Judging

[Sue J Love]

I would like to offer my thoughts on judging, according to scripture, if I may.

Clarification is needed, in my opinion, on the word, “judgmental”, and the call to “righteous judging”, which is tearing at the fiber of the North American church today and is bringing in moral relativism by the truckload.

Criticism, for its own sake, is usually out of a bitter spirit, born out of hypocrisy, and is plainly wrong. It is not motivated by the Holy Spirit in the least.

There is, however, a vital aspect to judging. One of the gifts of the Spirit is the “Discerning of Spirits”, found in 1 Corinthians 12:10. The Greek word for discernment is, “diakrisis”, which comes from two words: “dia”, meaning “through, between”, and “krino”, meaning, “to judge”. In other words, the Holy Spirit gifts people so that they can make a judgment between two things, as to which right, and which is wrong. The specific gift of “discernment of spirits” involves being supernaturally able to distinguish between a person who is serving the cause of evil spirits, and one who is serving the cause of God. As soon as one says, “No person has the right to judge”, then that person is actually quenching the Holy Spirit’s gifting of people to make judgments which will edify the church.

To say that we the Church cannot judge a situation or a person in sin is to allow cultural relativism to slip into the church, falling into an unbalanced doctrine of judgment. This is happening more and more now.

The Lord Jesus shows that it is good to “judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). ..we should make judgments based on the yardstick of righteousness as revealed in His Word, which looks beyond mere outward appearances, and are made with the right spirit in heart.

When Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1), we immediately know what kind of judgment He is referring to there. He cannot mean that we must never make any judgment at all, otherwise we would not be able to fulfill some other scriptural mandates, such as never to allow anyone to deceive us...see Matthew 24:4; Luke 21:8; 2Thessalonians 2:3; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:8. If only God can judge, as many think, then how will we be able to fulfill the apostle John’s command: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Far from being wrong, judgment is actually a vital part of the Christian armour!

Christ has placed pastors and teachers into the church precisely to make judgments which will prevent people from being “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14). The judgment which the Lord Jesus forbids in Matthew 7:1 refers to a person who makes a judgment about another person, while he himself is doing the very same thing which he is judging in the other! That is hypocritical judgment, a hypocrisy, which is forbidden by Christ.

The kind of judgment which builds up God’s people by advising them of danger or falsehood is an absolute necessity.


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Amen! Thank you for sharing that!

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

That doesn't cover the generations of false prophets that lived and died, or what's concluded today. It has to do with Jesus' return, sorting the evil from the good. It has nothing to do with God's judgments which have been plenty all along, and is seen in the world today. Keep trying, though.

Why is it that you FEEL that the things that go on in this earth are from Gods judgment?
Do you not understand things like in Psalm 115 where God has said the heavens are his but the earth He has given unto the children of men ?
Grace runs until the day God says it is Over. God is not going to be condemning people who still are under grace. If God was judging as you say - would He not have wiped out all sinners or anything oposed to His word....

 

[amadeus2]

Why is it that you FEEL that the things that go on in this earth are from Gods judgment?
Do you not understand things like in Psalm 115 where God has said the heavens are his but the earth He has given unto the children of men ?

"The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men." Psalm 115:16

Yes, God gave even the little lump of earth of which to are made to see what kind of stewards we are. Problem is that without help we are very poor stewards. God gave us the reins in the beginning and we have gone from bad to worse. He want us to give the reins back to Him so that we can move from being children of men to being sons of God.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" John 1:12

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom 8:14

 

[Ophel]

"The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men." Psalm 115:16

Yes, God gave even the little lump of earth of which to are made to see what kind of stewards we are. Problem is that without help we are very poor stewards. God gave us the reins in the beginning and we have gone from bad to worse. He want us to give the reins back to Him so that we can move from being children of men to being sons of God.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" John 1:12

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom 8:14

This sounds like a "but".

 

[amadeus2]

This sounds like a "but".

I haven't a clue what you mean by this.

 

[Brighthouse]

There has arose a great problem in our Church over the past couple of weeks on judging. One side talks about Rom 2:1-5 with a strong ding on verse 4,now the other side also has a strong point as well!! First read this!( 2 Kings 10:18-28) Many!! Believe that all Muslims are a potential threat,since all believe in what the Koran writes about all who are not of there belief,while true,not all practice the extreme of it,still all are part of the same cult.( They would say religion) Now i remember Jesus talking about in Luke 9:54-56) this scripture in relation to 2 Kings 1:12 However as you can see as well both have a valid point do they not? And if not,why not?Not every muslium is a terrorist, but ever terrorist is a muslium. This has now become a great problem in our church.Thoughts? The freedom of religion act to many needs to become changed,religion should be defined as the worship of a living being not a dead one.Hence the battle we have.

