ESSAY: "Judging" by Dennis Rideout

JUDGING

I am convinced that we DO not and CAN not understand or know God's Meaning and Intention of His Living Word, Scripture, without or until He "opens" that particular Scripture or Divine Thought to us. Only then are we "rightly-divided" by God's Living Way and Word. We might say we have been "Quickened" by the Breath of God's Revelation which has been Written for that purpose. How else would the Holy "Spirit of Truth guide us into all truth, and show us things to come"? (Jn 16:13) Only God opens {spiritual} eyes and ears and hearts and minds, yes, and even dumb mouths.

Luke 24:31 (KJV) And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. {vanished...: or, ceased to be seen of them}

Luke 24:45 (KJV) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures...

We are Instructed WHEN to Judge... 1Cor 4:5 (KJV) Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Yet Paul indicates that we (who are "perfect", or "spiritual") are to LEARN to Judge ("Discern")... 1Cor 2:15 (KJV) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. {judgeth: or, discerneth} {judged: or, discerned}

Indeed, Paul goes further in outlining our DUTIES in Judging: 1Cor 6:2 (KJV) 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? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

Yet we have the overarching Exhortation of our Lord NOT to Judge! And it seems especially targeted to this very Judgment of our brothers!

Matt 7:1 (KJV) Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. {Sow/Reap}

Luke 6:37 (KJV) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: >>>condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Okay... let's take a look at a very small episode (often overlooked) that might shed some light on this subject.

Roma 2:1 (KJV) 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.

Matt 9:1 (KJV) And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes (lawyers) said within themselves, This [man] blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore (why) think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, [Thy] sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw [it], they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

An interesting side note here, according to the Text, it appears this man's sins were forgiven because of the Faith of OTHER'S! There's one for anyone Called to Intercession to ponder a bit!

Now... notice that these "attorneys" of the Mosaic Law were acting and determining (in their hearts first) a CONCLUSION based on their opinion(s) of God's Law. Had they taken God's Law into their own hands? Had they pronounced an indictment or a Judgment? God gives us the answer by showing us the interior of their hearts. (Without which, incidentally, NO Judgment could ever be considered "Spiritual", as in 1Cor 2:15)

What have they done? Well first of all, they had Judged this Man to be no more than that - just a man (not God Himself!). And then, secondly, they had Judged God's Law TO-BE-GOD. That is, they had begun to worship the Law itself AS GOD, apart-from God Himself. We see this clearly illustrated in these Words of Christ:

John 5:37 (KJV) And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 (Ye) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not >>>come to me<<<, that ye might have life.

God was not a Person to them. They had Judged God to be a CODE; a System; an Ethic; a Symbol; a Religion! (Sounds like many today, eh?) How could they NOT "think ("harbour"-NEB) evil thoughts in their hearts" toward this obvious usurper?; this One who "takes the Law in His Own hands!" (which was precisely as they had Judged, or concluded - thus fulfilling Jesus's very Words on the subject!)

And what do the people thus "conclude" or "Judge" from this incident? Jesus Says, "that ye may know..." ("but to convince you..."-NEB). Well, DID it "convince" them and did they "know"? Yes. They Judge that God has "given (granted) such power (authority) to MEN!", and praise God for doing it! {The Word for "men" here is "anthropos", and all translations agree it is meant as PLURAL!} Well, just what do these people MEAN here? Moreover, what does GOD Mean here??

These people are gladdened (so they state) not just by the man's Healing, but that the Power and Authority to Forgive sins is Granted by God to men! Say WHAT?? Doesn't this smack of Priesthood? You bet your "bippy", it does!

Let me ask a simple question to illustrate this: do you think these folks would have been as glad that that same Power and Authority was to "BIND" as to "LOOSE" (from sin)?

Matt 16:19 (KJV) And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Woah!)

Matt 18:18 (KJV) Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Man-O-man-O!)

1Cor 5:3 (KJV) For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged ("pronounced judgment"-RSV) already, as though I were present, [concerning] him that hath so done this deed, {judged: or, determined} 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 (you are) 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. (WOW!)

And then, we mustn't forget the instant deaths of Ananias and his wife Sapphira's being bound-over to immediate execution for their sins against the Holy Spirit. After all, this shook the entire Christian Community of "The Way" at the time.

Judgment? Let a man Discern the Will of God Almighty, Who alone is the Judge of man's heart. But if, then, that man HAS so Discerned God's Command, (even as Peter or Paul when it meant the literal, absolute DEATH of another of God's creatures), let not that man hold back! WHAT?? Are there none today to Obey God even in His Judgment - no matter how Fierce that Will might be? Then we must look to THAT condition which prevails in the hearts of man - such an incredible amount of UNBELIEF.

Hebr 12:25 (KJV) See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. {are shaken: or, may be shaken} 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {let...: or, let us hold fast} 29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.

Is it any wonder, then, that our Lord Said in Luke in Luke 18:(8) (KJV) ... Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

God is NOT His Law; that is, the Law is not God! God is a Real Person, with a Will and an Opinion and Preferences and Feelings (witness His Rage and Jealousy and LOVE!). God CAN and DOES what He Wants with His Creation and His Creatures. Jesus Christ IS God Judgment of & for man; God's Ultimatum! Will man Discern God's Christ-for-man; His Emmanuel; His Messiah - and be Saved?

Mala 3:16 (KJV) Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened (monitored), and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that >>>feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. {jewels: or, special treasure} 18 Then shall ye return (Repent!), and >>>discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

As Written, so LET IT BE DONE!

Amen.