This study was first taught on March 1, 2011

Topic: Not Fitting for the Unfit (1)

No audio available for this study.

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Background
Last week, we noted that the injunction not to judge others was to eradicate a situation where anyone and everyone act as judge; and to deal with destructive criticisms and intolerance among believers in Christ. We noted however, that we must maintain order and be able to resolve conflicts among believers; hence we would need to judge among ourselves, otherwise, there will be lawlessness, chaos, and indiscipline in the church.

In order to maintain order and decorum in the church, there must be people who are qualified and appointed to act as judges. Self-appointed judges will not do; and adjudicating on matters that do not concern us is also out of the question. We noted that those qualified to judge others are appointed by God, Who endows them with the enablement to judge His people. We saw that people who qualify to judge other believers must: (1) have the fear of God; (2) be lovers of truth; (3) not show partiality or favouritism; (4) hate covetousness; (5) be subject to the Holy Spirit; (6) have received wisdom from God; (7) be able to hear from God; and, (8) not consider the status or stature of persons before passing judgment.

We also saw the procedure to be adopted in all Christian assemblies in bringing matters to the attention of spiritual authority. Firstly, the believers concerned should attempt to settle such matters on their own without involving anyone. If this does not work, then one or more of the Parties should involve others who would qualify as judges to adjudicate (though they may not be appointed as such). If this fails to resolve the matter, then it is to be brought before the appointed spiritual authority over the Parties. If one or more of the Parties do not accept the verdict of the appointed authority, he is to be treated as an unbeliever. As much as possible believers should not go before unbelievers to settle matters among themselves! They should also be careful about taking matters relating to unbelievers before civil judges, unless it is such that it must just be taken before them (Matthew 5:25; 1 Corinthians 6:6-8).

Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 7:6
Our scripture text is warning us not to give to dogs what is God’s; nor to pigs, what is precious. Certain things are just not fitting for certain people! This is by no means discrimination; rather it is discretion and common sense. Not heeding this warning would result in the destruction of godly things and godly people. We pray that the Holy Spirit will teach and help us to be discerning, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
No parent in his right mind would give a car to a child, no matter how much he loves the child. In the same way, no believer in his right mind should give what is set apart for holy use/sacred/dedicated for divine service to people who can be likened to dogs. The same goes for what is priceless/precious—they should not be given to people who can be likened to swine. So who are these people likened to dogs and swine?
Exodus 22:31; 1 Kings 14:11; 2 Kings 8:12-13; Luke 16:21; Deuteronomy 23:17-18; Matthew 15:22-27; Proverbs 26:11; Revelation 22:14-15; John 3:16-20; 2 Corinthians 4:2-4; 2 Peter 2:22; Leviticus 11:7-8; Proverbs 11:22; 1 Peter 3:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; Proverbs 30:11-14; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Proverbs 17:16; Psalm 53:1; Romans 1:20-32; Proverbs 9:7-9; 13:1; Hebrews 6:4-8.

Conclusion
The word of God warns us not to give things that are holy to dogs nor things that are precious to swine. What we have attempted to do tonight is to identify those people whom the bible refers to as ‘dogs’ and ‘swine’.

They are people who are wild, untamed and untameable; people who practice wickedness and lawlessness; people who are involved in despicable and the most unthinkable conducts; people who are unclean, uncleanable, and abominable; people who lack discretion, who are foolish, and who scorn and scoff at things they don’t understand. Like dogs and pigs, they scavenge and forage, being unwilling to consume the good ‘food’ prepared for their own good. They are spiritually filthy and always return to their filth—backsliders in heart, who return to practice the sins they had once confessed. They are ungrateful, unthankful, ill-mannered, foul-mouthed, wicked, evil, insolent, etc.

These are people who are generally beyond redemption. This is not because God does not want to save them; rather, it is because they don’t want anything to do with God in any form or guise. They are the people who say, “There is no God” by their words and deeds.

It is time to examine ourselves to see if we have begun to cultivate some of these traits, because, such people do not deserve what is holy and precious; which are things that come from God (1 Corinthians 15:33; Ephesians 5:1-13; Psalm 139:23-24).

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