Judging Our Non-Christian Friends
A person during the ABF told the class about her non-Christian co-worker who needed to talk with someone about her life. The co-worker approached our friend and said, “I want you to hear me but do not judge me.” This person was looking for relief from the feelings of guilt that her actions produced. After the pressure comes off, she didn’t want any “judgment.”
Interestingly, she was right! Christians are not to judge people outside the church (1 Corinthians 5:12). However, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make judgments.
Let’s begin with the phrase, “Christians are not to judge people outside the church.” The church has no authority or responsibility for the actions of non-believers. They are not accountable to us. Imagine yourself as the audience of a trial. You are there and hear the arguments of both sides. You might have a very strong opinion, but you are not part of the deliberation. The deliberation is for the juror to make and finally the sentence will be given by the judge.
However, Christians should be able to make judgments. We should not hesitate to identify gossip, slander, abortion, homosexuality, drunkenness, pride, resentment, self-righteousness as sins. We should be able to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:13-14). But in the case of unbelievers, we are not to expect them to go by our moral code. Does that mean that we should dismiss what unbelievers do? Let’s say that you see your co-worker stealing your company’s property or equipment. What are you supposed to do? Ignore it? Not make a judgment because he is an unbeliever? I bet you already made a judgment that it is wrong to steal. Good! We are to always view the world through biblical lenses. The Bible teaches that stealing is wrong (Exodus 20:15).
Now what are you going to do? Before acting, you need to answer the question, what are the authorities that he and you are under in this situation? Why do you need to ask that question? Because the way that God runs human society is through the authorities that He has established (Romans 13:1-7). In this case the authority of the company.
I’m going to give you the answer of what you should do. But before you criticize what I am going to say, think hard, what would you do? I believe you should go and talk to him. What?! You just said it is not my responsibility! In this case it is not your responsibility as a “church member” to talk to him. What should lead you to talk to him is your responsibility as an employee of the company. Why? Because you cannot escape that responsibility to address what you saw as an employee. However, we can’t live in a dichotomy saying, “In this I act as an employee and not as a Christian,” because first and foremost we are Christians. Therefore, you go to him as a Christian employee of the company.
In this case, how do you relate to your co-worker? You relate to him as an employee of the company and as a Christian. You need to ask yourself, what are the company’s rules or policies? What is my relationship as a believer to him? There are many right ways, and wrong ways, to relate to him in that situation. But remember your identity over all is “Christian” before employee. Ask yourself, how can I act in a way that shows mercy, humility, integrity, and honesty? I will tell you an option of what I would do. Remember that there are many variables that we don’t know. But before you dismiss the option, you tell me, what would you do? And we can evaluate if that answer is in accord with biblical principles, because we are not looking for expediency or practicality. It is not pragmatism that should be our modus operandi but a biblical world view. It is very easy to report your co-worker to your boss without talking to him first, what is okay as an employee, but it lacks the care that a Christian should have for him as a person.
Here is what I would do. I would talk to him. I would tell him that I observed something. I would not accuse him. I would say, “I want to help you, but I don’t know what is the best thing to do; can we look for a solution?” This might create a huge problem but it could also create a great opportunity not only to help him in this issue at work but a great opportunity for him to hear the gospel. You might be surprised at the response of someone who knows he is doing wrong when he is graciously shown his short comings.
Eliel Rojas
Pastor for Hispanic Ministries and Evangelism
Please send questions and comments to erojas@ccczion.org.
