Dietrich Bonhoeffer in The
Cost of Discipleship:
“...Christ removes the Church from the sphere of politics
and law. The Church is not to be a national community like the old Israel, but
a community of believers without political or national ties. The old Israel had
been both—the chosen people of God and a national community...But with the
Church it is different: it has abandoned political and national status...”
“If the disciples make judgements of their own, they set up
standards of good and evil...For, with my judgement according to good and evil,
I only affirm the other person’s evil...Thus we remove him from the judgement
of Christ and subject him to human judgement. But I bring God’s judgement upon
my head, for I then do not live any more on and out of the grace of Jesus Christ,
but out of my knowledge of good and evil which I hold on to. To everyone God is
the kind of God he believes in.
Judgement is the forbidden objectivization of the other
person which destroys single-minded love. I am not forbidden to have my own
thoughts about the other person, to realize his shortcomings, but only to the
extent that it offers to me an occasion for forgiveness and unconditional love,
as Jesus proves to me. If I withhold my judgement I am not indulging...and (do
not) confirm the other person in his bad ways. Neither I am right nor the other
person, but God is always right and shall proclaim both his grace and his
judgement...
By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to
the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.”
“But if we are on the look-out for evil in others, our real
motive is obviously to justify ourselves, for we are seeking to escape
punishment for our own sins by passing judgement on others, and are assuming by
implication that the Word of God applies to ourselves in one way, and to others
in another. All this is highly dangerous and misleading. We are trying to claim
for ourselves a special privilege which we deny to others.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Paul, in Romans, "to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints":
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,' says the Lord. 'BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:9-21
"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12
"Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling."
Proverbs 16:18
"For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." Galatians 6:3
"A just balance and scales belong to the LORD;
All the weights of the bag are His concern." Proverbs 16:11
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