Unto us a Child is Born

Joy to the world, the Lord has come! May we all remember to take time to thank God for this, the ultimate gift; the gift of himself, on this Christmas morning.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Isaiah 9:2-7New Living Translation (NLT)

2 The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
    a light will shine.
3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
    and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest
    and like warriors dividing the plunder.
4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
    and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
    just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
5 The boots of the warrior
    and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
    They will be fuel for the fire.

⁶ For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

Was Jesus' Physical Body Raised from the dead?

In my previous article,  "Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?"  I set out to prove from the available evidence that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead. In light of this, I feel that the evidence weighs overwhelmingly in the affirmative: Jesus rose from the dead. However, one question still remains: If Jesus did rise from the dead, did he do so in a physical body? Or was his resurrection merely a "Spiritual Resurrection"? 

    Now it may surprise you that this idea of a “Spiritual Resurrection” actually has its origins in the late first century. At this time there was a psuedo-christain movement known as Gnosticism, who believed Jesus was never a mortal being. According to Gnostic teachings, all things material are inherently evil; only the spiritual is good. Therefore Jesus could not have existed as a physical being. Rather, they taught that he exists as a divine spirit, and only had the appearance of being human. Ergo, he was not a human being. He did not actually die. And he most certainly did not rise from the dead in a physical body—it was a “Spiritual Resurrection.”

    Despite the fact that the Apostles themselves identified the Gnostic movement as a cult and condemned its founders as false teachers, the Gnostic belief in a “Spiritual Resurrection” has survived to the present day. However, if one looks at what Jesus himself said and did after his resurrection, it soon becomes clear that he did in fact rise from the dead in a physical body.

    “‘Why are you frightened?’ he asked. ‘Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.’ As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.
    “Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.”
~ Luke 24:38-43 New Living Translation (NLT)  [Emphasis Added]

    “Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said. Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!’
    “‘My Lord and my God!’ Thomas exclaimed.
    “Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’”
~ John 20:26-29 New Living Translation (NLT)

    Jesus made a point of eating in front of his disciples in order to show them that he was not a spirit or ghost. He was a living, breathing, human being; complete with flesh, bone, and appetite—as Jesus himself stated in Luke 24:39

    There was no “Spiritual Resurrection.” In fact, the concept of a “Spiritual Resurrection” was completely foreign to the Jewish culture. The Greek culture of the day, however,  had no trouble believing in a spiritual afterlife; it was the idea that a man could come back from the dead that gave them pause, as seen in Acts 17:32. 
    Gnosticism drew its inspiration primarily from Greek philosophers, and openly mocked both Judaism and the Jewish God. In contrast, the people to whom Jesus appeared—the Apostles who would later pen the New Testament—were all Jews. When they said that Jesus had been raised from the dead, they meant a physical, bodily resurrection. There was no such thing as a Spiritual Resurrection in their culture. To be raised from the dead literally meant coming back to life. This is further emphasized by the fact that every resurrection recorded in the Bible involves someone coming back from the dead physically. ( i.e. 1 Kings 17:17-24, 2 Kings 4:1-37, 2 Kings 13:21, Luke 7:13-15, Matthew 9:18-26, Matthew 28:5-7, John 11:43-44, Acts 9:36-42, Acts 20:9-12, Revelation 20, etc.)

    In short: The physical resurrection of Jesus was the cornerstone of the Apostle's faith and is the very foundation of Christianity itself, as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:12-23.

    Therefore, it is clear from the available cultural evidence and historical accounts of Jesus' resurrection, that Jesus Christ was indeed raised from the dead in a physical body. To argue otherwise would mean contradicting not only God's word but also Jesus Christ himself:

    “‘All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
    “‘What!’ they exclaimed. ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?’ But when Jesus said ‘this temple,’ he meant his own body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.”
~ John 2:19-22 New Living Translation (NLT)  [Emphasis Added]

Where is God when we suffer?

Suffering.

We have all experienced suffering before—some more so than others. And often times the biggest question we have during these times of tragedy and sorrow is: Where is God?

This link below will take you to a video done by an old pastor of mine; a man who's youngest daughter passed away in December 2012, five days before Christmas. It is a long video, but definitely worth the time. In the midst of tragedy, God is the one foundation we can cling to. He will never leave us or abandon us; and He will cary us when no one else can.

