christians, or the Church, into silence.
To a large degree this tactic has worked. Modern culture has succeeded in shaming many Christians from this essential work: correcting the sinner. Too many are terrified when they are said to be judging someone by calling attention to sin or wrongdoing. In a culture in which tolerance (a mistaken notion of tolerance at that) is one of the only virtues left, judging is deemed one of the worst offenses.
Pay careful attention to what this Gospel text is actually saying. The judgment spoken of does not refer to discerning between right and wrong. Rather, it refers to determining punishment or condemnation. The next sentence makes this clear when it speaks of the measure we use, the level of condemnation, harshness, or punishment. A parallel passage in Lukes Gospel makes this clear:
Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you (Luke 6:36-38).
The judgment here refers to unnecessarily harsh and punitive condemnation. To paraphrase the opening verses colloquially, Be careful not to condemn, because if you lower the boom on others, you will have the boom lowered on you. If you throw the book at others, it will be thrown at you.
Further, the parable that follows in the passage above from the Gospel of Matthew does not say that we should refrain from correcting sinners. Rather, it says that we should get right with God and understand our own sin in order that we will see clearly enough to be able to correct our brother. Far from forbidding the correction of the sinner, the passage actually emphasizes the importance of correction by underscoring the importance of doing it well and with humility and integrity.
One of the most forgotten obligations we have is that of correcting the sinner. It is listed among the Spiritual Works of Mercy. St. Thomas Aquinas lists it in the Summa Theologica as a work of Charity:
[F]raternal correction properly so called, is directed to the amendment of the sinner. Now to do away with anyone’s evil is the same as to procure his good: and to procure a persons good is an act of charity, whereby we wish and do our friend well (Summa Thelogica II, IIae, 33.1).
Go be sure, there are some judgments that are forbidden us.
Scripture both commends and commands fraternal correction: I remarked above that the Gospel from todays Mass is too well known because it has been embraced to the exclusion of everything else in the Bible on the subject of correcting sinners. Over and over again Scripture tells us to correct the sinner. Far from forbidding fraternal correction, the Scriptures command and commend it. I would like to share some of those texts here and add a little commentary of my own in red text.
There are more of these passages, but Im sure you get the point by now. Fraternal correction, correcting the sinner, is prescribed and consistently commanded by Scripture. We must resist the shame that the world tries to inflict on us for judging people. Not all judgment is forbidden; in fact, some judgment is commanded. Correction of the sinner is both charitable and virtuous.
We have failed to correct – If we are to have any shame about fraternal correction, it should be that we have failed to correct when necessary. Because of our failure in this regard the world is a much more sinful, coarse, and undisciplined place. Too many people today are out of control, undisciplined, and incorrigible. Too many are locked in sin and have never been properly corrected. The world is less pleasant and charitable, less teachable. It is also more sinful and in greater bondage. To fail to correct is to fail in charity and mercy; it is to fail to be virtuous and to fail in calling others to virtue. We are all impoverished by our failure to correct the sinner. He who winks at a fault causes trouble; but he who frankly reproves promotes peace. … A path to life is his who heeds admonition; but he who disregards reproof goes go astray (Proverbs 10:10, 17).
The following video basically captures the problem that Christians face and explains fairly well some of the distinctions I make here:
In a lot of these cases the Biboloter has never been asked what putting on the whole armor of God looks like in practice, so they sputter and try to distract as they realize their advice is pretty much worthless as action plans go....
Your point?
In a lot of these cases the Biboloter has never been asked what putting on the whole armor of God looks like in practice, so they sputter and try to distract as they realize their advice is pretty much worthless as action plans go....
What does this look like in practical application?
It's a good question.
The image Paul is drawing upon is the Roman soldier which would be a familiar one to the believers in Ephesus considering its status in the Roman Empire.
The spiritual armor Paul is describing each plays an important part in the defense of the believer and protects all of the vital areas.
The first thing to notice is the strength of the believer comes from the Lord and only the Lord as noted in v10. This is key to the understanding of the remainder of the passage.
The second is the reliance upon the word of God. Verses 14,15 and 17 all draw from the OT.
Paul gives three commands in this passage. In v10, v11 and v14 the words be strong, put on, and stand are in the imperative which in Greek is used to issue a command or an exhortation. As we are in spiritual warfare with Satan, and Paul is drawing upon a soldier for reference, this makes sense. He's giving us marching orders!
The command to stand firm in v14 is an interesting one. It is derived from the Greek verb ἵστημιa meaning to cause to be in place, to make stand, to be there. It conveys the idea of holding your ground. It is followed by the participle περιζωσάμενοι meaning having girded.
Notice the process. We can only stand firm once we put on the armor.
The command to stand conveys the idea of not yielding ground to the enemy but only once you are ready for battle.
To enter the battlefield without the armor a soldier risks serious injury and would most likely have to retreat from the battlefield.
Truth, righteousness and the gospel of peace are all derived from the word.
The shield of faith is our faith. And again, this is drawn from the word of God.
Most of the equipment Paul describes is utilized in defense. Again, go back to the command to stand firm. The only potential offensive weapon Paul notes is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The Greek word Paul uses is μάχαιραν. It was a short sword or dagger mainly used for stabbing.
The word of God can be used in offense or defense but defense seems to be more the perspective in light of the command to stand firm.
One last thing...we do not directly challenge Satan to battle.
I draw this from Jude regarding Michael the archangel and his exchange with Satan.
9But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke you! Jude 1:9 NASB
The Lord will fight Satan.
No doubt though there is battle with the evil one as Paul notes in Ephesians 6. We need to be ready for the battle.
To summarize this very brief study.
1) the believer relies only upon the Lord
2) recognize we are in spiritual warfare
3) the believer must know the word of God
4) the believer must be in prayer and this prayer will be to the Lord
I hope this answers your question(s).
Beautifully and succinctly explained. You have a gift! There will be readers who this will help for there are eager souls God hears ...
God gets the glory!
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