Judging - To Judge, Or Not To Judge?
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Songs Before
George Leads Discussion Time!
Migdalia Reads
Preach (Nametag!!!)***
After 20… make Planning Center… prep to print at 6pm and get nametag!!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Good evening!
Remind of Series for first-timers
Saintly Singles: How To Be Holy, Not Hellish
The pull of the world, the body of sin, and the difficulty of circumstances
can hinder our growth in spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness.
So we are learning from the book of 1 Corinthians
HOW we can GROW in holiness — the attribute of God that means SET APART, separate from the world,
- GODLY.
How To Be Holy: Judging
This evening, we will see how we can be HOLY in the realm of judging and being judged!
Opening prayer
We will all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ; fear of you.
exposing sin, teaching us to judge rightly...
We have all felt judged.
Judged by unbelievers ...
Judged by fellow believers…
And we all hate the feeling of being judged,
Unfairly criticized
Critiqued
Condemned,
whether by words or even a simple glance of the eyes.
The problem is, all of us judge!
We compare ourselves with others.
We speak badly of others to raise up ourselves.
We exaggerate our own strengths,
and overlook others’.
We like to point out the faults in others,
so as to feel better about our own insecurities,
and feel superior.
We all make innumerable judgments every day,
and are JUDGED by others daily,
So what is the HOLY response to being judged by others,
and how do we HARNESS the spirit of judgment in our own hearts?
The Scriptures will help us answer these questions tonight.
We will first consider HOW we ought to respond to people’s unfair judgments,
And then, we will consider how to control our judgmental human nature!
To recap from previous months:
In this letter to the Corinthians,
the apostle Paul is addressing a variety of concerns and sins
permeating the church in Corinth.
A church that Paul had planted years ago,
Paul’s spiritual children!
Last month we covered chapter 3,
in which the apostle exhorts the immature Corinthian Christians:
“Do not boast in men!
Do not exalt leaders!
With jealousy and strife,
They were dividing over Christian leaders,
idolizing some and demonizing others.
“We are simply servants in God’s household,
farmers in God’s field,
workers at His beck and call,
GOD is the giver of growth and the ONE deserving of all GLORY!
Now we turn to 1 Cor 4:1-2, and Paul continues this line of thought,
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
THIS is how you should regard your pastors and elders.
As servants of the Lord and Master Jesus,
As stewards of the mysteries of God.
Like managers of a great estate,
charged with overseeing a Wealthy Man’s property,
ensuring His goods are protected and rightly shared with His family members,
So pastors are servants of their Master Jesus,
responsible for stewarding and distributing His message.
The Corinthians, though,
were LOST in the glamour and pizzazz,
of eloquent speech,
captivating entertainment
The things that Paul lacked.
In v.3-5, exposes the wrong judgment of certain Corinthians.
He confronts them.
For they were not evaluating him according to biblical faithfulness,
but personal preferences
and the standards of their surrounding culture.
Here Paul teaches us how to respond,
When you are judged wrongly.
1 Corinthians 4:3 (ESV)
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court...
Paul is unfazed.
He says, “Your judgment is insignificant to me!”
I care little about your criticisms, for I don’t live for your approval!
Some people in Corinth
were mocking the way Paul preached and the way he looked
Something to the effect of:
“Eh. he’s too simple, too black and white; there’s no wow-factor to his rhetoric!”
“He's all talk! An eyesore, short and weak, with those protruding beady eyes!
Not to mention his nasally voice”...
In discussion, perhaps you shared an example of when you were judged unfairly.
How did you respond? How did you feel?
(Pause)
If you hear that your kids,
your friends,
your family,
are trashing your name behind your back,
gossiping about your weaknesses,
doubting whether you’re even a Christian?
For many of us such judgment would crush us!
Lead us to self-doubt
Wallow in self-pity
Retaliate with our own biting words...
But not Paul.
“It’s a very small thing to me”
“It doesn’t bother me!”
Here Paul teaches us,
of a HOLY detachment from the approval of others.
a HOLY disregard for criticism from worldly people.
When you are JUDGED
when someone points out a flaw of yours,
or you hear of someone speaking ill of you
This is what you should do!
Slide***
Consider who the person judging is.
Consider the nature of their judgment.
First, consider WHO the person is…
(for Paul… Corinthians)
...
Does this person have a track record of spiritual maturity, wisdom, and love for me?
Then perhaps its worth listening and heeding what they have to say.
Or is this person known for emotional and spiritual immaturity,
who themselves lives an inconsistent and unfruitful life?
