Judge Not

God has dealt to each man a measure of faith sufficient for him and his purpose, and I have no more power to gauge or question any one else's than they do mine.

The Jews in Jesus' time judged him for being right and exposing things about them that they thought no one would ever know, and they LITERALLY left him hanging for it. When to admit their inequity and falsehood would have SAVED Israel and the Church and Religion of Judah, they chose in their pride to condemn the One who validated the very Church, Religion and positions they were honored to and more importantly required to hold in God's Name. They condemned God. What happened soon after showed they made the WRONG choice. Yet God used this to do the RIGHT thing for all. They were addicted to their own priesthood/craft and power and rejected the very person who granted them that priesthood and power. They would have done more righteously cleaning toilets and sweeping floors than to hold themselves in such high esteem. I think they were pricked in their hearts by Jesus. Because in some part of themselves, they loved him and they felt betrayed by him. Much like successful televangelists of our age, they had large followings and these people they considered entrusted to their care, rather than God caring for these people, they actually believed without their priesthood, these people would be lost. These followers were leaving them, not necessarily to follow Jesus but because they now knew the Truth. The priests claimed Jesus was the "Lawless One," but the people knew that Salvation was in no one else. At first people felt dumb for falling for these priest's "schtick," and then betrayed, and the church suffered for it. The Word was still valid and the Scripture as sure as it ever was or will be but these men by witnessing falsely did so much more harm because people felt betrayed by God when this was not so, only God's messengers had betrayed them. God still planned to save all, but no one, not even the priests could see how. That is how God works.

Isa 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Mat 23:8-12   But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren.

   And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

  Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ.

  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

What is the Truth about God?

It is in the Walk of Jesus Christ. He need not have said anything if you consider the action He took for His people.

 

Hsa 4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame.

 

The only televangelist that honestly represented Christ maybe Jim Baker because his sin was exposed and he was seriously humbled and humiliated in front of those he lead astray and betrayed. Baker's son continues to suffer for the humiliation of his family, yet remains devoted to God, and Jesus and has gained a deeper understanding because of what happened to his dad. There was justice.

There was no justice in the immediate case of Christ. The mob's voice and the chief rabbi's decision was upheld and God condemned in His Temple. But in His Kingdom, Justice was fulfilled. New Jerusalem was born.

Obviously everyman's "fate" is something that is known to God alone and everyman's decisions are between he and God alone. We will all stand the Judgment. Honest sinners will get a lot further with God than false witnesses. Ignorance is bliss and then the awakening from that ignorance can be painful in many ways but not necessarily deadly. Patient endurance and reliance upon God can and will bring you through.

Mat 12:19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

2Ti 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, [yet] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

If your life has been less than God centered and you have only recently begun to know Christ, He may seem foreign at first. Say you were raised in a family and community that accepted sin as the "norm," and maybe your family had a history of alcohol abuse and maybe you were abused for reasons you don't know or understand. Maybe you feel a greater kinship and more compassion for those who are like you and feel betrayed by those who are not? Maybe you have a little more compassion for those with weaknesses than those who have overcome and are sin free. Maybe God is shaping you for something.

Scorn, denial and judgment are not going to bring anyone out of the darkness of addiction and dependence, and may lead some to harden themselves and drink themselves to death for spite. The more one party strives for thesis, the more the other strives for antithesis. To say you are above any despicable behaviour is a lie and is more dispicable than the behaviour itself may or may not be in the eyes of God. It takes a lot of strength to be merciful and forgiving and very little to judge and condemn. The only reason one passes judgment on another is that he or she has already been sentenced and is suffering the consequences of that judgment. What is it to stand in the flames and speak not?

What would happen if all the judges in the world, stepped down? Lawlessness? By no means! Nothing can ever make the Law without affect.

What did the Lord say?

 

2Ch 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment.

 

What happened?

 

Isa 1:23 Thy princes [are] rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

 

Jer 5:28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

 

What did the Lord say?

 

Luk 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

 

Jhn 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 

How did the faithful servant respond?

1Cr 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.