From the ministry archive
Judge
It seems that just about everyone loves this saying of Jesus: “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Mat. 7:1). The problem is a whole lot of the people who love that saying love it for their own wickedness sake. What am I talking about? Another favorite of these sin-justifying folks is, “Only God can judge me.” Really? Then what was Jesus talking about when he said this? “Judge not according to the appearance, but [DO] judge righteous judgment?” (Jn. 7:24). And what did he mean here on this one? “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will REPROVE THE WORLD OF SIN, and of righteousness, and of JUDGMENT” (Jn. 16:7,8). I’ve got news for you: If the holy Ghost is in you it is your job to reprove the world of sin. If you aren’t doing that then you are guilty of quenching the Spirit of God, which the scripture commands us not to do (I Thess. 5:19). A very large part of being able to “judge righteous judgment” as we’ve just seen that Jesus told us to do, is being able and willing to call sin what it is. Otherwise we cannot have separation between sin and righteousness, and in that case we can judge NOTHING with righteous judgment. Not only so, but if we do not judge matters rightly now, we are going to incur God’s judgment for it, and I mean here and now. People who are insistent on omitting the whole ‘judging’ thing, are just looking for a way to pass their sins off as being just as good as righteousness. That’s what the modern evils of 'tolerance,’ 'inclusion,’ and other such sayings and practices are all about. People want to say there is basically no such thing as sin or evil, that is unless it is someone who is calling sin what it is. Then you find out real fast that there’s evil in the world, meaning those who call evil for what it is, evil.
The scripture rightly states, “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself” (Prov. 18:2). What we have in an over abundance today are those who fulfill the following: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes” (Prov. 12:15). If we’re not supposed to 'judge’ anything or anyone for what it or they are, then why is Jesus going to judge the entire world one day? Think he’s not? Just wait a bit, and you will have a change of mind on that one. If there was to be no judgment among men, it would be unjust for God to sneak up on the entire human race after they are dead, and give them this great big surprise party of eternal judgment. JUDGMENT?? What the heck is that??!! If only God can judge you, then why do we have laws and penalties for breaking them? Who judges that? I haven’t seen God sitting in any seat of judgment down here lately. I have seen human beings judging matters among men however. What’s that? Let’s get real here friend, only a fool doesn’t believe in judging anything. Only someone who is wicked doesn’t believe in judging or being judged. When Jesus said “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” he meant to not have a condemning, fault finding spirit about us. To be earnestly searching for, and hoping to find something evil about someone when it is not evident, is evil. That is what he said not to do. If we do that then we will bring judgment on ourselves for BEING JUDGMENTAL. He actually explained that in the same passage when he went on to speak of the 'mote’ and 'beam’ issue in verses 4 and 5. But people who are licking their chops to find some way to support their own and someone else’s wickedness, are heavily prone to pulling one scripture out of context and using it as their support system. That is exactly why our text verse is loved by so many who are in reality unrighteous. Their desire is to eliminate righteousness altogether. If Jesus didn’t believe in judging, why did he verbally expose the Pharisees’ sins and call them “fools?” (Mat. 23:16-22).
The apostle Paul showed us a stellar example of what Jesus meant when he said to “judge righteous judgment,” when he rebuked the congregation in Corinth for NOT judging someone among them that was sinning and going on in it: “For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed… To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus… do not ye judge them that are within? … Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (I Cor. 5:3,5,12,13). That sounds like a lot of judging to me. It sounds to me like the apostle was judging someone’s sin to be sin, and them being worthy to be put out of the fellowship of the saints. He also gave a scathing rebuke to those who were responsible, for not already having done the same. I can tell you that God is raising up a people who are going to have his words in them, and they are going to deliver major judgments on major levels, both in the body of Christ, and to worldly governments as well. Those who refuse them and persecute them will garner to themselves the same reward that has always been given to those who have refused God’s prophets in the past, that being doom. Anyone who has the ridiculous mindset that “only God can judge me” is preparing themselves to be fuel for the fire, except they repent. And everyone who is afraid to “reprove the world of sin” is going in the same direction, as Jesus clearly told us: “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed , when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mk. 8:38). Get all the way on board with God my friend, while there is still time. Oh yeah, and don’t forget this: “JUDGE, lest ye be judged!” Amen.
