Judging

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Me:
Hey, where did anyone get the idea that the only way to
express love for one another is to sit around sighing in
contentment and saying "I know you may not have the same
revelation as I do but I LOVE you brother so let's not
upset anyone and let's certainly not argue, people might
thing there is a division?"
1 Corinthians 11:19, "For there must be also heresies among
you, that they which are approved may be made manifest
among you."

I know the sister just signed on and missed all of the post
on judgement and will not belabor the point again.  When it
comes to judgement always consider if you are judging or
being judged on the bases of the fruit that is displayed or
upon personal character.
We can judge fruit in accordance with the Word.

You: 
> Who are we to call women who wear make-up jezebel's?
> What do we call Christian women who don't wear make-up
but have a black
> heart?  Is the woman with no make-up and the black heart
still better in
> God's eyes than the woman with make-up and the pure
heart?

Me:
This gets to the HEART of the matter. :-)  What is the root
cause for wearing make-up?  What is in the woman's heart
when she puts this stuff on?  Can you wear make-up without
sinning?  Yes.  Is it very likely?  I don't think so.  You
see, even if YOU can wear make-up without becoming vain can
this be said for a LARGE number of saints?  I was an
alcoholic and by the power of God I could drink a beer
without being drawn into the addiction again.  I also see
no direct prohibition in drinking this ONE beer under the
right circumstances.  Now I drink this ONE beer and another
brother who was delivered from alcoholism sees me drink
this ONE 
beer and thinks "well, if brother Tim is delivered and he
can drink beer, so can I." and he isn't as strong in the
Lord as I am and he backslides then I am responsible.

The question of make-up or drinking one beer (or communion
wine) is not MERELY one of whether it is in and of itself
wrong to do these things but whether or not there is a REAL
and VALID cause to think that ANOTHER might be destroyed by
the actions of the strong.  I personally feel that this
should be left to the individual but once it has been
established that certain "liberties" consistantly cause the
weak to fall, that it should be strongly recomended that
these be universally AVOIDED.

Once it has been pointed out to you that you are really
causing the weak to faulter and you continue in the
liberty, you are guily of rebellion and have then CERTAINLY
sinned.  Is it a sin to wear make-up?  No.  Can the weak
sisters in the church be destroyed by falling into the sin
of vanity?  This is your call!

I personally have seen the standards slacked and someone
will come in with lipstick, then someone comes in with more
and then anything goes since if you allow ANY how can you
then say "you can wear lipstick but don't wear eyeshadow." 
Doesn't work.

In all things ask "Am I placing a stumbling block in the
path of my brother?" and if the answer is yes, your duty is
clear.  This is not to say however that you are to abide by
every heretical belief that a brother may hold.  Romans
14:1, "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to
doubtful disputations." 

You:
> I'm just wondering here.  We as Christians are suppose to
be together not
> divided.  

Me:
1 Corinthians 1:13, "Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified
for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"  The
answer is, no Christ is not divided.  Now, this said, is
all that are called Christian in Christ?  No.  I can be
"out of Christ" an an issue and it is then the duty of the
body to rebuke me (and they have, thank you Jesus!) that I
may get back in.  If I refuse the body has only one
recourse:
Matthew 5:29, "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it
out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee
that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy
whole body should be cast into hell."  If we are to be so
diligent then how much more will Christ be with His body?  
 
You:
> Peace and Love to all.

Me:
I really like Gal 1:8.  We are to love each other (those in
the body) and to reject those who are unrepentant in
raising disputes.

John 12:48, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my
words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

Now I ask, is it possible to tell in at least some cases
that someone has rejected the words that Jesus has spoken? 
 

Timothy (judge rightly) Litteral
472 Grant St.
Marion Ohio 43302
trlitteral@usa.net
http://members.tripod.com/~trlitteral