We’ve been thinking about the subtle sins that we are so often willing to tolerate in our lives. One of the most common of these sins is being judgmental.

Judgment is often tolerated because it is practiced under the guise of being zealous for what is right. There are lots of opinions about what’s right and wrong in everything from theology to conduct to lifestyles to politics.

Our tendency is to assume our opinion is the only one that is correct because we often equate our opinion with truth, and that is where the trouble with being judgmental begins.

Judgmentalism permeates every sector of society. Since I have been a pastor for more than three decades, I will address the topic from the perspective I know best: The church.

I have known people to get upset about everything from music, carpet colors and Bible translations to what you wear to church on Sunday. Some are convinced that a suit and tie are required attire for men and a dress for women. Their attitude is that Jesus deserves our “Sunday” best. But who determines what’s best?

The way most people dress for church is primarily a cultural thing. It has a lot to do with how you were raised or where you were raised. Reverence for God is not a matter of dress. It is a matter of the heart.

I suppose it is possible that casual dress might reflect a casual attitude toward God, but that is impossible to discern in someone else. That’s why we should be careful about judging people on matters of preference or opinion.

Another example of judgment in the church is regarding how people worship. Did you know the New Testament churches didn’t have guitars, drums or a keyboard? They didn’t have pianos or organs, either. They didn’t have projectors or screens or hymnbooks. But somehow, they still managed to worship.

Let’s be honest — it’s easy to become judgmental toward anyone whose views and opinions are different than our own. So much of what people consider truth is nothing more than personal preferences or opinions.

We should guard against the sin of judgmentalism. We should be careful about personal convictions we elevate to the place of biblical truth. Stay connected to the Word of God and allow the Bible to be your guide.

And remember, an issue is not right or wrong simply because someone has adopted a dogmatic position or made a judgmental statement about their personal views or opinions. We’ll pick up there next time.

You may read Steve Greene’s blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or you can email him at [email protected].