JUDGE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT (John 7:24)

 

It's time to address a very serious mistake made by the world of non believers, pagan religions, followers of philosophical babble, every doctrine of demons, and even Christian apostates. The Spirit of the Lord has urged me to raise my voice with the same unction that cast out the money changers that were in the temple listed Matthew 21:12-13. It isn't often that I am led to speak with such boldness and indignation.  However, today as with Jesus, I am going to knock over chairs and tables driven by a righteous anger and displeasure because of the misuse of a particular scripture constantly being used out of context. It's time to get it straight! The scripture I'm referring to is, “Judge not, and you will not be judged.”

It's ironic how pagans claim they don't believe the bible and yet will quote the bible! How does that work? Quoting the "judge not" scripture is only convenient when it suits their purpose in avoiding the TRUTH which points out the error of their way. They also use it when they have no answer to support their views. It's bizarre, it's as if suddenly they have some sort of biblical knowledge or insight into the same book they claim they don't believe. I am so incredibly tired of hearing, “Judge not, and you will not be judged” as a defense mechanism from the same non believers that hate Jesus or at the very least believe He is a myth and His Word laughable. This verse in the Bible is right up there with John 3:16 and Psalm 23, as one of the most recognized passages in all the Bible by people who have never gone to church, studied the Bible, or even worse call God's Word "out of touch," "old fashion," or "not applicable today."  

Indeed, pagans seem to quote this verse a lot.  And when they do, they say it with confidence and boldness while never understanding the true meaning of this verse. So, what is going on? Well, quite simply, when pagans shake their finger at Christians saying, ‘judge not,’ they believe that this verse prohibits the Christian from judging anyone in any sense.  According to their logic, since Jesus is speaking these words, ‘not judging’ is a holy attribute of Jesus.  For them, Jesus never judged but was only about gushy love and acceptance. And so, to the point; this verse about not judging is quoted back to Christians to infer that judging is a sin. Now, is judging a sin? If it is, then Jesus was full of sin because He certainly judged. Remember that time in the Bible where Jesus told a group of people they were a bunch of hypocrites (Matthew 23:27)? Remember that time where Jesus accused the Pharisees and Sadducees of being full of arrogant stupidity (Matthew 16:1-12)? Do you remember that one time Jesus called the religious elite offspring of the devil (John 8:44)?

I bet the majority of pagans, if any, aren't aware of these "judgments" made by Jesus, or His outburst of anger with moneychangers. In each verse above, Jesus didn't just call them out as hypocrites, void of knowledge, or of their father the devil, He quoted scriptural reasons why they fell under these labels. Pagans conveniently avoid the portions of the Bible where Jesus judges, as well as the other 42 times where Jesus talks about hell. Contrary to what Pagans say, Christians are certainly called to judge but only with RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT. Keyword here: 'righteous.' Righteous judgment means not according to the flesh but according to the spirit. If any Christian judges what a person wears, what he drinks, how he looks, or makes a physical assessment of some kind then they are judging according to the flesh. A Christian cannot assume intentions either. However, as an example, if you tell me straight-up you are a Satanist, that you're a homosexual, that you're cheating on your spouse, or that your religious beliefs are anti-biblical, I am allowed to share God's WORD regarding those matters in an effort to open your eyes to error. 

If you know someone is in danger of losing their soul and you share a scripture to show them what God has said, that is righteous judgment because it is what God has said and is not your words, assumptions, or suggestions. It is judgment according to the spirit and should always be done with love and compassion. Even though pagans often quote the words of Jesus to “judge not,” Christians are instructed to judge RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT. But how do we make sense of all of this, especially Jesus saying, “Judge not?”  How do we understand Jesus’ words? We study, we seek, we ask, we pray, we meditate on God's Word for divine wisdom and knowledge. How can pagans, non-believers, agnostics, believers in philosophies, ideologies, those that adhere to doctrines of demons, even atheists and so forth know anything about these instructions when they reject the entirety of the Word of God in the first place?

Let's get to righteous judgment. What is righteous judgment and where does it say as a Christian I am allowed to judge? People will tell you, "You can't judge me only God can judge me!" Listen closely!! The Bible teaches that God is a righteous judge. So yes, only God can judge. BUT WAIT. According to the Bible, you must read it carefully ... 1 John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made that was made." Then in verse 14 of the same chapter it says, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." So what is this saying? What am I saying? Let's break it down.

1. In the beginning was THE WORD

2. The WORD WAS GOD

3. THE WORD (God) became flesh (became the man in human form; Jesus)

4. He (Jesus) lived among the disciples (as a man but sinless)

5. The disciples said "HE" (Jesus) WAS TRUTH and He was full of grace

Let's break it down even further:

6. God was and is the righteous WORD embodied in Jesus. 

7. God was in the beginning and since God was the WORD in the beginning, and only GOD can judge as we've determined. HIS WORD IS THE JUDGE. THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE. 

8. When that same WORD is spoken and quoted by Christ's followers/believers it becomes the righteous judgment against sin, rebellion, lies, error, confusion, iniquity, transgressions, wickedness, immorality, wrong-doing, lawful violations, deceit, disobedience, and vices even though it is spoken out of the mouth of a believer! It is God's WORD regardless, not the believers words.

So, in reality, it is the spoken WORD that judges our actions and behavior against itself not the Christian who repeats the WORD. Not only does the WORD instruct believers to speak this same WORD to a dying world, blinded and ignorant of the sin and idolatry that imprisons them, but God spoke His WORD in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that we (followers of Jesus) "ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS." Meaning, if we (as believers in Christ Jesus) speak and repeat the WORD OF GOD against sin and error, IT IS GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT being spoken or repeated off our lips from the Holy Spirit within us. Therefore, it is JUDGING RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT as we are given instruction to do! Christians represent the spoken WORD, we aren't the spoken Word. We represent Christ in the world. We aren't Christ Himself. We represent His righteous voice. Christians are not personally judging anyone, THE WORD is. Christians are simply repeating the words of God as a warning or corrective measure as instructed by Jesus to go out into the world with His gospel message.

I will leave you with this final thought regarding judgment.

If you admit to me that you are engaged in an adulterous affair and I say, "You're going to hell for your sin" that's judging you because there is no way for me to know you're going to go to hell. Why? You might turn to the Lord years down the line and be saved. However, if you admit to me that you are engaged in an adulterous affair and I ask, "Did you know scripture says (or the Lord says) in 1 Corinthians 6: 9-12 that adulterers will not inherit the Kingdom of God" and I do not place a decree or judgment you're going to hell BUT I SIMPLY REPEAT God's Word that speaks to the error of your way ... I am not personally condemning or assuming you're going to hell. I am merely judging RIGHTEOUS judgment by speaking what has been written for over 2,000 years. One is an accusation, the other is a question in an effort to make you think.

It's no different than me saying, "Did you know you're not supposed to enter that store without a shirt or shoes on" and you question, "Why not?" And I say because there is a sign on the door that says, 'no shirt no shoes no service.' And though it sounds like I'm telling you what you can or can't do (I'm not, it's the store telling you) I am merely pointing what's already a rule to try and keep you out of trouble because I tried it once and suffered a severe fine. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-