More than one type of judging…

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. 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. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 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? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. (Romans 1:28 - 2:1–5)

God speaks of those who refuse to acknowledge Him and deserve to die (be separated from Him) because they give approval to those who do the same thing. In other words, they are judging sinners to be okay. Then He warns not to judge any sin such as gossip, slander, etc. to be okay is the same as doing it yourself.

Too often I’ve read this passage as if judging the sin of others is wrong. Instead it is more about judging it as okay. Otherwise, all the OT prophets would be guilty and condemned for what they were doing!

Judging has one sense that I should not point fingers. If I am doing the same thing, I’m to clean up my act before saying anything, and I’m not to gossip to others about a third person’s sin without examining my own life. Jesus says it well;

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 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? 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? 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. (Matthew 7:1–5)

Other NT passages also address this with clarity that we not sin or judge that something is sin, but we must not be guilty of that sin ourselves or we are not fit to do (or say) anything about it in others without repenting and being not guilty ourselves. 

If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. (1 Corinthians 2:15)

I realize that when I point my finger at another, three fingers point back at me. My spiritual health is vital to proper discernment. Not only that, I must deal with it and not try to direct away any guilt on my part by seeing and judging it in someone else.
The OT prophets had to have clean lives. If not, God worked on their hearts and behavior first. Isaiah testified:

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people. . . .” (Isaiah 6:4–9)

Only those with pure hearts can properly see and evaluated sin in others. If I am guilty of the same sin, then I’m trying to avoid dealing with my own guilt by accusing or excusing it in someone else. 

Jesus, this is vital, not just for my own purity but gives me instruction in another way that You show me where I need to examine my own life and make sure that the sins I see in others are Your mirror to help me keep my own life clean.

Pride is a huge turn-off

Every now and then I get upset when it seems someone is telling others they need Jesus with the underlining message that the other person is not acceptable unless they are a Christian. The other person seems resentful of this put-down and less interested in hearing more.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit’s task is to convict sinners about their unbelief. This does not mean that I should merely pray and never tell others the good news of the gospel. It does mean that my attitude should never be one of superiority because I am saved and considered righeous in God’s sight but that other person is still in sin and not acceptable.  

The Bible is full of instruction on the attitudes God wants in my life. They are summed up in loving Him and loving others. That love for others is exemplified in Jesus Christ. He told His disciples:

Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

This means Jesus came into the world to save sinners, not to save the righteous, the fervent, and the earnest workers, but simply and only to save sinners. Some will say they are too far gone to save. At the other end of the spectrum are those who boast that God saved them, as if they somehow deserved it. Besides…

By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

This means that no one, even the most pious of God’s children, can lord it over others as if their position in Christ makes them superior. Jesus came to save sinners and that attitude is contrary to the reason Jesus saved me! Pride has no place in why He did it.

Perhaps one of the reasons that the Apostle Paul was mightily used by God is about his attitude. He said this:

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (1 Timothy 1:15)

Instead of putting himself on a pedestal, this man of God identified with those Jesus came to save. He was merciful and even though he led a sacrificial life, it was not characterized by a self-righteous attitude nor did he use his position in Christ to manipulate others. He wrote about his attitude:

I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away! (2 Corinthians 10:1)
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. (1 Thessalonians 2:7)
In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

Today’s devotional warns me not to fix my eyes on myself or wonder if I am ‘good enough’ because I cannot answer these questions for myself, never mind impose such questions to others in the hope that they will be convicted of their sin and want to know Christ and salvation. All that would do is exalt self and fill me with self-congratulation and pride… and turn off the other person.

PRAY: Lord, in this I realize that exalting myself for not exalting myself is a form of pride too. Enable humility that shows up in all my interactions with others, even in my interactions with those who are filled with pride at being saved from sin. They don’t deserve even the least of Your mercies — and neither do I.
 

Stumbling along the way . . .

 

Biblical pastors know that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16) and they also realize that people who aren’t interested in holy living will avoid being exposed to sound doctrine. This is why Paul wrote Timothy:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:1–4)

It was true then and it is true today. Even after being a Christian for fifty plus years, I know the pull of the world, the flesh, and the devil to pull me into spiritual complacency. I’m lazy at heart and am thankful that God keeps me wanting truth. Otherwise, I might listen to people who tell me whatever will make me comfortable and content to do whatever I want instead of listening to the Lord.

If I started to do such things, God would be quick to question me:

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)

I realize that genuine believers can fall into negligence and compromise, avoiding the Bible, staying away from church or Bible study, even from other Christians who might question any lapses. I also realize that because I am His child, God will not allow this without holding me accountable. If I pull back, He disciplines and even nags at me to repent and be reconciled to Him.

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:5–11)

One important thing that helps me stay on track is prayer — my own and the prayers of others. I’m aware of those prayers and even notice times when it seems that no one is praying. God does tell all of us:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

If I am praying, I cannot stay sliding down into a sinful state. Confession just pops up whenever I talk to God. It needs to be there for myself, but also for anyone who needs repentance. Sometimes I might need to talk to them about it, but with love and caution, particularly if their sin is against me:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15–17)

The last thing I want to do is treat another Christian as if they are not a believer. However, the plus side of this would be an emphasis on the gospel and God’s forgiveness. I’m thinking again of the NA meeting we attended as guests (see yesterday’s post) and how the love and forgiveness in the group brought some strugglers to tears as they realized they were not being condemned — loving correction is not condemnation. It is restoration and at times, everyone needs a good dose of that.

PRAY: Lord, continue to work in my life and in the lives of those at that meeting who are on the verge of saying yes to You as Lord. Help them to repent and truly trust You with all their hearts.

PONDER: How important it is to keep praying for those whose journey is still not quite to the Cross, that You will take them there and grant them life everlasting.