Poisons of the Pilgrim 3- Poison of Passing Judgement

Lastweek we looked at the poison of pain and bitterness. Another similar poisonoften feeds off the poison of pain and bitterness, and it affects pretty muchthe way you see everything. It's the poison of passing judgement.

 

Sotoday I want to examine the entire area of passing judgement… Do we, don't we,should we, shouldn't we?

 

No onelike a judgemental person… They are miserable, painful and depressing to bearound. They can make  our lifemiserable, especially when you are married to them.

 

If youever offer any criticism, then this verse will be the one they quote at you. Infact, Matthew 7:1 is fast surpassing John 3:16 as the most quoted verse of theBible. So let's have a look at it now…

 

 Matthew7:1

“Judgenot, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will bejudged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 

 

Itshould be noted that this verse is usually quoted either to point out someoneelse's sin, or when trying to excuse your own sins. 

 

So doesthis mean that if we make any judgement about so on else, or the behaviour ofsomeone else, that we are poisoned with this thing? 

 

Doesthis verse mean that we are never allowed to make a moral judgement aboutsomeone's heavy our, or another right or wrong in another person.  If wsee wrong in someone's life, am I never allowed to point it out or mention it?

 

TOJUDGE OR NOT TO JUDGE, THAT IS THE POISON

 

It's soeasy to be judgemental. So are we or are we not allowed to judge, and if weare, when can we? And when does passing judgement upon another person become apoison?

 

Theshort answer is, when all you ever do is pass judgement on another, it'sdefinitely a poison, poisoning your character and everyone around you!

 

Thewords of Jesus are often misquoted, and used by people to stop adverse orunfavourable criticism. They are sinning, they know it, and they use this versebecause they know they are guilty! 

 

I'msleeping with 5 women, hey man, don't judge me!  Alright, I cheat on mytaxes, but don't judge me!

 

Thething is, if we apply this tenant to every situation, we can never make adecision on anyone's conduct, we can never offer useful or constructivecriticism, we can never stand against those teaching error and we can neverapply church discipline.

 

Inshort, if Jesus’ words here are applied across the board so we can never judgeanything or anyone, we become moral imbeciles.  I for one want to haveGod’s standards in my life! 

 

I wouldalso argue that if we remain silent and make no judgement when we seepeople overtaken in a fault or sin, we not only bring reproach upon the name ofChrist, but we also fail to exercise love towards that person. If I see someonein danger and remain silent when I can speak and save them, am I not morally atfault?

 

Greekword for judge is krino, which means to judge, pass judgment on, condemn in alegal sense. This means to stand on trial, judge, condemn and punish. Scriptureteaches that there are certain times we must not judge others, certain times wemust judge or make a decision about others, but that doesn't mean we should notbe judge, jury and executioner. The carrying out of the penalty is not ourrole, it's God’s!

 

Avariation of this Greek word is also translated “to discern”, in passageslike Hebrews 4:12 and Romans 12:2.

 

Jesusis not saying that all judgement is wrong at all. If you look across Scripture,clearly some judgements are right, while others are clearly wrong, and theseare the ones that can become poison your life.

 

WHICHARE THE POISONS OF PASSING JUDGEMENT?

 

Hereare some of the judgements that need to cease because they become poison in ourlives…

 

1.HYPOCRITICAL JUDGEMENT 

 

Let’sgo back to the passage in Mathew to examine the context of what Jesus isactually saying, not as one verse in isolation.

 

Matthew7:1-5

“Judgenot, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will bejudged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you seethe speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is inyour own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out ofyour eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take thelog out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out ofyour brother's eye.

 

Hypocriticaljudgement is that harsh, bitter, fault finding spirit that finds and points outthe sins of others, often while committing the same sins themselves, is whatJesus is talking about here.

 

Thesame phrase is used of judgement in Luke 6:38, but there it is linked with thephrase, “"with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” Whatis Jesus saying here?

