Be Careful How You Judge

Introduction

Dr. Russell Conwell was a Baptist minister who founded what would become Temple University. However, he was probably best known for his lecture Acres of Diamonds. This lecture was given at least 6,000 times and is reported to have earned him at least $8M.

The proposition provided during the lecture was that almost anyone in the city of Philadelphia could be rich. He was asked how could he, as a preacher, advise individuals to get rich? Many felt it was better for him to simply preach the gospel. His response was “…to make money honestly is to preach the gospel.” Interesting. I perceive that Dr. Conwell’s message is more inline with most American’s even if its biblical accuracy is questionable.

Here is something that was very profound about his perspective, to which, I believe he has a point. He writes,

“For a man to have money, even in large sums, is not an inconsistent thing. We preach against covetousness, and you know we do, in the pulpit, and oftentimes preach against it so long and use the terms about “filthy lucre” so extremely that Christians get the idea that when we stand in the pulpit we believe it is wicked for any man to have money—until the collection-basket goes around, and then we almost swear at the people because they don’t give more money. Oh, the inconsistency of such doctrines as that!” (Acres of Diamonds)

He seemingly had a balanced view of money—that money is good, because it enables and empowers a person to do good. He writes,

“Money is power, and you ought to be reasonably ambitious to have it. You ought because you can do more good with it than you could without it. Money printed your Bible, money builds your churches, money sends your missionaries, and money pays your preachers, and you would not have many of them, either, if you did not pay them. I am always willing that my church should raise my salary, because the church that pays the largest salary always raises it the easiest. You never knew an exception to it in your life. The man who gets the largest salary can do the most good with the power that is furnished to him. Of course he can if his spirit be right to use it for what it is given to him.” (Acres of Diamonds).

Accordingly, attaining money is a Christian and godly responsibility. To be poor does not mean to be pious. Despite all of these debatable convictions, Dr. Conwell desired everyone see Christ through in His preaching. Benjamin P. Browne wrote,

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 656 “We Would See Jesus” on Pulpit

In the Grace Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Dr. Russell Conwell, was moving the city mightily from his pulpit. To this day one sees inscribed upon the back of the pulpit the simple words, “We would see Jesus.” These words, visible only to the preacher, stared Conwell in the face every time he rose to preach. They were placed there at his own request. It was his desire to present Christ to the great congregation.

He was voted the first citizen of Philadelphia in recognition of the Christlikeness of his character and the breadth of his philanthropies in founding the Temple University for the education of the poor and the founding of Temple Hospital.

Do you find this interesting? Considering the beliefs and the doctrine that Dr. Conwell taught, wouldn’t it be difficult to take any mentioning of seeing Christ in His preaching seriously? Doesn’t he appear to be in the flesh and not a spiritual preacher at all? We may see him as a modern-day Benny Hin or Brian Carn or Creflo Dollar. We would question his ministerial legitimacy.

In our text today, this is the struggle the apostle Paul is facing. There are people in Corinth judging his apostolic authority and calling into question his behavior as a preacher of grace and the new covenant.

The Context of 2 Corinthians 5

Paul started the church in Corinth around AD 50-51 during his secondary missionary journey. He would generally write letters to the church to instruct them on questions and issues within the church. It is believed that Paul wrote a total of 4 letters to this church. However, the second epistle is a very personal letter with all sorts of deep theological nuggets:

2 Corinthians 1:3-7: Paul assures the believers that there is value to suffering for Christ. Suffering for Christ grants us comfort in Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22: The Holy Spirit is not the only award, it is the first installment of a series of rewards to be inherited by the believers.

2 Corinthians 5:19-6:2: Ambassadorship

2 Corinthians 8-9: The importance of generosity and the collection of offerings.

However, there is one focus, at least in the first 7 chapters of this letter. Many of the people of the church in Corinth began questioning Paul’s apostleship (2 Corinthians 1:17-18, 3:1-6; 6:3-13). This is the key to understanding the first seven chapters of the letter. Paul is deeply offended by how the Corinthians are misjudging him and he defended himself against it.

The problem is Paul was being judged by rules that are not the true standard for gaging one’s true spiritual standard. Judging is dangerous, because you can never be too sure that you are using the right measuring rod.

Judging means: Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think. It means to express your opinion.

What does the Bible say about judging?

Luke 6:37 “37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

This passage demonstrates when one does not judge:

They do not condemn

They forgive

They give (see vs. 38)

James 4:11-12 “11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters. Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer defames and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

Romans 2:1-3 “1 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment?”

These passages are rooted in an incredibly rich theological proposition. The traditional understanding permitted one to be judged according to the law. Yet, the proposition that is behind each of these passages is something drastic has happened that changes the way in which we are to be evaluated and judged. Paul accepted this proposition and it is evident in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17.

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

The phrase “we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective...” (vs. 16) is an interesting phrase. It is often summarized as “flesh” which means two unique things:

We don’t judge by sinful nature/ sinfulness

We don’t judge by race

Why would Paul say this? Because there was an ethnic association with righteousness. In short, Paul was stating we don’t judge individuals by their ethnic association, which implies they are righteous. This way of judgment is not fitting in the new covenant. Yet, it was being widely used in the New Testament, even of the apostle Paul.

The interesting thing is Paul uses the same word σάρξ to describe Christ. What does it mean to know Christ from a “worldly perspective”? The references seem to have a deeper meaning when we consider that it is used to refer to Christ. For, Christ did not have any sin. So, it cannot simply be a reference to sin. Rather, it is a reference to what can be known externally.

The Second Epistle to the Corinthians b. The Message of Reconciliation (5:16–6:2)

Paul is affirming that with the advent of the era of salvation in Christ, and ever since his own conversion to Christ, he has ceased making superficial, mechanical judgments about other people on the basis of outward appearances—such as national origin, social status, intellectual capability, physical attributes, or even charismatic endowment and pneumatic displays

In fact, we see the sort of behavior Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians 2:17. Paul is claiming a sort of integrity that allows individuals the opportunity to see the difference between pure and impure motives. The example included preaching for and not for profit.

The truth is, we often make superficial judgments about individuals that are based on standards that no longer qualify in the new covenant.

Paul is making a definitive statement by writing “...the new has come...” (vs. 17). He uses the word καινός which means new. However, the reference is to time. It is better defined as “new times.” Many scholars have suggested that the renewal of the person comes before the renewal of the cosmos (Barrett, BNTC). However, I feel that this cannot be possible. Rather, it is that the renewal of the cosmos precedes the renewal of the individual else there could be no renewal of the individual. When we get a new creation, we inevitably become new individuals.

So, How Are We Judged?

As I ponder the new means by which we are to be judged, I have a hard time finding the new standard. If we are not judged by the human standards, then what are we judged by? We can start with Romans 8:1. However, the point of 2 Corinthians 5:16-27 is that we are no longer judged. There are good reasons for why we are no longer judged by means of Jesus Christ:

Christ died and rose for us—taking our punishment- Romans 3:21-31

We are in Christ- 2 Corinthians 5:17

We are new people in a new world. For this reason, we are held to a new constitution.

We are in the Spirit- Romans 8:1