Good Judgement - A Matter of Life and Death

God has given us a great privilege and responsibility with the TRUTH.

1. NEEDING GOOD JUDGEMENT

One person said - good judgement comes from experience - and experience, well, that comes from poor judgement.

Good judgment could be equated to having wisdom, or discernment.

We need wisdom in order to understand WHO we are speaking to.

Matthew 7:6–11 (KJV 1900)

6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 

Holy - the things that belong to the Lord.

Dogs - God declared them unclean: the Jews used them as watchdogs, but they were considered unclean creatures - if you sold a dog the Law would not allow you to bring the money into the temple.

Deut 23:18Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Ungodly men are called dogs.

Rev 22:15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Swine - referring to pigs - which were utterly unclean as well.

The idea is that the precious things that you have are not given to unclean animals.

A dog doesn't get the holy things - he gets those things that are meant for a dog. He has dog-food, and a dog-bed - and a dog-kennel.

Same with PIGS. You wouldn't let your pig wear your expensive necklace, or your new designer jacket, or your new shoes.

God has entrusted us with HOLY THINGS.

These things are precious to Him and to us!

We have to be careful how we use them.

Understand that even the most careful use of these precious things - does not mean everyone will always appreciate them.

The BIble tells us about this.

Proverbs 26:11 (KJV 1900)

11As a dog returneth to his vomit, So a fool returneth to his folly.

2 Peter 2:20–22 (KJV 1900)

20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 

21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 

22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Why is it better if they hadn't heard?

They are now more hardened to the truth.

They are more accountable now because they KNEW!

1 Timothy 1:12–13 (KJV 1900)

12And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 

13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

So you have to be able to recognize WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO.

If you DO give the truth to someone who does not want it -here’s the danger -“lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

In other words - if you find that someone is not appreciative of the truth - or does not want to know the truth, dont tell them!

That’s why sometimes Jesus was just quiet.

That’s also why he often spoke in parables.

This is hard because you dont always know if people are actually open or not - and sometimes you may be wrong.

There’s really 2 ways it’s harmful:

it hurts you (you can be rent by the swine)

It hurts the swine - when he’s not ready to hear the truth, he may just get hardened to it — and sometimes, if we had just waited a bit, there may have been a better time.

So we need great wisdom!

To know the truth - and to know how to help others!

2. GETTING GOOD JUDGEMENT

We get wisdom from God by SEEKING it in faith.

Matthew 7:6–11 (KJV 1900)

6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 

7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 

8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 

9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 

10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 

11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

If you want to know the truth - God will give it to you.

If you need wisdom - God will give it to you.

James 1:5–7 (KJV 1900)

5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 

7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Ask - and ask in faith!

Believe that God has the Wisdom - and He can give it to you.

Illustration: In the OT Joshua was leading Israel through the promised land - and the Gibeonites were scared so they came up with this plan - they made it look like they lived in a far away country, and they decieved Joshua into making a peace covenant with them.

Joshua 9:14 (KJV 1900)

14And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

Because they didn’t ask - they didn’t have the good judgement they needed.

We get by ASKING!

USING GOOD JUDGEMENT

We are reminded of the principles of judgement

Matthew 7:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

We must judge in fear - knowing we are not the JUDGE - only imperfect messengers.

We must judge without hypocisy or malice.

We must judge with a genuine compassion and desire to help people.

We must judge carfeully -

We must judge with wisdom from God.

The principles of judgement are the principles that fulfill the law!

And when you’ve learned them - you’ll treat others the way that you would want to be treated.

Here are the benefits of USING GOOD JUDGEMENT

JUDGEMENT IN DIRECTION

Matthew 7:13–14 (KJV 1900)

13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

God’s will is something that must be sought.

God - condescended to write a book to man - would we read it?

Would we come to hear it preached?

JUDGEMENT IN DOCTRINE

Matthew 7:15–23 (KJV 1900)

15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 

I refuse to listen to teachers who are wrong on doctrine.

Why? Because it CANNOT PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT IN YOUR LIFE!

17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 

18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 

19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 

20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

JUDGEMENT IN DOING

Matthew 7:24–27 (KJV 1900)

24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 

25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 

26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 

27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Most of us have heard what to do.

The sad result of the man who doesnt apply God’s Word? - great loss.

Good judgement is a matter of life and death.

Regarding salvation - you need to make the right decision.

Regarding your life - you need to make the right decisions

Regarding others - you can help them!