 

[KingJ]

duplicate

 

[KingJ]

There has arose a great problem in our Church over the past couple of weeks on judging. One side talks about Rom 2:1-5 with a strong ding on verse 4,now the other side also has a strong point as well!! First read this!( 2 Kings 10:18-28) Many!! Believe that all Muslims are a potential threat,since all believe in what the Koran writes about all who are not of there belief,while true,not all practice the extreme of it,still all are part of the same cult.( They would say religion) Now i remember Jesus talking about in Luke 9:54-56) this scripture in relation to 2 Kings 1:12 However as you can see as well both have a valid point do they not? And if not,why not?Not every muslium is a terrorist, but ever terrorist is a muslium. This has now become a great problem in our church.Thoughts? The freedom of religion act to many needs to become changed,religion should be defined as the worship of a living being not a dead one.Hence the battle we have.

We can respect anyone who is God fearing. I recall hearing a testimony of a Muslim who came to Christianity. How his pursuit of true / proper / more desire to be God fearing lead him to Jesus.

The real problem with Muslims extremists is that that small percentage of them equates to the entire population of the US

.

 

[Ophel]

The real problem with Muslims is that there are a higher percentage of those who know the Koran, and why they believe what they do, than there are Christians who know the word of God and can ecplain why they believe in Jesus Christ. The simplified answer that we believe "by faith" doesn't cut it with people who want real answers. God isn't going to do for us what we need to be committed to---and diligently---namely mefitating on God's beautiful word. It is life and health to us, and is truth to those who seek it.

 

[Dovegiven]

Why is it that you FEEL that the things that go on in this earth are from Gods judgment?
Do you not understand things like in Psalm 115 where God has said the heavens are his but the earth He has given unto the children of men ?
Grace runs until the day God says it is Over. God is not going to be condemning people who still are under grace. If God was judging as you say - would He not have wiped out all sinners or anything oposed to His word....

God has not changed at all, even Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever. I read the entire Bible over and over, learning over and over the revelation of God. The events of judgment throughout those pages serve for our example. He has recorded forever such judgments on men as in Daniel 5:24-31 (KJV)
24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Grace has been applied toward men who love God long before the advent of Jesus Christ.
Genesis 6:6-9 (KJV)
6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9 These are the generations of Noah:
Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

That grace was as wonderful and mighty as anyone can experience. It was received as conditionally as is today.
Grace is received through exercise of faith even today, faith in God through Jesus Christ, his gospel presenting the magnificent full revelation
of the reality of grace. It isn't that God created grace through Jesus' ministry. Grace was in existence before man was made. If it had not been
in place then, this planet would have been destroyed back to it's former state in Genesis 1:1.

Grace is God's alternative to judgment of sinful man both while mortal and immortal in the end. Just receiving his grace on his terms is enough
to avoid eternal punishment. However, at the same time grace isn't presented as an automatic reversal of consequences of sin, even though
he has made the way for forgiveness of sins themselves, save the one he will not forgive.

Judgement of sinful men in the here and now and in eternity by God is a standing fact, You will not find a declaration in scriptures that God promises
no more judgment of mortal men.

He has promised much through faith in Christ, far more than men deserving judgment deserve, but not to people who persist in living apart
from him. They live under the heel of the Law whether Jew or Gentile, subject to the judgments of the Law.

Secondly, the unregenerated population of people remain under all former curses from God, themselves continually corrupting God's creation,
suffering mightily under those curses such as plagues, starvation, wars, oppression, slavery, etc. A tiny minority of people who turn to Christ
are made free inwardly of all curses,seeing no judgment from God for sins past, but most yet suffer the consequences of sin on earth. So it is
Christians yet experience beheadings for their faith.

My case will stand on this:
1 Peter 4:12-19 (KJV)
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

 

[Julie.S]

I am not God and only God can judge a person correctly. I am but a simple mortal.

 

[KingJ]

I am not God and only God can judge a person correctly. I am but a simple mortal.

Paul says we can judge ourselves. If we do this properly / truthfully we will not be judged by God. IE we pass His judgment 1 Cor 11:31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.

We are made just beneath the angels. We cannot judge like God can but we certainly still can.

Psalm 8:5 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.

We have to always remember that if we were simple minded mortals, Jesus would not have needed to die for us. Our sin would not have angered Him. It would be like a baby doing something naughty.