Looking for answers in scripture

To the editor:

If there is one thing that the Ray Boltz appearance brought to this community, it was a wealth of scripture in the letters to the editor of The Commercial Review.

I really enjoyed reading them.

I would like to comment on scripture from one letter (not on the letter writer or their comments) in which the scripture quoted was taken from Matthew 7 (King James Version): "Judge not, that ye be not judged." This is one of the most quoted verses by people who are wanting to continue in a sin that they have been accused of. They somehow feel that saying this they can more or less turn away the person or persons that are talking about them. Or turn back the "wrath of God," so to speak.

There are many more places in the Bible where we can find verses that encourage us to judge others for what they do. Matter of fact, if you continue reading in Matthew 7, you will see this judgment that Jesus is talking about has a method, or a right way, of judging your brother.

Consider verse 5: "Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." This does not tell me to forget about the sin my brother/sister is committing, but to get my own life in line with the will of God so that I can clearly see how to aid my brother/sister in getting the sine out of his/her life.

Some will say "you are not to judge" or "you dare not judge me" or some other excuse to continue in their lifestyle of sin.

Another verse we find in reading Matthew (King James) 7:16-20: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs or thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

We can see by these verses that we will not have to judge what a person is, as we are able to plainly tell by the fruit that is produced in their way of living from day to day. We do not have to be judges, but we can all be fruit inspectors.

There is also a verse that tells me I will be in great danger if I fail to "cry aloud" is found in Ezekiel 3:17-19: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, 'Thou shall surely die,' and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his inequity; but thou hast delivered they soul."

The Bible says that judgment is coming and the end of time is drawing near. I do not know when that time will come, but I do know that it is closer than when it was first mentioned in the Bible.

We really have it nice here in America and we do not think much about God or heaven or hell. So in all this comfort we are being tranquilized to live our lives the way we want to, do those things that we say are alright, and when someone crosses our path we say, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

Wake up people.

"Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning. Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping." (Mark 13:35-36).

Sincerely yours,

Max Blowers

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