JUDGING #2

Bikers Church Cape Town

JUDGING # 2 Pastor George Lehman God has a very clear opinion in His word on this subject. In public, guard your tongue, in private, your thoughts. Psalm 19:14 - “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Our thinking and speaking must honour God) To re-cap on last Sunday: We said: - When it comes to judging most of us are either - Ignorant or Disobedient (As of today – ignorance won’t be an excuse) However, whichever it may be If we don’t guard our heart and our tongue when it comes to judging…… We will cause major damage to God’s Kingdom and to an unsaved world out there. Do you realise Judging is a choice. Let us continue now to look at what the scriptures say on this subject. There are some scriptures that say we may not “judge” and just about as many that say we must. Here are some clear examples against “judging”. Matthew 7:1-5 - “Do not judge, or you too will be judged*. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (These were not idle words!) *Don’t be surprised or take offence when you are judged. Here Jesus makes it very clear do not judge, if you do, the same judgement will come back to you. It’s on 2 levels: Human level Divine level. Here Paul addresses religious people. Romans 2: 1-3 - “Therefore, you have no excuse or defence or justification, O man, whoever you are who judges and condemns another. For in posing as judge and passing sentence on another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge are habitually practicing the very same things [that you censure and denounce]. 2 [But] we know that the judgment (adverse verdict, sentence) of God falls justly and in accordance with truth upon those who practice such things. 3And do you think or imagine, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His sentence and adverse verdict? Have you ever noticed that religious people often think because they perceive to know what is right and can prove others wrong. This now proves them right. Rather win a friend than win an argument. In fact, people who are always judging others are usually wrong themselves. James 4:11-12 - 11“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbour? Galatians 5:14(Amp) – For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is complied with in the one precept. You shall love your neighbour as [you do] yourself. James makes it very clear – bad mouthing or evil speaking of another person is actually judging that person. Here are some scriptures for judging. John 7:24 – Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement. I Corinthians 5:1-5 (NIV) – It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3Though I am not physically present; I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 2:6-11 – (Restore the person) Notice Paul said he had already judged – and he wanted the Corinthians to endorse his Judgement. He actually asked for a serious judgement – to hand the man over to satan. I Corinthians 5:11-13 (NIV) – But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12What business is it of mine to judge those outside of church? Are you not to judge those inside? Those on the outside – are the unbelievers. Those on the inside are the believers. Paul is saying we are not responsible to judge the unbeliever, but we are required to judge our fellow believers. The scripture does not contradict itself but gives a clear pattern of who can judge. The main biblical reason for judging was never meant to punish the wicked, It’s not The primary function of judging is to protect the righteous. We will rule and judge in heaven. I Corinthians 6:3 - “Do you not know also that we [Christians] are to judge the [very] angels and pronounce opinion between right and wrong [for them]? How much more then [as to] matters pertaining to this world and of this life only! – I would like to touch on the subject of the judgment seat of Christ. This is a judgement that nobody shares with God. Romans 2:16 Paul say’s the day will surely come when “At God’s command Jesus Christ will judge the secret lives of everyone, their inmost thought and motives, this is all part of Gods great plan which I proclaim. This was for all believers – not a judgement of unbelievers. Romans 8:1 - There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. It’s a judgment to evaluate our service. I Peter 4:17 – For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God’s own children. And if even we who are Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed in the Lord? II Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all stand before Christ to be judged and have our lives laid bare, before Him. Each will receive whatever he deserves for the good or bad things he has done in his earthly body. Once you grasp this fact – you and I will rather make ourselves busy with looking at our own lives. Judging ourselves so we don’t have time passing judgement on other people. We will be wise to know how our lives affect other people. Romans 14:13 – Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather, try instead to live in such a way, that you will never make your brother stumble, by letting him see you doing something he thinks is wrong. How we need to judge our own lives and make sure our own actions and motives are in line with God’s requirements. What are we responsible to judge? We are responsible to judge, ourselves, personal conduct and relationships. Not by our own estimations Not by our own opinions Not by our feelings BUT… By the clear teaching and standards revealed in the word of God (our final judge) NOTE: John 12:47-49 - 47“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.