Judging First Corinthians

I've been reading through the ever-controversial 1 Corinthians lately (as opposed to the rest of the Bible, which isn't controversial at all, right?) , and something struck me that I'd never really digested before. On the surface, it would seem that Paul is talking out of both sides of his mouth:

1 Cor. 4:5 - "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes."
1 Cor. 5:12 - "Are you not to judge those inside the church?" (implied answer: yes).

On the one hand we're told not to judge, on the other, we're told to judge. Granted, the context of the two verses above is very different. In the first, Paul is speaking about judging himself as a faithful teacher of the gospel; in the second, he speaks about judging an "immoral brother" among the church at Corinth. A deeper look I'm sure could resolve the apparent conflict, but it brought to my mind the deeper issue of judgment in the Bible.

Is there 'bad' judgment and 'good' judgment? The teaching of the Bible seems clear enough that we're not to pass judgment on others; in so doing, we condemn ourselves, because we don't even live to the standard by which we judge others (c.f., Mt. 7:1-5, Rom. 2:1-2). But how does this square with verses like 1 Cor. 5:12?

Perhaps one distinction is that 1 Cor. 5 is dealing with those who call themselves Christians (brothers) in the church. So are we to judge those within but not without? I would venture to guess that the spirit of judgment comes into play here as well: are our judgments done in a spirit of (1) humility, and (2) such as way as to aim for restoration and repentace for the offending brother or sister? (c.f., 1 Cor. 5:5).

Anyway, plenty to write and discuss here, but that should be sufficient fodder to start. The issue of judgment has always been a sticky one for me. In the end, I suppose walking in the Spirit is the only real solution when discerning such matters. Go figure :)

Bodyworlds Ethics?

This weekend my wife and I went to see Bodyworlds at the Museum of Science in Boston. For those unaware of the exhibit, is essentially consists of several (close to 200, in fact) actual human specimens that are preserved by a process called plastinisation. These are positioned and cross sectioned in various ways to show the intricacies of the human body.

The exhibit was tastefully done; and all the specimens were persons who bequeathed their bodies be given to science in the public interest. So as far as we know, everything is on the up-and-up.

Still, however, I found myself questioning the ethics of the exhibit from a Christian standpoint. No doubt, the exhibit is amazing, and to see the intricacy and brilliance God's creation is nothing short of astounding. It is a great learning opportunity, and even one that gives one pause to reflect on life and the stewardship of one's body.

What does the Lord think of this exhibit, though? Whether the persons used in the exhibit consented or not, does this undermine the sanctity of human life? In one way, it would seem to uphold the value of the human body. It puts some real force behind the notion that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Even more, it is offered an invitation to reflect upon one's own mortality. Still, there is something intrinsically trivial about real human bodies being an exhibit at an institution which, though ostensibly a place of education and exploration, is also a venue of entertainment. The use of cadavers to educate future doctors seems easily defensible, but to educate (entertain?) lay people? I feel as if the line blurs.

Much more to write here, but I thought I'd kick off a discussion (among both of my regular readers).