Have you ever wondered why God seems so judgmental? Throughout the Old Testament, God continually goes back and forth between telling His chosen people, Israel, that He is with them and that He is going to turn against them. From wandering in the desert to being driven into exile, God's punishments against Israel seem to overshadow his promises of care. And yet, over and over again, we see them side-by-side! Many have looked at the Old Testament and cringed at this "judgmental" God that seems to constantly be destroying His own people. But perhaps we are looking at this in the wrong way.
When we complain that God is judgmental, we are using a term that, in English at least, conveys a sense of finality. A judgment is made by the judge, and you are going to prison or you are going free. It's done. However, the writer of Hebrews speaks of God disciplining His children. The difference is in the relationship. We usually think of discipline in terms of a parent and child relationship. In this relationship, it's not final. Discipline requires a commitment of fidelity that ensures the relationship will go on despite the firm stand for what is right. Seeing this committed relationship between God and Israel changes everything.
I believe that perhaps we are mixing up terms. God was not "judging" Israel in the sense that there was a finality. He was disciplining them, because He had a covenant to remain with them. Although they were faithless, God was faithful. Even though He disciplined them severely, He never abandoned them. My prayer is that we can adopt the same stance with people around us. It's almost every day that Christians are accused of being judgmental for taking a stand on something. If Christians are able to build a relationship with people, perhaps we can get to a place where "judgment" begins to be viewed within the context of a committed relationship. When a good friend tells you that you are making a mistake, it isn't judgment, it's wisdom.
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