Turn off the Dark- Fresh Life Christmas 2012

  "Who has believed our message?
    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?

  My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
      like a root in dry ground.
  There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    nothing to attract us to him.
   He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
  We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

 "Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

 "He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
    And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.

Unjustly condemned,
    he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
    that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
    for the rebellion of my people.
 He had done no wrong
    and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
    he was put in a rich man’s grave.

 "But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
    and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
    he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
    and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
    he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
    my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
    for he will bear all their sins.
 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
    because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
    He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels."

          ~Isaiah 53New Living Translation (NLT)

Did Jesus Say He was God?

Not surprisingly, the topic of whether or not Jesus ever claimed to be God is quite common. However, it is recorded in the scriptures that Jesus did in fact claim to be God on multiple occasions. Take for example John 10:22-23:

“It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. The people surrounded him and asked, ‘How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’

“Jesus replied, ‘I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’”

“Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, ‘At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?’

“They replied, ‘We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.’”

~ John 10:22-33 New Living Translation (NLT) [Emphasis Added]

     

Now, there are some who look at this verse and say: “No, Jesus isn't claiming to be one with God. He's only claiming that he and God are ‘one in purpose.’ That is to say, they have a common goal/plan for humanity.”

This argument, however, is entirely false as revealed by the Jewish Leaders' response in verses 31-33. They knew what Jesus was saying. There was absolutely no room for doubt or misinterpretation. Jesus claimed to be God.

Now, this should be proof enough of Jesus' divine nature. But there are several other examples I would like to point out. The first is during Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane as recorded in the book of John.

  “After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.

“Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. ‘Who are you looking for?’ he asked.

“‘Jesus the Nazarene,’ they replied.

“‘I am he,’ Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) As Jesus said “I am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! Once more he asked them, ‘Who are you looking for?’

And again they replied, ‘Jesus the Nazarene.’

“‘I told you that I am he,’ Jesus said. ‘And since I am the one you want, let these others go.’

~ John 18:1-8 New Living Translation (NLT) [Emphasis Added]

Now it is important to note that a contingent of Roman soldiers usually consisted of about 100-200 men, if not more. That is in addition to the temple guards sent by the High Priest. Therefore, it is safe to assume that there were at least 200 well-armed, well-trained men present in the garden when Jesus was arrested.

With that in mind, notice what happened in verses 5-6.

Why did over 100 elite solders draw back and fall to the ground when Jesus said “I Am he”?

The reason becomes apparent when you realize that in the original language of the New Testament— Greek — Jesus isn't simply answering their question. He isn't saying: “Oh? You're looking for Jesus of Nazareth? Well, that's me. How can I help you fine gentlemen this evening?” No. What Jesus says in verse 5 is “Ego Eimi”— the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה (Ehyeh). The “I Am” Jesus used to identify himself in this passage is the name God used when He first spoke to Moses in the Greek version of Exodus 3:14. 

Not only did Jesus Identify himself as God in this passage, he also used the same “I Am” (Ego Eimi) in John 4:26 when he identify himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman at the well. This phrase is repeated in John 8:58-60 when Jesus tells the Pharisees that “...before Abraham was, I Am,” and again during his trial as recorded in the books of Mark and Luke (Mark 14:60-64, Luke 22:66-71)

All of these claims were made prior to Jesus' death and resurrection. But his claims of divinity don't end there. Jesus equates himself with God once again in Revelation 1:8 and Revelation 22:12-20.

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He existed in the Beginning with God, and he is God. (John 1:1-5) In no uncertain terms, Jesus declared himself to be God and revealed his power to the Roman Legionaries sent to arrest him. He proclaimed his name to the Jewish High Council during his trial, yet humbled himself to die in our place on the cross. Finally, having surrendered his life voluntarily for the sins of all mankind, Jesus raised himself from the dead three days later, just as he said he would. (John 2:19, John 10:18, Mark 14:58)

The evidence in scripture is obvious: Jesus and God are one in the same, just as Jesus said.

Happy Thanksgiving

"See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18New Living Translation (NLT)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Was Jesus Real?

Despite the fact that the existence of Jesus as a historical figure is probably the least disputed aspect of Christianity, the idea that he is nothing more than a fictional character has begun to gain popularity— in spite of the combined historical and cultural evidence of the last 2,000 years.

