Judge not lest you be judged
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
Over the past few months in our Bible studies we have come back to the subject of judging other people either through a snap judgment, or through a deliberate opinion developed about others that fits our own skewed impression of right and wrong. I want to deal a little bit today in that "Scripture" from Jesus that sends"judge not lest you be judged"because it gives the world the impression that you therefore have no right to judge anyone else when it comes to their sins!
The world often takes this verse out of context and uses it to accuse Christians of be "judgmental"when they speak of sin. In the context of the verse Jesus is telling his disciples not to judge one another, something the Bible condemns. Romans 14:10 & James 4:11 tell us that we should not judge one another in a condemning way. In the book of Luke 6: 41-42 it says"and why behold the mote that is in your brother's eye, but perceive not the beam that is in your own eye? Either how can you say to your brother, brother let me pull out the mote that is in your eye, when you yourself behold not the beam that is in your own? You hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to pull out the mote that is in your brother's eye."
We have a big problem with judgment because I don't believe we know what to look for when we make a judgment. If we continue on with this Scripture in Luke 6:43-45 we see something that will help us to understand the kinds of things we should be judging as Christians. It says "for a good tree brings not fourth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. Four of Thornton's men do not gather figs, nor of bramble bush do they gather grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his hard brings forth that which is good and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil; for the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." This is telling me for the most part that what we need to be judging in Christ is that which comes from each of us in either witnessing, ministry, or life. What is it that we are saying we believe, and what is it we are living truthfully in our hearts?
I believe that Jesus ended this chapter in Luke 6:46-49 with a better thought than I could ever have come up with when he said"and why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever comes to me, and here's my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like; he is like a man which he built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on a rock; and when the flood rose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it; but he that hears, and does not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell and the ruin of that house was great." We have a tendency in today's church to speak a soft gospel. What I am talking about are those who speak about the love of Jesus, but refused to preach the gospel of love revealed in the bloodied cross. If we speak of the love of Jesus the world will give us a smile the listeners will have itching years and there more than please to have them scratched with a soft gospel. It's because they are the world, they speak of the world and the world gladly hears them. But there is a difference for when Jesus gave warning to those who fall into these subtle traps he said "WOE UNTO YOU" when all men shall speak well of you because that's the same kind of thing they did with the false prophets of the Old Testament. The only God given means of salvation from death is the cross, and we are going to bear a lot of hatred and backlash as long as we cling to the cross. I want you to know that this is only for a season of time because someday we will exchange it for a crown, but in the meantime let our faith in Jesus be spoken of throughout the whole world whether it's with a smile or frown. The praise of men and women is like a minefield buried underneath a field of pleasant flowers. In one split second he can swing from a fragrant hosanna to an explosive crucify him. Our witness in the judgment of what we do can never be based upon the approval of the world around us. As the days of this year draw closer to an end I believe that we will see that truth more than we ever have in the past. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
Over the past few months in our Bible studies we have come back to the subject of judging other people either through a snap judgment, or through a deliberate opinion developed about others that fits our own skewed impression of right and wrong. I want to deal a little bit today in that "Scripture" from Jesus that sends"judge not lest you be judged"because it gives the world the impression that you therefore have no right to judge anyone else when it comes to their sins!
The world often takes this verse out of context and uses it to accuse Christians of be "judgmental"when they speak of sin. In the context of the verse Jesus is telling his disciples not to judge one another, something the Bible condemns. Romans 14:10 & James 4:11 tell us that we should not judge one another in a condemning way. In the book of Luke 6: 41-42 it says"and why behold the mote that is in your brother's eye, but perceive not the beam that is in your own eye? Either how can you say to your brother, brother let me pull out the mote that is in your eye, when you yourself behold not the beam that is in your own? You hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to pull out the mote that is in your brother's eye."
We have a big problem with judgment because I don't believe we know what to look for when we make a judgment. If we continue on with this Scripture in Luke 6:43-45 we see something that will help us to understand the kinds of things we should be judging as Christians. It says "for a good tree brings not fourth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. Four of Thornton's men do not gather figs, nor of bramble bush do they gather grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his hard brings forth that which is good and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil; for the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." This is telling me for the most part that what we need to be judging in Christ is that which comes from each of us in either witnessing, ministry, or life. What is it that we are saying we believe, and what is it we are living truthfully in our hearts?
I believe that Jesus ended this chapter in Luke 6:46-49 with a better thought than I could ever have come up with when he said"and why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever comes to me, and here's my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like; he is like a man which he built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on a rock; and when the flood rose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it; but he that hears, and does not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell and the ruin of that house was great." We have a tendency in today's church to speak a soft gospel. What I am talking about are those who speak about the love of Jesus, but refused to preach the gospel of love revealed in the bloodied cross. If we speak of the love of Jesus the world will give us a smile the listeners will have itching years and there more than please to have them scratched with a soft gospel. It's because they are the world, they speak of the world and the world gladly hears them. But there is a difference for when Jesus gave warning to those who fall into these subtle traps he said "WOE UNTO YOU" when all men shall speak well of you because that's the same kind of thing they did with the false prophets of the Old Testament. The only God given means of salvation from death is the cross, and we are going to bear a lot of hatred and backlash as long as we cling to the cross. I want you to know that this is only for a season of time because someday we will exchange it for a crown, but in the meantime let our faith in Jesus be spoken of throughout the whole world whether it's with a smile or frown. The praise of men and women is like a minefield buried underneath a field of pleasant flowers. In one split second he can swing from a fragrant hosanna to an explosive crucify him. Our witness in the judgment of what we do can never be based upon the approval of the world around us. As the days of this year draw closer to an end I believe that we will see that truth more than we ever have in the past. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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