Message given on June 22, 2008
Right and Wrong Judgment
(Mat 7:1) Judge not, that ye be not judged.
(Mat 7:2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
(Mat 7:3) And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
(Mat 7:4) Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of
thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
(Mat 7:5) Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then
shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
This is written as a warning to those of us who attempt to complain or find
fault with another person when we are doing the same thing ourselves or
something else that is just as wrong or more so than the person we are finding
fault with. This kind of fault finding is not judging a righteous judgment,
neither is it fruitful. It usually causes trouble and hurt feelings rather than
godly correction. Many times the person we are finding fault with is not present
so in that case, it is backbiting and does no good for the person being
criticized.
A good example of this is King David, when Nathan the prophet came to him
telling him of a man who had only one sheep and another man having many sheep
but the man with the great number of sheep took the only lamb from the man that
had only one and killed it for food. David was very angry at that and commanded
that such a one be put to death. Nathan said to David that he was the man. No,
he didn’t take someone’s lamb but he did take someone’s wife when he himself had
many wives but the man he took the wife from, had only one. This is an example
of judging someone for something that we ourselves are guilty of.
This is a huge hindrance to the gospel of Jesus Christ and is close to murmuring
and complaining which God shows us by His word that He is very displeased with
it. I’m not speaking here about anything that I myself have not been guilty of
on occasion.
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou
that judgest doest the same things.
Rom 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against
them which commit such things.
Rom 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things,
and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and
longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself
wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and
honor and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
I want to examine from the scriptures the right way and the wrong way to
speak out against something that is wrong. Many use the above scriptures to
avoid correcting sin and having the “Live and Let live, “ attitude. We know from
other scriptures however, that Jesus never intended for His followers never to
receive correction or speak out against the sins that are destroying our
families, our church and even our nation. There is a place for fault finding but
we must be very careful to judge a righteous judgment.
Deuteronomy 16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect
persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and
pervert the words of the righteous.
To wrest judgment is to pervert it to give a wrong sentence or to be wrong in
judgment. Judges are to judge fairly and not judge with respect of persons. We
are not to favor one over another. We may tend to find fault and speak out
against one person but avoid speaking against a more favored person that may be
guilty of doing the same sin. We must not judge with respect of persons,
favoring the rich over the poor, the influential over those who we may judge to
be unimportant etc.
Proverbs 18:5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to
overthrow the righteous in judgment.
John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
One way we can determine whether or not we are making a righteous judgment is to
examine our motives. The Pharisees were constantly trying to find fault with
Jesus over trivial matters. They didn’t realize that they were agents of Satan
trying to hinder the work of God. Their motives were envy, anger, and
self-righteousness. They probably felt conviction because of their own sin and
it made them angry so they tried to find fault with Jesus to make themselves
feel justified in their sins. They often found fault with Jesus for healing a
man on the Sabbath day caring more about the letter of the law then seeing a
person that was miserable set free from his sickness. Here we see clearly a
wrong motive for fault finding. Jesus preached the spirit of the law. Our
motives must be to save not destroy.
I’m reminded of the story of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery by
some men. They wanted to stone the poor woman but Jesus said the word, “ He that
is without sin among you, cast the first stone.” Not one was without sin so they
could not stone the woman. Jesus forgave the woman but told her to go and sin no
more. He didn’t condone her sin but gave her a way out of it. Here we see the
right motive. The motive of the fault finders was to kill the woman and rid
themselves of one they thought unworthy to live. The motive of Jesus was to save
the woman and offer her the gift of eternal life.
This my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, should be our motive in all we do
and say. Our speaking should be for the edification of our fellow believers. Is
what I’m about to say going to edify or is it going to destroy the work of God.
Is what I’m going to going to be fruitful or is it going to be harmful.
This doesn’t mean that we only say nice things and tickle the ears with
compliments and false flattery.
Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy
are deceitful.
All through the scriptures I see balance. I see positive and negative
and all things working out for the good of those who hear and do the teachings
of the word. There is a right kind of judgment but there is a wrong kind.
This should be our prayer.
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Titus 2:7 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine
showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the
contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Our words are very important. We can use them to bring glory to God and
teach sound doctrine or we can use them to do evil and be a tool that Satan can
use to deceive or harm the body of Christ.
We need also to learn to love the truth. If we love the truth, we will not want
to agree with gossip that we know to be false. We will try to correct error.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no
man despise thee.
I’ve used these scriptures from Titus before but I want to emphasize verse 15.
These things speak, exhort, rebuke with all authority. There is a place for
judging when it is for the benefit of healing, correcting and saving rather than
tearing down and destroying a precious soul for whom Jesus Christ died.
