Judge not lest ye be judged

[prisonchaplain]

I suspect that LDS and Evangelical teaching might be quite similar concerning Matthew 7:1-2. We condemn sin but leave the judging of souls to God. Our failure in this area manifests most commonly as gossip. One of the least followed counsels in scripture has to be the command to go directly to the one who has offended us.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by prisonchaplain

[NeuroTypical]

Scripture is full of commandments to judge, and also not judge.  The absolute best attempt to sort through it all from an LDS perspective that I've ever seen, is Elder Oaks' "Judge Not and Judging" conference talk, turning 21 years old this year.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1999/08/judge-not-and-judging?lang=eng

I'm not sure what your link to Angle Lake church has to do with the topic, but I've found Elder Oaks' 7 criteria to be universal when figuring out whether I need to judge something they did or not.

Edited April 10, 2020 by NeuroTypical

[Traveler]

10 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

I suspect that LDS and Evangelical teaching might be quite similar concerning Matthew 7:1-2. We condemn sin but leave the judging of souls to God. Our failure in this area manifests most commonly as gossip. One of the least followed counsels in scripture has to be the command to go directly to the one who has offended us.

https://www.facebook.com/anglelakechurch/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARCaatWaImg61vqDRlLsJyOk-0-aZPDCpKtx9-kePlw1QvlixG5ub_JCcMWcXDbxlJ1E21noAL3_HcP5

@NeuroTypical's link is perhaps the best possible view into Latter-day Saints perspective.  I would add that Elder Oaks was not just an ordinary judge but was a Supreme Court Judge for the state of Utah and one of our nation's experts in Constitutional Law before called to be a prophet and apostle.   There are two things about Elder Oaks talk that I especially like.  First is the notion that we are forbidden to condemn.  To think someone is going to Hell or even on the road to Hell.  But there is the other side of that coin - which is pronouncing a judgment of being saved.  I think as a Evangelists you may find this concept a little troubling.  I personally have struggled with how to answer this question when asked by an Evangelists because of the very notion expressed by Elder Oaks that we, as mortals, are not to make such final and conclusive judgments but leave it to G-d at the final judgment.  It may be difficult, because of our very different background concerning this principle to discuss such explicit details concurrent with the once saved always saved prior to the final judgement is and area where our doctrinal differences make understanding most difficult.

The second deals with intermediate judgments - what stand out for me concerning this is the unrighteous temporary judgments in anger.  I am especially impressed with you @prisonchaplain because of your ability to maintain an attitude of love - and void of anger.  This anger thing is a weakness of mine.  Though I am very slow and difficult to anger - once I have been angered it takes me months sometimes years to get over it.  My wife, on the other hand is very quick to anger but is over it all in a second or even less.  It has been a long hard learning process for me but I have learned to not respond when I am angry and to wait until I am in complete control.  Sometimes I will experiment with how others deal with anger - I admit and apologize for the many times I have experimented specifically with you.  I admire your spirit in this matter and though I disagree with you on many things - I do honor and respect your responses on this forum.

 

The Traveler

[prisonchaplain]

3 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

I'm not sure what your link to Angle Lake church has to do with the topic, but I've found Elder Oaks' 7 criteria to be universal when figuring out whether I need to judge something they did or not.

It was supposed to link to my teaching on the topic. I should always click to make sure before I post. Correction made. Thank you!