condemnation

[NicoleK]

What bible verses are that that support our right to condemn others? The reason I ask is that someone on another sight has labeled me a heretic because I said that C.S. Lewis said for practical reasons its better sometimes to call someone a bad Christian than to say that someone who claims to believe in Jesus is not a Christian, since we are then putting ourselves in the place of God. She said me and C.S. Lewis are both heretics, and so is Billy Graham since he does not believe all Catholics are going to hell. She said that Paul, early Christians, and Christ himself agree with her.

I'm feeling hurt because i just thought I was obeying God when he said not to judge others. She says that "do not judge" is a misquote that means something else, but won't explain.

Anyhow, I call on the name of the Lord every day, and believe I'm following him to the best of my knowledge. I believe he came in the flesh and he is the Son of God. I believe he is loving and kind, and wants nobody to perish.

If i don't confess that all Catholics are going to hell, as well as everyone who's never heard of Jesus, does that make me a heretic?

I do believe that God has the right to send all of us to hell, because "all have sinned and all fall short of the glory of god". But I also believe he wants to show us mercy. And I ask for his mercy almost every day because I do make mistakes and fail to be loving enough.

[Felgar]

Within the church we have the authority and responsibility to judge one another - that is, to hold each other accountable to our faith. I don't think it should ever extend to a 'you're going to hell' accusation, because I believe that justification by the grace of God is irrevocable. But as far as fellowship with other believers goes, we definately are called to correct our fellow believers when they go astray.

Now outside of the church I don't think we have the right to judge. I believe that is the meaning of the 'do not judge' passage. Additionally, we are specifically told to refrain from thinking along the lines of 'this person is not going to heaven, yet this other person is.'

Romans 10:6-9
But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

The last sentance is clear (as are many others in the Bible); so if a Catholic believes that Jesus is Lord and that he was risen from the dead, I think it's absolute folley to claim that the believer will go to hell. The Bible doesn't lie, and anyone who denies that a follower of Christ is not justified by God's grace may very well have missed the entire message of the gospel and needs to start reading and understanding the Bible for themselves.

P.S. CS Lewis was right...

[NicoleK]

Within the church we have the authority and responsibility to judge one another - that is, to hold each other accountable to our faith. I don't think it should ever extend to a 'you're going to hell' accusation, because I believe that justification by the grace of God is irrevocable. But as far as fellowship with other believers goes, we definately are called to correct our fellow believers when they go astray.

Now outside of the church I don't think we have the right to judge. I believe that is the meaning of the 'do not judge' passage. Additionally, we are specifically told to refrain from thinking along the lines of 'this person is not going to heaven, yet this other person is.'

Romans 10:6-9
But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

The last sentance is clear (as are many others in the Bible); so if a Catholic believes that Jesus is Lord and that he was risen from the dead, I think it's absolute folley to claim that the believer will go to hell. The Bible doesn't lie, and anyone who denies that a follower of Christ is not justified by God's grace may very well have missed the entire message of the gospel and needs to start reading and understanding the Bible for themselves.

P.S. CS Lewis was right...

Thank You! This makes sense. And I agree we need to judge inside the church. For instance in one church I know the legalistically minded choir lady would not allow a mentally slow person to sing in the choir because he could not make it to every practice even though the reason was that he lived in a home by himself and had no ride. He always sat in back and mouthed the words, and never made a disturbance, but really wanted to be in the choir.

So I guess I would judge that that was wrong (very wrong, and I have trouble understanding it). But I don't feel I have the authority to tell her she's going to hell because of it.


Anyhow, the point is that I agree with you. thanks.