Judging - A Study

This post is for those who genuinely appreciate study, and love truth, whatever it turns out to be...I say this because if there is no other study I ever do after this one, I would say that this is among the top 5 of the most important...then you pick the other ones or none of them at all.

 

Anyway...you will see that God is very specific about judging and like anything else, leaves nothing out.

 

 

Romans 2:1 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.

 

From the original Greek this above verse starts out with, "That means..." which is the same thing as what most translations use - therefore. 'Therefore' means, for those of us that are not grammer students...therefore is saying that what you just read is there for what you are now about to read. SO, the 1st chapter was written FOR the following chapter -- the message is not complete without both chapters! 

 

 

 

 

But I notice that people who make it their job to judge don't see this...which I guess is par for the course. But when the 1st and 2nd chapters of Romans were written, chapter and verse was not a part of the writing, so they were written to create one thought...HOWEVER, if our heart desires truth above self-satisfaction, then we will find it...because you better believe God will grant it! The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. Therefore, if you are listening closely to the Holy Spirit, He'll give you what you need to know...and even more!

 

 

John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Mark 4: 24 Then he added, "Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given--and you will receive even more.

 

 

 

Something else you'll notice, as you read through Romans 1, homosexuality is not the only sin it speaks of...in fact there are many more. Then immediately in Romans 2:1 it says at the end of that verse, "...because you, the judge, practice the very same things."

 

 

However, in my vast ;^) experience, because many people only see one particular sin in Romans 1, they also don't consider the end of this verse either. As this is saying that even though you and I, the readers, are pointing at certain sins and sinners - that we still practice the same things!

 

 

 

But, then most people in their minds think, "But, I'm NOT a homosexual!"...then they read on without seeing the sins they ARE committing!

 

 

 

Then as we read on in Romans 2 (below), God says that our assessment of those we are judging is not based on truth. As we cannot see the heart of the person(s) and do NOT know the real truth about their lives that have made them who they are...yet we still have set ourselves up as their accusers!

 

 

 

Then God goes on to say that our judging must mean we think that God should be showing wrath 'towards those sinners!' so we are despising the kindness and tolerance He is showing them, which also must mean we despise the kindness and tolerance He is showing us too!

 

 

Following this He goes on and says that our stubbornness and unrepentant heart towards judging others, is storing up wrath for ourselves...and we are actually self-seeking and rejecting truth!

 

 

 

John 7:24
Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment."

 

 

 

 

Righteous does not mean wrathful - it means correct! It means getting down to the real truth underneath it all...whatever that truth is! Why is this important? Because...it is never God's first thought to condemn. His first thought is always to save!

John 3:17

For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

 

 

John 12:47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.

 



 

Then He goes on to say that He shows no favoritism...meaning that even if we are not doing one of the sins, that whatever sin we are commiting will be judged in the same way as the one we are pointing out!



 

 

 

Romans 2: 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

 

 

5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”a 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

 

 

 

 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11For God does not show favoritism.

 

 

Then in Matthew 7 Jesus tells us that if we do feel like we have to judge, then we WILL be judged in the same way. This is important to remember, because there are times to judge particular situations...however, if we remember at least this, then we'll stay humble and never have any real desire to judge...but much more so on obeying the New Commandment.

Matthew 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

The following chapter speaks about not judging unbelievers (outsiders - because they don't have the Spirit in order to know or do any better), but how important it is to take care of what is going on in our own families and churches...because if you notice, the sins listed and mentioned are ones that are aimed at hurting and spreading to others. Greediness, idol worship, cheating, abusing and etc. However, God is not saying to be mean and kick them out. He is saying that they need to be confronted so it doesn't go on. They must deal with their sin or it will have to be done for them, for the sake of everyone else.

 

 

 

 

 

Correct judging is about setting boundaries...healthy, Christ-like boundaries. It is NOT about keeping sinners/unbelievers out of the church, no matter what sin they are involved in. It is also not about kicking believers out who sin either...as we all sin.  It's speaking about people who's sin is spreading and hurting others. People who are not dealing with their sins, but instead practicing and indulging in them.

 

 

 

Church is as a hospital...where sinners can go to find the great Physician and begin to get well. Therefore it is not at all intended as a place where the opposite would happen...where their infections infect others!

 

 

 

Pls see  -> http://nlt.scripturetext.com/1_corinthians/5.htm

 

 

This brings me to say that I have experienced first hand the abuse that is allowed to go on within churches. In the Sunday Schools themselves and then the homes of the members. But we are neglecting these people and instead using this time and energy to point at one or two other sins that are going on primarily outside the church! Which is keeping the people that should be coming to church, OUT of the church! This leads into the next studies...

Pls click on following URL--

*Start - Spiritual Abuse Study I*