Do Not Judge
Pastor Jim Kilby • June 30, 2023
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? "
-Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew 7:1-4 (NIV)
Friends,
If I’m being honest, I really struggle with “Pride Month”. I’m not sure where it came from, and I’m glad when it’s over. I really dislike how sexual perversion is promoted as normal and acceptable to even the youngest of our children. I really don’t like the advertising that seems to come from every level of government, businesses, and even some churches. I hate that it has had a devastating effect on marriages and families. I hate that the “rainbow,” one of God’s most amazing promises to us, is used as its symbol. But most of all, I hate how it hurts our children the most. Imagine being in middle-school or high-school now. You simply could not escape the reality that a large number of your contemporaries are now identifying as “trans” and selecting new pronouns, etc., etc. And it’s not just in primary education. It’s even more prevalent in our colleges and universities, and often being championed by the professors and other leaders there. All of this has led me on a decades long pursuit to find a way to navigate what the Bible says about homosexuality (both Old Testament and New) and what Jesus says about loving, reaching out, caring for our neighbors, and much, much more. So, as just a guy in ministry who loves the Lord and who loves the lost, let me share a few things that help me in this pursuit.
· Remember to “Let love lead.” God is love…. He loves all of us, and we all are sinners.
· Keep the doors to communication open. God does this with us. He’s the real prodigal Father.
· Remember “accepting” is not the same as “agreeing”.
· Remember the enemy is an expert at deception, and I believe he is hard at work on both (or all) sides of this issue. He’s deceived me, you, and everyone else at one time of another.
· Remember, you (and I) have sins too. Through the blood of Christ, they are forgiven.
· I am not anyone’s judge.
· Pointing out “right” and “wrong” might not honor any of the above thoughts.
· Remember Jesus is our only hope, gay, straight or otherwise, and be grateful for the Cross.
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jim Kilby
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