Comments on: A Dozen Sayings of Jesus That Will Change the World—If Christians Ever Believe Them http://ceruleansanctum.com/2009/03/a-dozen-sayings-of-jesus-that-will-change-the-world%e2%80%94if-christians-ever-believe-them.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:37:15 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dan Edelenhttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2009/03/a-dozen-sayings-of-jesus-that-will-change-the-world%e2%80%94if-christians-ever-believe-them.html#comment-51603 Dan Edelen Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:59:26 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=1170#comment-51603 Cedric, Humans are not over human weaknesses, but the Spirit of God is! If we truly live by the Spirit, we will overcome. But if we don't, then human weaknesses will get the better of us. Cedric,

Humans are not over human weaknesses, but the Spirit of God is! If we truly live by the Spirit, we will overcome. But if we don’t, then human weaknesses will get the better of us.

]]> By: Cedrichttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2009/03/a-dozen-sayings-of-jesus-that-will-change-the-world%e2%80%94if-christians-ever-believe-them.html#comment-51599 Cedric Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:24:41 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=1170#comment-51599 You're totally right... but as a Christian I think we shouldn't find it hard to complete these things because we are over with human weaknesses. You’re totally right… but as a Christian I think we shouldn’t find it hard to complete these things because we are over with human weaknesses.

]]> By: SShttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2009/03/a-dozen-sayings-of-jesus-that-will-change-the-world%e2%80%94if-christians-ever-believe-them.html#comment-50743 SS Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:27:57 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=1170#comment-50743 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. ” —Matthew 7:1-5 This one is about being a hypocrite, not about criticizing people. If it was about criticism, it wouldn't have included the parts about being judged by your own measure and seeing clearly in order to take the speck out of the other person's eye. It means that you will be upheld to the standards you put on other people. If I criticize murderers, what do I have to worry about by being judged by that measure? Many people pretend that it means that if I judge adulterers, I will be judged just as harshly for j-walking. This is wrong! Jesus could have said 'do not judge; it is wicked' full stop-to make it cut and dried, but didn't. So that you may see clearly in order to take the speck out suggests that taking the speck out isn't inherently wrong; that is to say criticism isn't inherently wrong, just that that way of going about it(doing it while your hands are dirty) is wrong. There are so many instances where it is said to avoid the wicked and if/when you do- that is a judgment, even if no pronouncement is made. "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and tear you." Looks like we cannot follow this. To make the determination of who the profane(dogs and swine) are would be to judge! “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. ”
—Matthew 7:1-5
This one is about being a hypocrite, not about criticizing people. If it was about criticism, it wouldn’t have included the parts about being judged by your own measure and seeing clearly in order to take the speck out of the other person’s eye. It means that you will be upheld to the standards you put on other people. If I criticize murderers, what do I have to worry about by being judged by that measure? Many people pretend that it means that if I judge adulterers, I will be judged just as harshly for j-walking. This is wrong! Jesus could have said ‘do not judge; it is wicked’ full stop-to make it cut and dried, but didn’t.

So that you may see clearly in order to take the speck out suggests that taking the speck out isn’t inherently wrong; that is to say criticism isn’t inherently wrong, just that that way of going about it(doing it while your hands are dirty) is wrong. There are so many instances where it is said to avoid the wicked and if/when you do- that is a judgment, even if no pronouncement is made. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and tear you.” Looks like we cannot follow this. To make the determination of who the profane(dogs and swine) are would be to judge!

]]>