Righteous Judgment
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
The word “judgment” is one of those words that is consider “volatile” to many.
We have all likely been in a situation wherein we had to let someone know what they were doing was not right, and they respond with the age old, “You can’t judge me” line.
Obviously this comes from what Jesus stated in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:1.
1 Judge not, that you be not judged.
However, you would think that this was all that God said on the subject of humans judging each other the way this passage is thrown around, but that is simply not the case.
In fact the bible spends a great deal of time discussing this topic and this evening we are going to take a moment to do the same and hopefully, if we had any questions on, they will be answered.
Let’s begin by first addressing…
Judging Defined
Judging Defined
The Bible’s Definition
The Bible’s Definition
The word “judge” is found throughout the scriptures in its various forms over 450 times.
Thus, this is not a word that does not find usage in the bible or will be difficult to understand.
We first find God using the word “judgment” in Genesis 15:14 when he is talking with Abraham.
God is encouraging him by letting him know that even though Abraham’s offspring will end up in a “foreign land” where they will be afflicted for four hundred years…
14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
Throughout the scriptures, this is the most common usage of the word “judge” in the Bible.
It is almost exclusively used to mean the discernment between what is good and what is evil or righteous and unrighteous.
Now there is a somewhat “fringe” usage though we don’t always see it that way.
That is the usage of the word “judgment” as it pertains to the second coming wherein the word deals with sentencing the righteous and unrighteous more that discerning good and evil in their lives.
However, as mentioned the most prolific usage is that of discernment between good and evil.
From God’s divine point of view he is perfect in being able to discern between good and evil in his creation.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, 8 and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.
4 The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.
From a human perspective, however, we find that there is a lot to consider between humans judging or discerning good and evil in their own lives and the lives of others.
Summary
Summary
So, understanding God is and will always be perfect in his judgments, what about how we as humans judge each other.
Humans Judging Humans
Humans Judging Humans
Yea OR Nay
Yea OR Nay
As mentioned the bible has a surprising number of discussions on this topic and how we as humans, are to live within the bounds of the law of Christ in this very area so as to keep us from sinning.
The main passages that cover this topic are Matthew 7:1-6, Romans 2:1-11, Romans 14, and 1 Corinthians 4.
Let’s start with the passage that houses the common rebuttal to judgment there in Matthew 7:1-6.
Matthew 7:1-6
Matthew 7:1-6
As mentioned before most people who make the statement, “You can’t judge me” often have only read Matthew 7:1.
1 Judge not, that you be not judged.
And if that was the only thing Jesus and God’s word said on the subject that would correct but that is not even where Jesus left it.
Jesus isn’t saying humans cannot judge other humans because of what he says just a moment later.
Jesus makes clear humans are to judge other humans to determine if they are spiritual wolves in sheep clothing.
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits…
Even in the direct context Jesus explains what he means by “judge not, that you be not judge.”
3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Jesus is saying that “when you must judge others” you must do so fully aware of your sinfulness.
The whole purpose of discerning the sin in someone’s life and pointing it out to them is to help them correct it.
If we are so arrogant as to think we “don’t really sin” and therefore can see clearly to point out others sins we are a hypocrite because this is not humanly possible.
4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
We certainly cannot truly help our fellow man correct their sin properly if we have the sin plank of arrogance in our own eye.
Once we remove this arrogance we can then see clearly and compassionately how to help our fellow man in sin.
5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
The perfect illustration of this is found in Luke 18:9-14.
Where Jesus points out the Pharisee was thanking God he was not like the lowly sinner, i.e., judging the man that was with him at the wailing wall, but the sinner simply begged God for mercy.
Romans 2:1-11
Romans 2:1-11
In Romans 2 we find another situation wherein the members of the church in Rome were judging each other in an unbiblical way.
You the converted Jewish Christians judging the converted pagan Christians about their faithfulness and the Gentiles Christians doing the same to the Jewish Christians and thus Paul writes…
1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself…
How or why were the Christians condemning themselves by passing judgment on each other?
Notice that latter part of that verse…
1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
In other words, as Christians we must be very careful not to judge others for the sins we are committing.
Again, God isn’t saying we shouldn’t judge one another, but that if we judge someone as in sin, and we are committing that very sin, we are just as condemned.
3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?
The reality is, if we judge someone as a sinner or sinning and we are involved in that very same thing we end up being our own judge.
Now, to be clear this is not talking about sin “in general.”
We all sin, this is talking about judging others as sinners while doing that very same sin ourselves.
If I struggled with anger but then always condemned everyone else who God mad, God is saying this makes no sense, to correct my anger so that I can then help others “actually do the same.”
Romans 14
Romans 14
Here we have a somewhat different situation.
Here Paul is dealing with the two opposing maturities in faithfulness.
On the one hand you have the one that is considered “weak in the faith” by God and on the other hand you have the one that is considered “strong in the faith.”
1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.
1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
In this case Paul is dealing with make harsh judgments against brethren that simply do not have the maturity to know the truth on issues that take more study.
For example, if a weak in the faith brother thinks celebrating Christmas as “Jesus’ birth” is right we who know better, are obligated to bear with their failings, and not just blast them for being wrong.
The point of this passage in Romans 14 is to keep the wise in the faith from stomping on the weak in the faith due to their immaturity in the scriptures.
Now, to be clear this isn’t exclusively dealing with “new Christians” but can easily be about Christians that have never been taught to mature in their faith.
We had a lady that had obeyed the gospel but attended a very liberal congregation that never encourage “rightly handling the truth” and “growing in maturity” until she started attending here.
1 Corinthians 4
1 Corinthians 4
In 1 Corinthians 4 Paul discusses the idea of judging others motives.
4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
It is real easy to get caught up in judging people without knowing their motives.
How many times have you or have had someone judge you wrongly because they “thought they knew what you were thinking.”
Now don’t get me wrong, we can see the signs of fruit and make certain hesitant discernments, but we should never make any final conclusions without going and finding out what the motive is.
This very reality is behind what Jesus was teaching Peter in Matthew 18:21-22.
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
Summary
Summary
Yes we can judge each other “if” we are seeking righteous judgment, and take the necessary preclusions.
24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
Conclusion
Conclusion
v
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