Jamess 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not
his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
The hardest thing to control is our tongue. I wonder sometimes if that
is the reason for the sign gift of speaking in other tongues when one is
baptized with the Holy Spirit. Maybe it is God’s way of saying to us, “From now
on we need to use our tongues for the word of God and things that edify.” Of
course we know that it is probably a sign that the gospel is meant for people of
all nations, tongues and people, not just the Jews to whom the gospel was first
given but I wonder too if just maybe it is a sign that our tongues must be
controlled and not given to evil.
Sound speech is teaching right doctrine. There are many doctrines going around
that are not according to the written word. To correct those that teach falsely
is not finding fault and judging because we are trying to stop people from being
deceived and losing their souls. If I got up here and warned however, against
the prosperity doctrine and blasted the prosperity preachers but then in turn I
started preaching the same doctrine for the purpose of getting the congregation
to give more money, that would be making an unrighteous judgment. If my motive
was envy because people were not listening to me as much as they listen to the
prosperity teachers, then it would be an unrighteous judgment. My motive counts.
That determines whether or not what I say is fault finding or whether what I say
is fruitful. If I come in tears and strong crying warning and pleading for souls
to hear the right doctrine, caring whether or not the listeners are saved or
lost, then that is not judging but trying to get people to turn their lives over
to Jesus Christ and accept the free gift of eternal life and turn away from
false teaching.
1Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's
wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for
they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged
of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But
we have the mind of Christ.
Yielding to the spirit of God is the best way to speak things that edify and
bear precious fruit. Speaking the truth in love is what will edify.
1Co 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the
unjust, and not before the saints?
1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world
shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that
pertain to this life?
So first the bible says not to judge and now Paul rebukes the
Corinthians for not judging. So there has to be a right way and a right place
and a wrong way. Motive is a good key. It has to be by the spirit and in truth
not in tale bearing and backbiting. The love of the truth is another good
motive.
This is what I have to say to myself all the time, “If it is not going to do any
good, shut up and keep quiet.”
Jamess 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil
of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth
the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou
that judgest another?
So we see here another apostle telling us not to judge after I just read
Paul telling us to judge. All these things must be studied and taken in context.
It will balance out if we all do things according to the leading of the spirit
and with the right motives.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are
spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself,
lest thou also be tempted.
Here we see an example of the right way. In the spirit of meekness. A meek
spirit is a good sign that one is judging a righteous judgment. Holier than
thou, self-righteousness is not the spirit of meekness.
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jud 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Jud 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even
the garment spotted by the flesh.
Our motive is the save, restore, help, bless, exhort, comfort correct in
love.
Jamess 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert
him;
Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his
way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
So we see that the same James who said not to judge our brother is now telling
us to convert the sinner and save the soul from death. Motive makes the
difference. We must examine our motives.
Let us be determined to use our tongues for edification and not for destroying
the ones for whom Christ died.
I know sometimes bad happens to us and we sound off about someone who we are mad
at. I realize we sometimes have to share things when we feel we have been
wronged but these things are usually temporary problems that we talk about to
someone who may be able to reason with us and help us see another side of the
big picture. This is not necessarily judging or fault finding but trying to
overcome a bad situation but even if this is the case we must choose wisely the
person we direct our words to. If it is someone who also dislikes the person we
are angry at, it is the wrong person to talk to. This is backstabbing. If it is
a person that is impartial and desires the good of both parties it is better.
Yet the perfect way is to walk in love, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost which
God gives to those who obey Him.
It is not judging to correct error and lies. It is not judging to speak out
against false doctrine. We are not guilty of touching God’s anointed if they are
teaching error and that could cause someone to be lost. If we continue in error
and agree with error we may be in danger of being given over to believe a lie.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he
who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with
the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and
signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they
should believe a lie:
This is mainly talking about the coming of the future anti-chirst who is to
deceive the whole world. Notice that those that will be deceived are those that
rejected the truth of God’s word. Continually desiring to hear lies over the
truth may cause us to believe a lie and be lost.
We must love the truth and seek to know the truth. If we desire to believe lies,
we may be turned over to it. Those who love the truth will not be deceived.
It is not judging to point out things that are in error. It is not judging to
see someone about to make a serious mistake and we in love and in the spirit of
meekness try to show them the right way.
There are many false doctrines endangering the church today. I wish that all we
had to do was to preach the gospel and tell people how to be saved. I wish we
didn’t have to keep warning against false teaching. We have been warning you
almost every week against the prosperity doctrine. We have warned against easy
believism and “Once saved, always saved.” Yet, there are many other doctrines
that can endanger our souls or the souls of those that live around us. Two such
doctrines involve the Jewish people. One false teaching is the replacement
theology. That is the false teaching that the church replaces Israel and God no
longer has any dealing with the Jews. That is a lie that causes hatred against
the Jews and resulted in massive persecution against the Jews throughout church
history. Another doctrine is just as deadly and that is the dual covenant
teaching. That false teaching states that there are two covenants and the Jews
that are under the covenant that God made to Abraham do not need the gospel of
Jesus Christ. Some have signed agreements not to preach the gospel to the Jews.
