Why does the concept of judgement have such a bad connotation? I understand not “enjoying” God’s judgement on us; it isn’t a day that many will pass. I hear some even say things like, “God in the old testament was ‘do or die.’” Well, yes, He was “do or die” because we didn’t ‘do’ after being told to 1000×10 times. God doesn’t change. We cannot avoid the facts: God judges and we as Christians are supposed to judge, too.
But what about: “Judge not, that you be not judged,” (Matthew 7:1 NKJV). No one wants to be that judgmental, pious Christian. So, we avoid judgement altogether. We allow some disturbing things go on in our churches, all because we don’t want to be judgmental.
“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-5 NKJV)
Ouch… Is Paul talking to Corinth or to us? Can we judge without being judgmental? A few chapters back, it seems Paul says something different…
“But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God,” (1 Corinthians 4:3-5 NKJV).
James MacDonald cleared this up for me one day… Of course, he was merely saying this in passing, “We aren’t judging your motives; we’re judging your actions.” One form of judgement belongs to the Lord only and that is the judgement of the heart. We need to judge our actions as well as the actions of others. How else could we ever discern right from wrong? We must keep away from judging the heart of others (and as Paul said, even our own hearts) because there is only One who knows the depths of the heart.
“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart; I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:9, 10 NKJV)
