PRÉCIS ON THE AMERICAN CHURCH’S SECOND GREATEST HERESY: JUDGING THE UNSAVED

SCRIPTURE. “For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders (non-believers)? Do you not judge those who are within the church [to protect the church as the situation requires]? God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside [the faith]. Remove the wicked one from among you [expel him from your church].” – 1 CORINTHIANS 5:12-13, AMP

KEY TERM: “OUTSIDERS.” ‘Exó’ [ ἔξω]: “Lit., ‘Outside of the doors;’ away from [knowledge or safety]; strange (or alien); he who is without; those who do not belong to the Christian Church; stranger; a foreigner, one who belongs to another country or tribe; a person who does not belong to a particular group.”

QUOTATION.  “We think we can easily see into the hearts of others based on the flimsiest of clues. ‘We jump at the chance to judge strangers.’ We would never do that to ourselves, of course. We are nuanced and complex and enigmatic. But the stranger is easy. If I can convince you of one thing in this book, let it be this: ‘Strangers are not easy.’” ― MALCOLM GLADWELL, Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know, 2019; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘For,’ &c. — I speak of Christians only: for ‘What have I to do to judge them that are without’ — Namely, heathen: ‘Do not ye judge them that are within?’ — Ye, as well as I, judge those of your own community: ‘Them that are without God judgeth’ — The passing sentence on these God hath reserved to Himself, and they shall not go unpunished, though they fall not under your censure. 

‘Therefore’ — In consideration of this, both in one view and the other, let it be your immediate care, as you regard the peace of the Church, and the safety of your own souls; to ‘Put away from among yourselves’ — Speedily, and with all due solemnity; ‘that wicked person’ — Whom I have mentioned, and any others, whose characters may, like his, be scandalous and infections. The Apostle is thought, by some, to have written this, and the preceding verse, to show the Corinthians the reason why, after commanding them to pass so severe a sentence on the man, he said nothing to them concerning the woman, who was guilty with him. ‘The Discipline of the Church was not to be exercised on persons out of it.’ Hence it appears that this woman was a heathen.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DK. Does the American Church live by this Sacred Standard, beloved? NO! Rather it will shun all “Outsiders” (the Liberal, the Heathen, the Minorities, et al.) while at the same time honoring those “Inside the House” who are spiritually and morally destitute, not the least of whom are the MAGA Christian Nationalists of Donald J. Trump!

Why? Do the numbers. If we take the roughly 100 million Americans who claim Jesus Christ as their God, and 80% of those who are likely going to vote for Mr. Trump this November 5, 2024, we are talking no fewer than 80,000,000 “Christians” the Pastor would have to first warn then eject these from his sanctuary. If only 10% (8M) of those tithed an average of $50 per month, we see a monthly financial loss of – wait for it – $400,000,000 (400 million buckaroos!).This in turn would amount to an annual loss of real money into the Church coffers of about $4.8 billion!

CODA. ‘Are there any questions, class?’ Anybody? Anyone, anyone at all. Neither hearing nor seeing any: Class dismissed. Selah.