We Must Take Care to Not Judge Others for Their Faith, Practices, or Beliefs
Most Christians evaluate people by a set of criteria they use to judge their faith. It’s as if they have a set of Christian litmus tests to decide who are true adherents and who are heretics.
Sometimes these Christian litmus tests are intentional, and other times they’re unexamined. Either way, they shouldn’t happen.
Here are some Christian litmus tests I’ve encountered over the years.
Bible Translation
People have their preferred version of the Bible. This is understandable.
Yet in doing so, they too often view their version as superior. By implication, the rest aren’t as good. Some even go so far as to say their version is inspired and others are not, that their version is error-free and others contain heretical language.
The most passionate Bible translation adherents refuse to listen to any Bible teacher who doesn’t use their version of the Bible.
When to Go to Church
Something I’ve encountered more recently is which day of the week true followers should go to church.
They claim the only biblical answer is the Sabbath, which they say is Saturday. Those who go to church on Sunday are in error and are somehow less than as a result. In this way, Saturday attendance becomes their Christian litmus test.
Prayer Posture
From an early age, my parents taught me that when I pray to fold my hands, bow my head, and close my eyes. There are good reasons for each of these three postures, but I’m yet to find the Bible commanding that we do any of them.
Even so, I’ve heard people claim that if we pray without our hands folded, heads bowed, and eyes closed that God will not hear our prayers or answer them.
Prayer Verbiage
I don’t hear this nearly as much as what I once did, but some people pray using Elizabethan English, as rendered in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.
This, they claim, is the proper language to use for serious prayers. They insist this is biblical because that’s what they read in their version of the Bible.
They use this as their Christian litmus test to dismiss those whose prayers don’t sound like theirs.
Worship Style
Though the style of worship services isn’t as polarizing as it once was, it still matters to some people.
I grew up hearing organ and piano at church and welcomed the introduction of contemporary instruments.
But not all people embrace guitars and drums for their church services. (Note that the Bible doesn’t list any of these four instruments as used in worship services.)
Theology
Theology is a huge Christian litmus test for many. They have their preferred views and dismiss as heretics those who hold a contrary opinion. Of course, people on the other side of the debate make the same error.
One such area is their view of the end times. Another example is when and how Jesus will return. There’s also the issue of what to wear to church, especially clergy. Another debated issue is what you can, can’t, and should do on Sunday.
Politics
Another area is people who connect their political view to their Christian faith. It matters not if they’re on the left or on the right, they passionately believe that their political perspective is the only true, God-honoring way.
They fervently believe that people who espouse the opposite political view can’t possibly be Christians and our, instead, heretics.
This may be the most dangerous Christian litmus test of them all. It serves to divide Jesus’s church in half.
Christian Litmus Tests
In science, a litmus test determines if a liquid is an acid or a base. We use litmus paper to conduct the test; its color indicates the result. Yet the outcome isn’t always yes or no. It exists on a continuum according to pH levels.
The same applies to our Christian litmus tests. The outcome is often on a continuum and can’t be reduced to a simple yes or no—in or out—result.
Therefore, we shouldn’t use a litmus test to judge someone for their faith, over their theology, or because of their practices.
We should leave it up to God to decide who’s in and who’s not. That’s too weighty of a decision—one with eternal consequences—for us mere mortals to make.
We must stop judging other Christians and accept them as God’s children—just as he does with us.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
Bogged Down Reading the Bible?
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.