 
    We know from history that Christianity spread quickly during the first century AD. Contrary to popular opinion, however, Christianity was not spread through conquest. The early Christians did not “chase out” the other religions. In fact, quite the opposite was true. Christians were the ones being chased out by the other religions! Christianity was hated for the first 400 years of its existence, and was persecuted off and on, first by the Jews and then later by the Pagan cultures of the Roman Empire. All but one of Jesus' Apostles were executed, and the last one—John—died in exile on the Island of Patmos. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

 “Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.”
~ 1 Corinthians 4:10-13 New Living Translation (NLT)

    These were the founders of the faith. You would think that if a group of Jewish peasants in the first century were to create a religion, they would do so to gain wealth and fame in order to better their social standing in this life. However, the birth of Christianity seems to have had the opposite effect on their lives—at least from a human stand point. They were tortured, imprisoned, and ultimately executed, all because they claimed to have witnessed the miraculous. Yet they never once denied their claim. Nor did they contradict it.
    It's hard enough for two people to keep their story straight when they’ve been caught in a lie. So the fact that all of Jesus' remaining disciples never contradicted their story—even under duress—lends indisputable credence to their testimony.
    I cover this in greater detail in my article Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?, but my underlying point here is the fact that all of the Apostles, along with countless others, were willing to die for the Message of Christ.
    In addition to this evidence for Christ’s existence, we also have the timetable surrounding the authorship of the New Testament. The entire volume, all 27 books, was written within a span of approximately 70 years. The first book—the book of James—was written within 10-20 years of Jesus' life, and was followed first by Paul’s letters to the Churches, and then latter by the Gospel accounts. The Gospel of Luke as well as the book of Acts were both written by a Greek physician before the year 70 AD, and were compiled as part of an investigation into the validity of Christianity as stated in the first part of the Gospel:

“Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.”

~ Luke 1:1-4 New Living Translation (NLT)

    Not only were these books written in quick succession, they were distributed among the very people, in the very towns where the events were said to have taken place.
    Contrary to popular opinion, the Church did not begin in Rome. It began in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Christ’s death in 30 AD. (Acts 2) This means that the 3,000 people who became Christians that day would have undoubtedly seen Christ’s crucifixion first hand, or would have at least heard of him. Furthermore, the Christian religion spread like wildfire throughout the region. Which begs the question: How could a religion based on a fictional character, claiming that said fictional character performed miracles for three consecutive years in the region of Judea, originate in the heart of Judea where virtually anyone could discredit the story?
    Let me put it this way: Suppose a group of men came to your home town today and began telling everyone of a man you’d never heard of, claiming that he had lived in and around your town for three years, feeding thousands of people, healing the sick and raising the dead. Now imagine they tell you that this same man was arrested, tried, and publicly executed on Main Street, only to come back to life three days later. Would you believe them if you hadn't witnessed these events for yourself? Of course not! No one would. Why? Because everyone, including yourself, would know that they were lying. Yet this is exactly what happened with the early Church. The Apostles went from village to village, telling people about Jesus and the people believed. Why? Because they knew they were telling the truth; they had heard the stories before and many of them had seen Jesus with their own eyes!
    Remember, the entire New Testament was written in one generation. There were witnesses. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-9 the Apostle Paul directs people with doubts to ask the people who were there. Why? Because they had seen Jesus in person after his resurrection.

    In addition to the Bible, there are dozens of extra biblical writings that support the existence of Christ and the miraculous events surrounding his life. Some of the more notable works are those by Josephus and Pliny the Younger. But other sources include Lucian, St. Ignatius of Antioch, Tacitus, Sueteonius, Aristides, Galenus, and Lampridius.

    The cumulative historical evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ is overwhelming. The Church began in the very same towns were Jesus lived during his three year ministry. It spread quickly, despite 400 years of persecution, and ultimately changed the course of human history forever.

Women and the Bible: Is the Bible Sexist?

Submission: The “S” word.

In the English language, the word submission conjures up all sorts of negative images. Images of slavery, bondage and abuse. This is especially true in western countries like America and the UK, where freedom and the rights of the individual are held in the highest regard.