 

Judgeothers, sure, but be careful because however you judge others, you will bejudged in the same way. Are you ready for that? Seriously, are you prepared forthat? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

 

Romans2:1

Thereforeyou have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgmenton another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very samethings.

 

It isespecially challenging in the Message Bible,

Romans2:1

Thosepeople are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on thehigh ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every timeyou criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one.Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection inyour own crimes and misdemeanors.

 

Thestory is told of a Bishop, who was sailing for Europe on one of the greattransatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that anotherpassenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see theaccommodations, he came up to the purser's desk and inquired if he could leavehis gold watch and other valuables in the ship's safe. He explained thatordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to hiscabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from hisappearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person. Thepurser accepted the responsibility for the valuables and remarked, 'It's allright, bishop, I'll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other manhas been up here and left his for the same reason!'

 

So whatabout you? Do you condemn others hypocritically? Do you look down onothers? 

 

Anddon't think that Christians are the only ones guilty of this, because peoplewho aren't Christians are more often than not bigger hypocrites. They judge andcondemn us Christians without even properly examining what we believe. Theyrefuse to come to Jesus not because He is wrong, or fictitious, but simplybecause they don't want to change the way they are living. If someone says thechurch is full of hypocrites, I invite them in because there's always room forone more! If you want to attack Christianity, be my guest, but please check itout thoroughly first. We've nothing to hide, so I challenge you, examine beforeyou attack.

 

2.JUDGING BY APPEARANCES

 

Anotherpoisonous form of judgement is when we judge by appearances…

John7:24

Do notjudge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

 

Inother words, Jesus says, “Don't judge a book by its cover”, and He isright! How many people have you met and made a surface judgements about, ajudgement not based on facts but on their appearance? We do it all the time!

 

Jesussaid these words when others judged Him for healing on the Sabbath. 

John8:15

Youjudge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

 

Wejudge according to the flesh, but God looks at the heart. How many times haveyou judged someone, for good or ill, based on appearances of what you think youknow of them? If someone is rich, successful or honoured, do you judge themdifferently? 

 

In 1884a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided toestablish a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot,president of Harvard University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple intohis office and asked what he could do. After they expressed their desire to funda memorial, Eliot impatiently said, "Perhaps you have in mind ascholarship."

 

"Wewere thinking of something more substantial than that...perhaps abuilding," the woman replied. In a patronizing tone, Eliot brushed asidethe idea as being too expensive and the couple departed. The next year, Eliotlearned that this plain pair had gone elsewhere and established a $26 millionmemorial named Leland Stanford Junior University, better known today asStanford University.

 

I likeElton John's music, but if he walked in here today, I bet you'd make a fussabout him, despite that fact that he lives a completely debauched, bisexual,hedonistic, self glorifying lifestyle. 

 

If analcoholic walked in, I'm sure you’d treat him differently to Pastor BrianHouston, right? We see the outer, but God sees what's within. That's why Jesussaid, do not judge by appearances.

 

3.HASTY JUDGEMENTS

 

1Corinthians 4:5

Thereforedo not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who willbring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposesof the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

 

Listento this verse in the Message…

1Corinthians 4:5

Sodon't get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgmentsbefore all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open andplace in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motivesand purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the"Well done!" of God.

 

So Godwill ultimately judge men, not you. Don't be too hasty to pass judgement onothers, because only God can see and will eventually judge the heart.

 

F.B.Meyer once said that when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are twothings we do not know: First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not tosin. And second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him orher. We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances.

 

In thesame way, don't be too hasty judging people's actions or motives.  Romans14 talks about people who judge each other based on liberties we take.

 

Romans14:3

Let notthe one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstainspass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.

 

This isnot suggesting we should not judge another's sin, but don't judge those whohave different liberties to you. In the Philippines recently I met a lovely guywho told me that the minions were demonic, and all action movies were of thedevil and Christians should never watch them. This teaching is not in theBible, but if that's his deal then I won't judge him, and I expect him not topass judgement on me if I watch Rambo!

