Judgement

The news of Josh Duggar's latest scandal has me really bummed. The initial news of his first scandal had me stunned for days. I was in disbelief. I loved watching 19 Kids and Counting. I loved watching Michelle and Jim Bob interact with each other. I loved how they seemed to interact with their kids. I thought the show was pretty wholesome. Sure, there were some ideas that they presented that did not sit right with me, but overall I was an avid viewer. My kids loved the show too. 

And now here we are. The mudslinging has begun in earnest this time dividing us even further. There are those that say that Josh is just a wayward soul who needs rehabilitation. There are others who shout that Josh is a hypocrite who stood in judgement of others (namely homosexuals) and now needs to stand in judgement himself. 

I get both sides.  

We all judge. We judge all the time. From simple things such as what our favorite color is or our favorite outfit. We judge the more complex things such as the way other people parent or whom they choose to love. We judge ourselves. 

But does the fact that we do this, both to ourselves and to others, make it right?  I do not think so. And in fact, I think that our judgement of others is a great sin. The bible is pretty specific about judgement:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5)

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7)

These verses apply to us all. They apply to Josh Duggar, and those like him, who shout about the immorality of homosexuality while they themselves sin. They apply to the homosexuals that people like Josh Duggar stand against because even if you do not believe that homosexuality is a sin, surely those who have an attraction to the same sex have committed other sins. My sins are too many to count just as, I am sure, yours are too.  

This whole issue is bigger than straight verse gay. Adulterer verse non-adulterer.  It is about judgement. I am in no position, nor is any man, to judge you for your sins (no matter what they may be) because I myself am a sinner. God doesn't differentiate between sins. He says that my sins are just as bad as your sins. If anything, I think I will be judged more harshly for my sins because as a Christian I know better!

Whether you are a homosexual, adulterer, liar, one who covets, takes the Lord's name in vain, etc...those are sins are between you and God. I may not agree with what you are doing - just as you may not agree with what I am doing, but who am I to throw stones at you when I am not without sin myself?

Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. (James 5:9)