Things Jesus Didn't Say - Part 5

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You should never, ever judge.

Matthew 7:1–5 NKJV
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
In this passage, Jesus doesn't tell us to never judge. A key to interpreting this passage is in the word Hypocrite:
A Greek-English Lexicon (ὑποκρῐτής)
ὑποκρῐτής, οῦ, ὁ, one who answers:
I. interpreter or expounder,
II. in Att., one who plays a part on the stage, actor,
3. metaph., pretender, dissembler, (one who conceals one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs:)
Hypocrite as Actor
Matthew 6:2 NKJV
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Matthew 6:5 NKJV
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
One who hides his true motives:
Matthew 23:25 NKJV
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
Luke 13:11–12 NKJV
11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”
Luke 13:13–15 NKJV
13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
Luke 13:16 NKJV
16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”
That is the key: Judging someone for doing the same thing you do yourself. That what Jesus was saying not to do.
Let’s go back to the passage:
Matthew 7:3–5 AMP
3 Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.
Jesus did not say for us not to help our fellow believer overcome a fault that the Word of God judges to be wrong. He just said purify yourself first.
Paul clarifies this in the letter to the Galatians:
Galatians 6:1 (NKJV)
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
Galatians 6:2–4 (NKJV)
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
When we examine ourselves first, and let Holy Spirit do His work in us, then we can rejoice that we’ve been set free and move on to helping someone else be free!
There is one thing that the scripture says we must ALWAYS judge:
1 John 4:1–6 NKJV
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Test = to examine, approve, scrutinize, through testing, trial, examination
In Luke 14:19 it is translated as the word discern.
The KJV says “try the spirits” as in put on trial.
We are to judge the things that present themselves as “spiritual” things - because they are spiritual things. The question is: What Spiritual influence is driving it?
The passage identifies two spirits:
First, The Spirit of God, aka The Spirit of Truth
John 16:13 ESV
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Second, the spirit of antichrist, aka, the spirit of error (deception, falsehood)
This is the spirit that is behind the false prophets that have gone out into the world
How can we judge the spirits?
By their fruit.
Matthew 7:15–16 NKJV
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Matthew 7:17 NKJV
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Matthew 7:18 NKJV
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Matthew 7:19 NKJV
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Have you ever had a good looking (on the outside) piece of fruit that was bad on the inside? Or had a worm in it?
It has been said the only thing worse that finding a worm in your apple is finding a half a worm in your apple.
Shucking corn and find that green corn worm inside?
Recently had a bag of mandarins that looked great but everyone was sour and bitter. Not like sour vs. sweet, but sour like old and on the verge of rotting.
First one was bad. Maybe that’s just one, but when the second and third was bad, the whole bag went in the trash!
Paul distinguishes the kind of fruit the two spirits produce:
Galatians 5:19–21 CSB
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
From last week:
Matthew 20:26–27 NKJV
26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—
How can we judge the spirits?
By their fruit.
By their conformity to Scripture
1 John 4:2–3 NKJV
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
2 Peter 2:1–2 ESV
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.
Heresy—from a Greek word signifying (1) a choice, (2) the opinion chosen, and (3) the sect holding the opinion.
This word also denotes divisions or schisms in the church (1 Cor. 11:19). In Titus 3:10 a “heretical person” is one who follows his own self-willed “questions,” and who is to be avoided. Heresies thus came to signify self-chosen doctrines not emanating from God (2 Pet. 2:1).
Self-chosen doctrine - verse 2:
sensuality - the condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses
NKJV uses a different term
2 Peter 2:2 NKJV
2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
from the Greek root: apōleia destruction (act) — the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists.
In other words: Many will follow what seems to feel good, intentionally ignoring the way of truth, and will be destroyed.
The passage goes on to remind us that God did not spare the angels who sinned, the ancient world in the time of Noah, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, how will these false prophets not also be destroyed?
2 Peter 2:10 NKJV
10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
dignitaries = literally “glories”
Acts 17:10 NKJV
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:11 NKJV
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
How can we judge the spirits?
By their fruit.
By their conformity to Scripture
By their giving the glory to God
1 Peter 2:12 NKJV
12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Matthew 5:16 NKJV
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Romans 1:18–22 NKJV
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
Isaiah 42:8 ESV
8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
Thus, the Spirit of God will not remain on those who take God’s glory to themselves.
How can we judge the spirits?
By their fruit.
By their conformity to Scripture
By their giving the glory to God
By their effect on the Body of Christ
Ephesians 4:10–12 NKJV
10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Ephesians 4:13 NKJV
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Romans 16:17 NKJV
17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
How can we judge the spirits?
By their fruit.
By their conformity to Scripture
By their giving the glory to God
By their effect on the Body of Christ
By using Discernment
The gift of discernment is a spiritual gift that enables Spirit-filled Christians to clearly recognize and distinguish between the influence of God, Satan, the world, and the flesh in a given situation.
It is one of the gifts of the Spirit:
Philippians 1:9 NKJV
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
Philippians 1:10 NKJV
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

So, what exactly is discernment?

In other translations of Philippians 1:9, as sited above, the word discernment is used interchangeably with the words judgment, profound insight, perception and understanding. It also means “to see into,” “have knowledge,” or “detect.” Discernment is a “knowing” that can sometimes feel similar to a gut instinct—but it does not originate with us. It can often be a warning from God. If we sense pride, perversion, occultism or any other form of evil, our spirits will grow uncomfortable. We may not know exactly what is wrong with the person or his message, but we will sense danger and warn others to stay away from it. The ability to judge between right and wrong, truth and error—not just in the big and obvious issues that are against the Word of God, but in small, seemingly insignificant areas. It is a process of making careful distinctions between righteousness and unrighteousness. To think biblically without being tainted by worldly influences. The ability to judge between the Spirit of God and false spirits. First Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NASB) says, "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

What does not fall under the heading of discernment?

When you are discerning and “judging” between right and wrong, this is for your protection and wise decision-making, but it is also a call to intercession. It is not a call to faultfinding.
Discernment should not result in being suspicious of others. Yes, you can receive warnings in the spirit and judge who you should spend time with, but it should not result in your feeling suspicious of everyone you meet or finding something bad in every person.
It is not judging others, while refusing to judge yourself. We are called to examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:28), to keep from judging others (Matthew 7:1), and to walk in humility (Ephesians 4:2). Like any other ability given to us by God, it can be abused.

How is discernment different from the discerning of spirits?

Every believer is to operate and function with discernment in their everyday lives, but some have the gift of the discerning of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Discerning of spirits is the God-given ability to detect (and distinguish between) the presence and identity of both good and evil spirits.
When you have the gift of discerning of spirits, God may reveal to you the presence of principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).  But it’s not always evil. You may also discern angels, those ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14).
Isaiah 43:19 NKJV
19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19 AMP
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
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