Friday, July 24, 2015

In our study of Matthew 7:1-6, concerning the matter of judging, Jesus concludes by giving a poignant example of needing to judge someone. He said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” Clearly, to follow these instructions you must make a judgment call on who is a dog and/or a pig? Paul Copan explains, “Jesus made a moral judgment about certain persons, using metaphors about ‘dogs’ and ‘pigs’, stressing that we shouldn’t continue to present God’s grace to those who persistently scoff and ridicule. At some point we must shake the dust off our feet and move on to the more receptive.” In contemporary terms, Eugene Peterson says: “Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.” 2nd Peter 2:22 reminds us that “‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.’” If you have shared the good news with someone whom you discern is consistently scoffing and ridiculing it, you are free to walk away from them. This approach will harden some while causing others to reconsider. In 2nd Corinthians 2:15-16, Paul says, “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”