QT 11 Nov 14, Rom 14:1-4, There are limited things for which we can judge others

Rom 14:1-4 (ESV) As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2  One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4  Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

NOTE: So this issue of judging is very nuanced. We are not to judge unbelievers for their behavior, that job is God's. We are not to judge those weak in the faith (called young believers) for their convictions. And in general, items of convictions are, for the most part, off limits (I will get back to this). But we are to judge believers for outright sin. There is a process. We are to confront them privately first. If they don't listen, we bring another. And if they still don't listen, the matter is turned over to the church. To me, these issues are blatant issues of sin, such as, sexual immorality, theft, a pattern of lying, and other licentious behavior (although, it might be wise to discuss first with an elder or leader). We can confront a person concerning convictions if they start to teach others that their conviction is required by God. In which case, they are now a false teacher and must be confronted about their false teaching. They don't have to change their conviction but they must agree that it is wrong to teach others that it is a biblical requirement. If they refuse, then they cannot teach in the body. Unfortunately, our problem is that we want to judge everyone whose lifestyles and beliefs do not agree with ours. We are only to judge believers, and even there, that requires special handling (should be overt and patterned, not incidental or a one-time thing) and requires much prayer.