The rest of this chapter, which we started a couple of days ago, gives more color to the idea of judging those inside the church and those outside of the church. Paul makes a point that I think is so important - that as a body of believers, we are responsible for judging those INSIDE of the church, and NOT those OUTSIDE of the church. Here is a subtle way to think about this that - you ever sit in church and hear the pastor talking about something, and you thought, “I know someone who ought to hear this...”...ever think that? Well, perhaps it is ME that should be hearing it. It is so easy to look at others and to think about how what is being taught would be useful for others, but God wants to talk to us. We are responsible for us. And, the church that we belong to is responsible for caring for us, for holding us up and challenging us to grow, and for judging us who are members of the body. Just as our individual focus shouldn’t be on ‘others who need to hear this message’, as a church, we shouldn’t be thinking about judging the world, we should be thinking about how we can inspire our members to grow, how we can walk beside and support members who are participating in that growth and how we should be more direct in intercepting those who are in silent rebellion.

Here is the challenge though - it is sometimes (not always) hard to know if someone is really trying to grow and develop as a believer or not. That said, it is much easier to know that about ourselves. A healthy body of believers is a body that is self-aware and personally motivated to get better. And this brings us back to a big part of the importance of small groups, life groups, Sunday school, or whatever you want to call it. It is important that there is a ‘church within the church’ where there can be enough ‘being known’, enough intimacy, that we can be personally challenged.

It is a common misconception that we aren’t supposed to judge others...that’s not the whole truth. God calls us to judge the insiders, not to judge the outsiders. And, if we want a great example of how to do it, Paul is providing it hear. Paul is saying, “Follow me, do as I do...and if you don’t want to move in that direction, we love you, and we’ll be ready for you when you come back and decide to move in that way.”

Strong stuff!