The Forgiveness Gospel

Talking strictly to believers here. I find it very sad that we are the most judgmental unforgiving people who preach a grace-filled forgiveness-based gospel. Don't get me wrong. We all will be held accountable for everything we did or did not do on this earth, but its not OUR place to judge. I am reminded of the verse that SO many people quote and mis-use:

Luke 7:1-6
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.


I find this passage to be pretty plain and clear. Judge not. I've tried to follow this in my personal life with those around me who don't believe the same way I do. Sometimes I utterly fail...and I can only dust myself off and try again.

It comes back to our focus and our motivations. I should be more concerned about what I am doing and what I am not doing. Not what Steve or Bob or Lucy are doing. I am my own Christian, and if the Christian life is a relationship with the Almighty, then I should not try to step in my Father's shoes and pass judgement on ANYONE.
We see it all the time with small children. Trying on daddies work shoes or dress shoes. They shuffle along just fine for awhile, but they will fall. They will get to a place where they cant safely cross over that threshold or step down those stairs without falling. The only difference is, we will NEVER fill God's shoes. And we are not meant to.

Jesus Christ himself with the woman caught in adultery told them "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone." Maybe we should write this verse out and hang it above out telephones, so that the next time we want to call our best friend and gossip about what Lucy said today, we may think twice.

take care of your OWN sin, and let GOD sort out the rest. Its His job, not ours.
Stop trying to step into your Father's shoes.

More on this later.