![]() It says, “I do not reject your path for you, but it is incongruent with my happiness and spiritual well-being.” By this assessment, judgment closes you off, but discernment opens you up. Judgment criticizes the journey another person is taking.ĭiscernment acknowledges and honors a person’s journey as valid for them, but also leaves room for us to say that it is not compatible with our journey. ![]() Photo licensed through Dreamstime Judging the journey It just means that it is not what fits into my life path right now.” She says (paraphrasing), “My winter coat is not right for me in July, but that does not mean I despise it or never want to see it again. Corbie uses the example of her winter coat. Judgment closes us off by labeling someone as “bad” or “the other.” It often triggers a fear response or a “fight or flight” mentality, conditioned into us by prior experiences.ĭiscernment loves with open arms, acknowledging diversity and at the same time, honoring our own healthy boundaries. Judgment says, “You are bad or flawed in some way and so I cannot love you.”ĭiscernment says, “I love you, but I value my emotional and spiritual health, therefore, I must set boundaries and limit my exposure to you.” Even within Paganism, arguably one of the most inclusive umbrellas of spiritual belief, there is in-fighting and identifications of who is right and wrong, who is and is not entitled to their claimed spiritual identity. Society coaxes us to break into factions, to have cliques and clubs identifying who is and is not acceptable. Most dominant religions encourage us to recognize “good” and “bad” people, those who will and will not receive afterlife rewards. It identifies what does and does not fit into a construct of healthy emotional living for us. It lies in the purpose and the design of God in our suffering," he said.Discernment, however, comes from an internal place of self-love and self-awareness. And that difference does not lie in the origin, the human origin of the pain - whether good or evil. "There is an infinite and precious difference between God's retributive justice in punishment and God's purifying discipline in our pain. ![]() Also, he argues, it's a mistake to view God's punishment only as a result of sinful behavior. With regard to whether or not pain from past sin is an instrument of God's judgement or discipline, like financial hardship because of self-centered overspending, Piper believes it's critical to not make the error of thinking that God's discipline is only the result of our righteous behavior through persecution. Piper further reiterated that there is "an infinite difference between the painful things that come into our lives and discipline us - designed for our good that we may share God's holiness as loved children - and that terrible experience of pure retribution where we simply bear what we deserve and experience God's justice forever. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness." Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Hebrews 12: 8–9 reads that without discipline "you are illegitimate children and not sons. Revelation 19:1–3 reads: "After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in Heaven, crying out, 'Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for His judgments are true and just for He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the Earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of His servants.' Once more they cried out, 'Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.'"īy contrast, the pain that comes from discipline is not retributive, it's temporary, and is intended to improve those whom God calls children. ![]() ![]() The book of Revelation further bolsters this view, he says, for God's retributive justice against His enemies is not temporary nor is it for the purpose of them becoming holy. It is to demonstrate righteousness and justice." "And it is purely on the basis precisely of what the enemies deserve. "When I speak of God's judgment upon his enemies, I am referring to the misery that He brings upon them, not for any purifying or restoring or rehabilitating purposes, but solely to express His holy justice, His retribution, not restitution," Piper said. In response to a question from a listener of his Desiring God podcast, the Reformed theologian addressed the topic " Is Pain Punishment for My Sin," saying that the key distinction is between how God treats his children as opposed to his enemies. Pastor John Piper says the difference between the punishment for sin versus the pain of discipline and suffering from past sin is "infinite." ![]()
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