Dearly beloved, who do you think gave the Gentiles the gospel? Jews. Who were
the first converts to Jesus Christ? Jews. Who were the apostles? Jews. In fact
Jesus Himself was born a Jew. Who started the first church? Jews. Who was Jesus
speaking to when He said, “You must be born again?” Nicodemus, a Jew. Who was
Jesus talking to when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the Life, no man
comes to the Father but by me?” His disciples, Jews. Who did Jesus instruct to
go into all the world and preach the gospel? Jews.
To whom was Jesus talking to when He said, if you do not believe that I am He,
you shall die in your sins? The Jews.
Speaking of Jews also, we must realize that the gospel was first given to them.
When they rejected the gospel, it was given to the Gentiles. Now we see the days
coming to pass when the gospel is being given back to the Jews and we should
rejoice it that. There is no such things though as a dual covenant. The first
covenant was made null and void at the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
There is no different way of salvation for Jews and Gentiles. We all have to
come the same way. If that is not the case then Jesus would have died all for
nothing. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Without Jesus there is no
salvation whether we are Jew or Gentile. If there had been another way to be
saved, God would not have allowed His Son to suffer and die in such agony if
there would have been another way. Someone had to take on human flesh and live
among us yet without breaking the law of God in any point. This someone had to
be spotless and without sin or else He could not have been worthy to die for the
sins of someone else. In order to reverse the curse that Adam’s sin caused to
come upon all human beings, only a spotless, sinless person could die for sin to
reverse that curse. Jesus was God that came into human flesh for the sole
purpose to take the penalty for sin on Himself when He didn’t deserve to suffer
any penalty since He had never sinned.
The first covenant was given to Jews and the second covenant was given to Jews.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek.
A land covenant with the nation of Israel must not be confused with the
gift of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. The nation of Israel is promised
the land of Israel. Nothing can change that but as individuals each Jew has to
obtain salvation through Jesus Christ in order to be saved from sin and be
granted eternal life.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There
shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
This passage tells us that Israel shall be saved but what are they saved
from? Sin. There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer. This deliverer is none
other than Jesus Christ. What is this deliverer to do? They shall turn away
ungodliness from Jacob or Israel. In order for Israel to be saved, they have to
turn from their sins and believe in the same Jesus Christ and be cleansed by the
same shed blood that cleanses the Gentiles.
Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no
place have been sought for the second.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the
Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the
house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day
when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they
continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write
them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the
greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and
their iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that
which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that
look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
This is taken from writing to the Hebrews. Hebrews are Jews. The gospel
for the Gentiles is the exact same gospel that is for the Jews. There is no
difference.
Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have
before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ
have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there
is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise.
No dual covenant theology is taught in scripture. That is a lie to keep
Gentiles from giving the gospel freely to the Jews that they might be saved from
sin.
If someone asks us the question, "Do we all have to come through Jesus to be
saved even if we are Jews?" Our answer should always me a definite yes. The Jews
even more so because the gospel went to them first. It was given to the Gentiles
after the Jewish nation rejected Christ.
To persecute Israel is to touch the apple of God's eye. To forbid the gospel to
the Jew is also a grave sin because it was first given to them and they need it
to enter into the kingdom of heaven just like the Gentile or non-Jewish people
need it to enter into heaven. To teach otherwise is to label Jesus a liar and
also Paul and many other apostles.
To the Jew first and also the Greek. To conclude this message, I will remind us
to be careful about our speech and in judging according to the flesh. We must
speak with a motive to love the truth and not encourage any lies. We must be
careful about making judgments in haste or with wrong motives but we do have a
right to judge by the spirit and judge righteously. We have to determine the
truth from the false always examining our motives as we seek to edify and
encourage one another to work for the eternal salvation of all the souls God
allows us to meet and worship with. It is a heavy responsibility but if we
desire truth, and love to see people serving God, avoid gossip and foolish
jesting and hate lying and falsehood, we are on the right track.
I mentioned the dual covenant theology here to make the point that it is not
Judging to give the gospel to any group or religion that does not have the
gospel. It is not judging to say that all must come through Jesus Christ
to be saved because Jesus Himself said those exact words. True. God
is the judge and in His word, He says that there is no other way to be saved.
To share this truth is not judging. We can't judge people's hearts to
determine whether or not they go to heaven or hell but we can say clearly that
in order to obtain eternal life we must believe that Jesus is the Christ who
came to take away the sins of the world. Jesus said that those who believe
in Him shall receive rivers of living water. To give forth the truth of
the word is not making judgments against people but warning them of the coming
judgment when we all will be judged by the word of God. I didn't say this,
Jesus did.
Dorna J Chambers