If so, its probably best to just shrug it off.
Like Paul, consider it a SMALL, insignificant thing to be judged by such people.
Second, consider the nature of their judgment.
God makes it clear, by what standard we are to judge and weigh others.
Though speaking immediately about Christian leaders,
the point stands for all Christians,
who are ALL stewards of the gospel and gifts of the Holy Spirit:
Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
FAITHFULNESS.
not perfection
What are their claims about you?
What are they criticizing you about?
For Paul,
Certain Corinthians were discrediting his effectiveness as an apostle;
they were disapproving of him as God’s appointed messenger,
even judging him disqualified from his holy ministry.
That’s why he says,
1 Corinthians 4:3–4 (ESV)
In fact, I do not even judge myself [as YOU are doing, presuming to make such claims about my effectiveness and sincerity]
For I am not aware of anything against myself...
The nature of the Corinthians judgment was presumptuous,
arrogant,
and foolish!
So consider the NATURE of judgments made about you—are they fair, according to clear biblical morals?
Or are they not...
Even when we have
Considered WHO is judging
Considered the nature of the judgment
Shrugging off the criticism can be easier said than done.
How can WE grow, like Paul, in a holy detachment from the unfair judgment of others?
The Spirit of God tells us.
Remember Christ is Final Judge **Edit SLIDE
Paul continues,
“It is the Lord who judges me… who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart...” 1 Cor 4:4c
Paul’s Focus...
Our application:
When you feel wrongly judged,
for your season of life
for your marital status
for your broken past
or your past decisions
REMEMBER who your Judge is.
The Lord Jesus who sees everything...
The judgment seat of Christ was ever SEARED on Paul’s mind,
delivering him from the care of people’s praise and opinions.
Sum Up
Number 2:
Now that we have seen HOW we ought to respond to judgment,
Let us consider HOW we to manage our inclinations to judge?
2. How To Judge
Our sinful instinct is to judge others,
in the sense of criticizing and condemning them.
But the Lord wants us to harness this instinct,
and turn it to thoughtful, patient discernment.
To judge can mean to condemn — to pass a sentence upon someone as worse than us, unworthy of our respect. Often, this is done hypocritically.
Lk 6:37 “Judge not that you not be judged. Condemn not, that you not be condemned.”
Or to judge can mean to discern — to carefully evaluate, weigh, and consider an individual or a set of circumstances.
Jn 7:24 “Judge with right judgment...”
Generally, we are NOT supposed to condemn others,
- We ARE to with right judgment.
To discern whether something is right, true, and holy.
How do we do this?
Our text gives us the answer.
Be an Active Member in a Faithful Church
1 Corinthians 5:11–12 (ESV)
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty… not even to eat with such a one... Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
Paul EXPECTS us to JUDGE.
“Is it not those inside the church whom you ARE to judge?… Purge the evil person from among you.”
What is going on here?!
Context:
A man sleeping with his dad’s second wife! Living with his stepmother!
Attending church like there’s no problem...
The rest of the Church not confronting them
This is a case where Christians MUST judge.
Who is the “evil” person in context?
v.11 A man who “bears the name of the brother”,
living in flagrant, unrepentant sin.
Be part of a local church
Follow Matt 18:
Tell it to the church, looks like bringing it before mature leaders,
perhaps the elders of your church,
who are then to approach this individual
B) Don’t Judge Unbelievers
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Context:
Misunderstood his earlier letter…
Thinking he meant the Corinthians ought to be avoiding,
not associating with sexually immoral,
scandalous people,
in the world
NON-Christians.
He corrects this misunderstanding —
Having a posture of condescension, condemnation, and avoidance of people who are outside of Christ,
Whether they be progressives,
Members of different faith community
Or that grumpy uncle of yours that hates God...
is WRONG for the Christian believer.
“What have I to do with judging outsiders?” Paul rhetorically asks!
That’s NOT our job!
It is NOT our role as saints,
to avoid unbelievers,
Or ban them from experiencing something like Sunday morning church,
Because they don’t look like us,
Or share our convictions.
Imagine if a transgender individual were to come and visit...
Or a Muslim…
How would you approach them?
Speak with them?
The right approach:
1 Cor.9:19 22
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
SERVING them,
Engaging with them with gentleness and respect,
asking questions out of sincere curiosity
and a desire to show them the love and way of Christ.
Be Reminded Who You Are!
judging angels/world...
End with Gospel
prayer...
Discussion?
GIVE discussion rules...
When have you felt judged by a fellow believer?