05/05/2020
In scripture we find the concept of judging to be a hard one to grasp; on the one hand we are told to judge all things, and on the other we are told to judge not lest we be judged. Has this difficult question ever presented itself to you? Did you walk away perplexed, and without a good resolution?
“The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 ESV
In this particular scripture we are told to judge all things, but it is a certain type of judgement. This verse tells us to judge the things around us using Jesus Christ as our litmus test. When new ideas present themselves, when we are asked to do a certain activity, or people present themselves to us, we should set them alongside what we know of Jesus, and determine if it is a righteous thought, a Christ-like action, or if this person is someone who seeks God, or needs to hear of Him. We have a modern expression that applies to this type of judgement, and some even wear jewelry or plastic bracelets on their person as a reminder of it... “What Would Jesus Do?“, or quite simply WWJD.
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Galatians 6:10 ESV
Our motivation in this type of judgement is meant to accomplish two things. The first is to protect our own spirit from the contamination of sin. By doing this we aren’t meant to separate ourselves from sinners, who need to hear the gospel, but to shackle the sin within them before it can do spiritual damage to us. Jesus dined with sinners... but He didn’t make a meal on their sin. The second motivation is not to judge a person as to whether they will be saved, or damned, because although we can see their actions, we can’t see into their heart. Galatians 6:10 tells us to do good to everyone. It doesn’t tell us to reject those who we find distasteful, or whose sin repulses us. Does this sound familiar? Well it should because it is a paraphrase of the second great commandment as Jesus quoted it...
“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.””
Matthew 22:37-40 ESV
In Galatians 6:10 we weren’t told to exclude, those who weren’t of the household of faith, but to treat them with goodness. It did however teach us to give special attention to those of faith. Jesus died for you and me even though we were sinners, but someone showed us the goodness that we read about here, they judged us to be sinners, then taught us the gospel of Jesus Christ. They did to us exactly what Jesus would do. So as we judge in this manner we are also warned specifically about pronouncing the ultimate judgement that only God has the authority to make, and if we are not careful we can find ourselves condemned by it... is this person going to heaven, or hell.
““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1-2 ESV
How harsh are we when judging a person? Do we look at their actions and make a decision as to whether they deserve to hear the good news of Jesus? Do we compare the strength of a person’s faith to our own, and deem them to be unworthy? Can we see into their heart, and spirit as God does? If we feel we can do such things then we are pronouncing judgement on ourselves. Do you want God to judge your faith according to His perfect standard... Jesus?
“He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”
1 Peter 2:22-23 ESV
Is this who we wish to be judged in comparison to, or do we want to be transformed by Him instead? Jesus came to die for our sins because God loved us... not because we were already judged as perfect. The eternal judgement is already pronounced on us, and has to do with our own doing, our ultimate decision... do we believe in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God. So how are we judging, and how have we declared judgement on ourselves?
““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
John 3:16-18 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ, and the example He set for me regarding judgement. Thank you for the love you have for me that brought Him to the cross carrying my sins. Help me Father to be transformed by His life, death, and resurrection into a more perfect believer. Remove from me the temptation to judge others, and the judgement I pass on myself when I do so. Judgement like vengeance is yours Father, and only in you are they made perfectly. Teach me to judge not the sinners who come into my life, but the sin they carry like chains around their necks, hands, and feet. Show me those chains as I tell them of your Son Jesus, and point out my name that is engraved upon them, for surely they are the same ones you removed from about me when I first heard, and believed. Holy, Holy, Holy are you my God by whose grace I have been made perfect in Christ. Great are you who bent down from heaven to show mercy to me, and forgive me through the blood of your Son Jesus. I praise your Holy Name Lord, not because I am worthy, but because you made me pure on Calvary, and by rolling away the stone of death from the tomb of your Son that I might live with Him. All glory is yours Father for it is made perfect in your grace, and perfectly in your love, goodness, forgiveness, and judgement of me, and the world. Hear my prayers, and give me the proper discernment of those unrighteous things, and sins, which present themselves in my life as snares. Hear my prayers for the sinners who are yet to hear of Jesus, and give me the love for them that will allow me to deliver the gospel of your Son Jesus to them... hoping that they, and I, will be judged worthy when we stand before you on our day of true judgement.
“Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.”
Romans 14:10-13 ESV
Rich Forbes