Judgment Begins with the Household of God

Recently, professing Christ-followers have made the news with self-righteous statements and actions concerning gay individuals (here and here). One-upping these disturbing statements is a recent video of a child singing “Ain’t no homos gonna make it to Heaven” with the pastor and congregation cheering in a church’s worship service.

All too often the people of one group are quick to point out the perceived faults of another group without dealing with their own group’s faults. Politically, it is outrageous when Republicans point out problems with Democrats and yet Republicans won’t condemn the same kind of problems in their own ranks (and vice-versa).  It is maddening when good Muslim folks condemn western civilization’s ailments but will not deal with the problems in their own ranks.  Equally so, it is wrong when Christians point out the sins of the world and will not condemn the sins of those in their own ranks, or themselves.  All individuals and groups should be following Christ’s words in Matt 7:3–5:

“Why do you look at 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,’ and behold, the log is 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”.

The words and actions by our Christian brothers and sisters (as expressed in the links above) are sinful and not worthy of the responsibility of the Christian duty/calling to be a light in this world. These actions and words (referencing those as expressed via the above links, and others like them) are wrong for the following reasons:

Christians are called to be broken, not bragging

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are the words and actions, linked to above, more like the Pharisee or the tax collector in this biblical example?…

“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven but was beating his breast, saying, ‘ God be merciful to me, the sinner!”’ (Luke 18:12-13).

Jesus states in regard to the broken sinner, “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Are we a broken people because we know the depths of our own sin…hence, our desperate need for the salvation of Jesus Christ?  Or are we a bragging people who falsely believe we are inherently better than everyone else?

Christians are called to be loving, not mocking

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are the words and actions, linked to above, consistent with Jesus’ words here?…  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Or are they more consistent with Paul’s description?… “If I do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or clanging cymbal” (1 Cor 13:1). We all recoil at noisy gongs, and if we don’t we are deaf…think about that metaphor spiritually. No amount of doctrinal purity regarding the institution of marriage and sexuality can justify a lack of love.  Even if we could have all knowledge of God’s ways, and yet not have love, Paul says we are nothing (1 Cor 13:2).

Christians are called to be building blocks, not stumbling blocks

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as I watched the cheering adults in the video (linked above), I thought of the warning of this passage:  “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matt 18:6). Parents are to be the wise and responsible trainers of children.  The values and morals instilled in today’s children will be the values and morals of society when the children become adults.

There is nothing Christ-like about the comments and the actions that are expressed through the links I’ve provided above (and, as unfortunate and sad as it is, other such examples exist). To the degree that any Christians are involved in speech or actions like these, they are not obeying the Gospel of Christ and they should repent.  For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17).

Brent Aucoin
Pastor Brent Aucoin serves as the Pastor of Seminary and Counseling Ministries at Faith Church. He is the president of Faith Bible Seminary, and is a counselor and instructor for Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries.