I wish I had a dime for all the times I’ve heard the below Scriptures used out of context and misinterpreted by the enemies of Christianity and the Biblically illiterate to promote the ludicrous idea that as Christians you cannot speak out against sin and evil. With some people it seems that these two Scriptures are the only ones they know. Below are two of the most misquoted, out of context, and misinterpreted scriptures used by those that wish to intimidate, silence, and shame anyone who speaks against evil and sin. I’ve also included Scriptures that completely refute this absurd notion. Bible passages are in bold.
First, Matthew 7:1“Judge not, that you be not judged.” This is usually the only part of the scripture quoted, and the interpretation is you cannot speak against evil or sinful behavior. You therefore, cannot “Judge”. Jesus is talking in the context of judging your brother in your personal relationships. If you read the scripture below in context, it becomes obvious that Jesus is talking about judging hypocritically. In other words, don’t you be judging another’s behavior if you are sinning yourself, i.e. you have a plank in your own eye that you need to get rid of first so you can see clearly before you can instruct your brother. In fact, verse 6 requires you to make a judgment as to who the dogs and the swine are. The Bible is full of the Prophets, the Apostles, and Jesus himself constantly speaking against sin and evil, so obviously the idea that the Church and Christians should not speak against sin and evil, and those who promote and advocate sin and evil, is preposterous.
Matthew 7:1“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
Second, John 8:7 “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” This one is used constantly, and out of context, to insinuate again that a Christian cannot speak against sin and evil. The people in question were going to execute the woman caught in adultery. The Lord dispelled the crowd by exposing the sin in their own heart. Then the Lord turned to the woman and forgave her and instructed her to “go and sin no more”. The lord followed up by saying that “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” Again the idea that the out of context line “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first”, somehow means that no Christian can speak out against evil is completely absurd. Read the passage in context below, and it becomes quite plain that Jesus is in no way condoning sin or excusing sin. Remember, the Devil is the all-time master of twisting Scripture.
John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 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.”
The scripture below from Second Timothy charges Christians that part of their ministry is to rebuke. Read the Scripture passage below.
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
In Second Corinthians below, the Apostle Paul instructs Christians to pull down strongholds and any argument or high thing that comes against the knowledge of God.
2 Corinthians 10: 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
In the book of John, Jesus instructs how to judge.
John 7: 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
Jude encourages us to make a distinction.
Jude 22: And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Paul is making judgements and rebuking throughout this whole passage.
Titus:1-10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being [d]abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Here are more examples of judging, rebuking, and warning.
Jude 1:4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord [b]God and our Lord Jesus Christ.5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their [c]proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the [d]vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of [e]dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in [f]contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
12 These are [g]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried [h]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.
Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
I could go on, and on, and on. People who dismiss Biblically based rebuking, warning, and speaking out against evil by smugly saying “Judge Not” show how Biblically illiterate they are, or are even worse purposefully trying to shut down anyone speaking the truth of the Bible. Sometimes the motivation may be as simple as the false hope that if God winks at sin, then maybe God will wink at my sin, and I can continue in sin and still be okay with God, and not suffer His wrath. Or maybe the motivation is just plain old self-righteousness.
In any case, much of our culture, the media, the lukewarm Church, the seeker friendly Church, the Apostate Church, are all guilty of suppressing the truth, and abide under the Wrath of God for so doing.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Lee Hiatt~Fight-Back-America.com
Fight Back America 