[soc.religion.christian] Romans 14:10

ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) (04/29/91)

For all those mean folks that have lately been tearing apart old brain-
damaged here.  I hope that your consciene does you as much damage as you have
been trying to do to me lately, you unkind people.

Thou, why dost thou judge thy brother?  or thou again, why dost thou set 
at nought thy brother?  for we all shall stand before the judgement seat 
of God.  Romans 14.10.

Two things are forbidden to us:  "judging" and "setting at nought,"  an 
outward act and an inner attitude.  I may not yet have gone so far as openly
to express a judgment on my brother.  Very good, but am I summing him up to
myself unfavourably?  Do I secretly pity him because he does not see as I see?
Do I despise him in my heart as weak or eccentric?  If so I am in rare peril,
for my next step is to assume I am therefore better than he.  If I despise him,
then it is quite certain I think over much of myself.  Let me beware of 
classing myself as spiritually strong, for that is only to betray to God
my own carnality.  Of course he would have me discern clearly between right
and wrong, but I must never make others the victims of my discernment.  
The judgement seat is Christ's, and is still future.  Who of us dare usurp
its function now?

-----
Robert W. Johnson
Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland
robert@kontu.utu.fi 	(InterNet)
robert@firien.bitnet    (BITNET)

The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer
and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.