In this day and age, merely correcting someone is seen as being judgey. You can hardly say one or two words before you hear a statement like, “How I live my life is none of your business. Remove the spec in your eyes first”. At this point, I’m not surprised that people tend to take the part of the Bible that suits them to try and blackmail everyone else into shutting up. You know the same way you hear Ephesians 5:22 everywhere “wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands….” but notice how people slyly omit verse 21 which says “submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God”? How about Ephesians 6: 1 which says “children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right”; however, how often do you hear verse 4 “…ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath”?

Fine, the Bible says “judge not…” But how exactly do you preach the gospel without sounding judgey? How do we reconcile these two scriptures?

Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged”

John 8:11 says “………neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

It’s quite simple. Condemn the SIN and not the sinner. Romans 7:17 says “Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Note that I stressed the word sin. Not everything that someone else does that doesn’t suit you is a sin. If you see me confidently using Coke to brush my teeth and ask me to use water instead, I’d probably tell you to shut the hell up and mind your own damn business. No part of the Bible says brushing my teeth with a bottle of Coke is sinful.

When correcting someone, try doing that in love. Don’t make it a personal attack on the person. No one is in himself perfect. Christ is the one who makes us perfect and blameless before God. Abraham wasn’t perfect, he slept with his maid. Moses wasn’t perfect, he killed another man. Heck, David who was a man after God’s heart wasn’t perfect. Yet, God singled all of these men out. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work towards perfection. Paul whose teachings we modern day Christians follow had this to say about perfection in Philippians 3:12 “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

The problem lies in us being comfortable doing something we know is wrong. When someone tells you that sleeping around is bad, don’t say “Konji na bastard, men are naturally polygamous.” Or when someone tells you being gay is a sin, don’t go about telling people that God made you that way. Don’t say “This is who I am” when someone tells you that you are proud. There is always room for self-improvement. Don’t be a Saul whose heart was hardened.

I’m aware that sometimes people tell us things that are not true just to spite us. This is why it is always important to reflect ad meditate. Listen to understand and not always to reply. Sometimes we don’t like taking corrections because it translates to admitting guilt. But remember; know the truth and it shall set you free. Man sees the outward appearance but Gods see within us.

Peace!

Disclaimer: This writer ain’t perfect either, but I’m always open to constructive criticism.