It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders,
but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.
God will judge those on the outside;
but as the Scriptures say,
“You must remove the evil person from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:12-13

Read: Acts 9:10-27, Ephesians 2:11-22
Pilgrim’s Progress Stage 3 Part 10

Relate: In 2019, the rapper Kanye West publicly stated that he had become a born again Christian. He put out a rap album, “Jesus is King,” claimed he would no longer create or produce secular music, and started a series of “Sunday Service” gospel events that were by invitation only (and had accompanying merch like $225 sweatshirts and $50 socks). Some in the church were critical from the outset, some were embracing him with outstretched arms. I listened to and was not impressed with either of his supposedly Christian albums, but mostly I took a “let’s wait and see” approach. His stint as a Christian lasted a few years. These days, he is mostly getting attention from posting NAZI symbols and anti-semitic posts on X.

I wish Kanye West, or “Ye,” or whatever he goes by these days, was the only high profile Christian that crashed and burned. Unfortunately, there seems to be another one about once a month. It often seems that the bigger the celebrity name, the more blindly they are welcomed with open arms and closed eyes and minds.

React: I know, I know, some will say that it is not our place to judge. I am sure some people are, by default, going to the often misused, “Judge not lest ye be judged.” But the very next verse says that with the same measure we judge others, we will be judged. Jesus follows this up with an analogy of removing the sin from our own lives so that we will be able to see clearly when helping our brothers remove the sin from theirs.

In Pilgrim’s Progress, the Palace Beautiful is an analogy of the church. The four ladies are the four virtues the church is supposed to possess. And the first one to meet Christian at the door is Discretion. It is only after he has a discussion with her that Christian is welcomed into the house. Perhaps the church today could use a little bit more Discretion. Perhaps then we wouldn’t welcome with open arms people who sell autographed Bibles for $1000 and then go on “truth” social calling for the genocide of an entire people.

Respond:

Dear God,
Help me to live and walk with wisdom, discretion, and humility. Before I judge others, help me to root out the sin and faults in my own life. And as You sanctify me, help me to wisely and kindly help my brothers and sisters in Christ do the same. Help me, and help us as Your Church, use better wisdom and discretion in the public sphere so that we do not bring unnecessary shame and dishonor to Your Name.
Amen