It is no wonder then, that many progressive individuals are offended by what the Bible says in passages like Ephesians 5:22-24.

“And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.”

~ Ephesians 5:21-24 New Living Translation (NLT)

Many people take the first half of this passage by the Apostle Paul and instantly accuse Christians of being sexist, male chauvinists, or worse. This however, is completely untrue. The Bible never says that women are supposed to be subservient to men—in fact it never tells them to be subservient at all! Women are instructed to submit to their husbands only, not all men. (Colossians 3:18)

Furthermore, the Greek word used for “submit” in the passage is actually indicative of “respect,” and is used elsewhere in antiquary to speak of the voluntary submission of soldiers to persons of a higher rank. This meaning becomes even more apparent as you read the rest of this passage.

“As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

“As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

~ Ephesians 5:24-33 New Living Translation (NLT)

Look closely at verse 33. 

“So I say again, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

Where is the word “submit” in Paul’s summary? It's obvious from the context of this passage that respect was the idea that Paul was trying to convey to the early church, not submission. Furthermore, “wives respect your husbands in everything” leaves a lot less to the volatile 21st century imagination than “wives submit to your husbands.”

Another key point I want to make is that while this verse does address women first, it doesn't end there; it addresses men too, and commands them to “Love their wives just as Christ loved the church.” 

And what is the definition of love? 

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 

~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus loved the Church so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself for us, his “bride.” So the question is, men: are you willing to lay down your life for your wife; sacrificing yourself daily to care for her needs? Because that is exactly what the Bible commands us to do.

Love is sacrificing your own needs, wants, and desires in order to put another person’s needs above your own. “Submission” is respecting the husband’s role as head of the home and willingly sacrificing your own authority to allow him to lead. This does not mean that women are to be subservient to men. It also does not mean that a man can do whatever he wants to his wife. God’s command for men is that they love their wives, not abuse them and treat them like property. 

Jesus is the standard—the example of how men are to treat their wives. If what they are doing does not line up with Christ’s example, and they see this passage of scripture as justification to use and abuse their wife, then they are not loving their wife. Love and respect are both sacrificial—putting another person’s needs above your own. 

In that regard, a husband’s love and a wife’s submission are not at all dissimilar. Men want to be respected—respect is how they feel loved. They want to feel like they are Super Man to their wives, not Clark Kent. Likewise women want to be loved and cherished, to feel secure both physically and emotionally.

Ephesians 5:22-33 is not a passage justifying spousal abuse or male-superiority. It is a passage that clearly outlines the deepest desires of both sexes—even if some people try to deny it. It is a passage that presents guidelines for godly marriage in an attempt to prevent spousal abuse and sexism in a society and culture where both were commonplace.

So then, is the Bible sexist?

Not at all.

The Bible is a book of equality, not division or superiority. Jesus is the great equalizer. No one is better or worse than anyone else. Everyone is equal before God: Sinners in need of His mercy.

As the Bible says:

“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” 
~ Galatians 3:28 New Living Translation (NLT)

What Should Christians Do?

Should I drink alcohol?

Should I watch TV?

Should I listen to secular music?

Should I let my children play video games?

Should I only eat organic food?

Should I read the NIV or only use the King James Bible?

Is it okay for Christians to date, or should we use courtship instead?

These are just some of the questions Christians are asking these days. And, as you can probably guess, the answers are not going to be found in the Bible.

So what should Christians do when they encounter a problem that isn’t spelled out for us in the Scriptures?

The Apostle Paul has the answer for us in 1 Corinthians 8.

“Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that ‘we all have knowledge’ about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

“So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

“However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.

“But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.”

~ 1 Corinthians 8  

Now I’m going to assume that idol worship is not an issue in your life—but it may be, depending on your culture. That being said, the principle here remains the same.

We have freedom in Christ. So if something is not listed as openly sinful in the Bible, then it probably isn’t. However, if you personally feel that God wants you to live a certain way, or wants you to abstain from certain activities, then do what ever you feel He has called you to do. You have that freedom as well.

But we should all be considerate of one another, lest we cause a brother or sister to sin against their conscience. (1 Corinthians 8:9-13, Romans 14:13) And above all, we should remember not to judge others based on our own standards. If they love Jesus, then that is enough. Let God judge their actions.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

~ Matthew 7:1-5