A Call to be "Judgmental"

I received this letter today by email:

Hi Dwayna,

I saw your blog about Theistic Evolution with Daniel Mann and Ron,an elder from Redeemer.In your introduction to the blog you mention that Ron was "rude and arrogant" to Daniel in his response to his letter.By saying this,you are judging Ron's relationship with the Lord.When we judge someone the way you did with those words,we are assuming that we know what is that person's heart(eg:judging someone of sin/sins.)With statements like that we are also making the reader of the blog biased against Ron with pre-judicial views already planted and partial and favored towards Daniel.You should leave it up to the reader to see whether Ron was "rude and arrogant' or not.In some cases,many won't see it at all. Dwayna,I think you are bigger than this.To judge Christian doctrine is one thing;to judge a fellow believer's character is another. For if we live,we live to the Lord;and if we die,we die to the Lord. Therfore,whether we live or die,we are the Lord's.(Rom.14:8.) [sic]

Francisco

My response:

Francisco,

Believe me, it is obvious that Ron was rude and condescending, and, as an elder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, he is the one who should be “bigger than that.”

Furthermore, God gave us a brain and expects us to use it. We will JUDGE angels, according to the Bible, and it would be anti-intellectual to never make a judgment. In fact, you have been judgmental toward me, by your comments!

To say I am “judgmental” is making a judgment yourself. So, we are all judgmental after all, aren’t we, as thinking human beings?

I AM TESTING THE SPIRITS AS I AM CALLED TO DO IN THE BIBLE AND DELIGHTED TO MAKE JUDGMENTS IN A “SOUND MIND” AS I GO. (1 John 4:1)

"Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?...Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life." (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)

"Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead EVEN EXPOSE THEM [which requires making a judgment]." Ephesians 5:11

Take a look at the requirements for being an elder in 1 Timothy 3 (which also requires thinking human beings to make judgments!)

"But the Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will fall away...paying attention...to doctrines of demons" 1 Timothy 4:1 [Again, we see a judgment is required here.]

"Be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort..." (2 Timothy 4:2)

A final example would be where the Apostle Paul names someone publicly "Alexander the Coppersmith" who Paul says did him much harm. (Guess Paul was "judgmental" too; 2 Timothy 4:14)

Making sound judgments without shame,

Dwayna Litz

Other comments by email:

Dwayna,

Well, first of all you didn’t say Ron was rude and condescending in that email. You said “Such arrogance... my goodness no humility”. And I don’t believe you were “judging” Ron Choong’s relationship with the Lord by saying that, were you? Weren’t you simply describing his behavior? I agree by the way...Daniel wrote an email that basically just gave scriptural support for his views. At no time was Daniel rude, condescending or in any way insulting. I was therefore shocked when I read Ron’s response. He seemed quite unnerved by Daniel’s email.

In fact, Ron seemed to make judgments about Daniel’s relationship with the Lord. Ron told Daniel he hoped that someday Daniel could see the beauty of God, insinuating that Daniel doesn’t see that today!

Ron said to Daniel, “I can only conclude that you are not really serious about an intelligent and mutually respectful engagement among fellow believers but rather, seek a name-calling polemic”!

Can someone please tell me where Daniel wasn’t totally respectful? Maybe Francisco can point out where Daniel called Ron names. If not, then your judgment is correct, Dwayna. And if Francisco can’t show where Daniel called Ron insulting names, then maybe he should be calling Ron out for LYING about Daniel!

Then Daniel wrote Ron back and didn’t even mention any of these things! He very respectfully continued the conversation, totally ignoring all the personal insults Ron had thrown at him. I admired Daniel for that and am not sure I would have been able to hold my tongue at that point!

As a pastor, Ron should have been the bigger one. Even if Daniel had actually been rude, Ron’s response wouldn't have been warranted. Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek when someone slaps at our pride.

I'm glad you pointed out to Francisco that he is actually judging you!! How funny is it when people can’t see the log in their own eye!? He was doing to you the exact same thing he said you shouldn't have done to Ron!

Also, I was a little baffled by the verse that Francisco closed with. I don’t understand how it relates to this conversation. There are many passages of scripture that tell us we should in fact make judgments about people’s behavior and beliefs. And many passages where Biblical writers made plenty of judgments. (As you so well pointed out on your blog Dwayna). So I didn’t understand his closing with a verse saying that we are the Lord’s whether we live or die. I don’t see how that supported his view that you shouldn't say someone who was arrogant, was arrogant.

The Bible demands that we make judgments about good and evil all the time! Even Paul did it. Check out 2 Cor 11:5 where Paul said, “You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.” Then he adds, mockingly, “But I don’t think I'm inferior to these ‘super apostles’!”

There’s a whole lot of judging going on there!

Paul also says in Romans 16:17-19 “Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith BY TEACHING THINGS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT. STAY AWAY FROM THEM.” Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. ... I want you to see clearly what is right and stay innocent of any wrong.”

ALL OF THIS requires us to make constant judgments of people, their teachings, their beliefs and their motives. Judgment is essential to our staying true to God’s Word. Without good judgment, we’d all be pagans!

Jonathan
--------------------
Yes, we are called to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret." (Eph. 5:11-12)

Since Redeemer Presbyterian Church purports themselves to be biblical followers of the Gospel (and my guess is this teaching would never be in front of the Sunday congregation), Ron Choong's teaching is very seriously in error and if Tim Keller and Redeemer supports this anti-biblical and unChristian teaching (so to support their belief in theistic evolution), they need to be called out on it and fellow believers must also be warned.

God bless,

Christine