 

STANDARDSAND MOTIVATIONS?

 

If not all judgementsare poisonous, so which ones are acceptable?

Firstly, you before youconsider any judgement of any kind, consider the state of your own heart… and make sure you are judging with…

A. The right standards: 

 

Any judgement must bemade using the right standards. And what is the right standard. Is it the lawof the land? Is it culture and society? I hope not,because  that changesevery minute! What was illegal 10 years ago is now accepted by society.  YesterdayI read a report stating that a group of paedophiles are lobbying thatthey have a different sexual orientation and they should be allowed toexpress it.  10 years ago marijuana was considered an illegal drug.Legalised in Colorado, it is now considered acceptable, but scientific evidenceproves it is irrevocably damaging the minds of teens who smoke it.

Our standard must besomething that doesn't bend or change depending on militant lobby group orsocial media. Something that remains relevant, strong and true, something uponwhich society is built. Something that promotes family, health, goodrelationships and what is right…

The Word of God is ourstandard! Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God isliving and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the divisionof soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts andintentions of the heart.

The Word of God judgesthe thoughts and attitude of the heart. If you know God well, if you study Hisword every day as many of you are doing, then you will start to make right andcorrect judgements. You will know the mind of Christ because yours will berenewed.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed tothis world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing youmay discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

So as you read His Word,your mind is renewed and you are able to discern what is true and right.

 

B. The right motives:

 

John 6:38

For I have come downfrom heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Why are you judgingsomething? Is it for the Lord, for His glory, or is it something within you?Will the judging build others up, or build you up? What is your motive?

WHATCAN WE JUDGE?

 

Passing judgement onpeople is a poison, to us and to them. But there are certain Judgments asChristians We Must Make:

1. Judge what is right 

Luke 12:57

“And why do you notjudge for yourselves what is right?

If you study your Bible,if you listen to the Holy Spirit, if you get to know God closely, then you canmore easily judge truth from error, what is morally right or wrong. As PeterMarshall sad, you are better to stand for something lest you fall for anything!

John 17:17

Sanctify them in thetruth; your word is truth.

2. Judge what is taught

 

Matthew 7:15-16

“Beware of falseprophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.You will recognize them by their fruits. 

Many Christians thinkthat because the pastor says it, or does it, it must be true. No, you need tojudge what I say and make sure it's true. If my word becomes unquestionable werun the risk of becoming a cult! Whatever I teach, I challenge you to check itout and make sure I preach truth. Same with TV evangelists, Connect group leadersor Christian books.

 

3. Judge between believers

 

Sometimes disputes arisebetween people, because the people of God are still people, and a discerningbeliever is better placed to make a value judgement…

 

1 Corinthians 6:2

Or do you not know thatthe saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, areyou incompetent to try trivial cases?

We should not be goingbefore civilian magistrates to settle church issues. This is one area ofjudgement we are qualified to exercise!

4. Judge what is sin

 

People do things thatyou might think are wrong, but how do you know if they are? Our standard is notthe law, its not the prevailing culture of the day, it's not TV or the latestcelebrity, it is the Word of God.

 

Hebrews 5:13-14

for everyone who liveson milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. Butsolid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernmenttrained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

 

It takes time and practice,but if you know God and His Word, not as milk but as meat, you can judge whatactions are sin, and move to stop them. You can stop them in a your own life,and in the lives of fellow believers.

I must point out herethat I believe we can judge the actions of a person, and the havoc theiractions cause, but we cannot judge the person. Does that mean we have to shutup and put up with anything anyone wants to do? Of course not, but whateverthey do, however wrong or destructive they are, we need to love them and dowhat we can to care for them, not judge and condemn them, or reject orpersecute them.

 

Lily House exists tohelp girls who have made bad decisions, and help them get back onto the righttrack. We don't condemn them, we love them, but we still judge that baddecisions have been made. But I believe that if they live by God’s standards,if they live for Him, He will bless them in their lives, and their futures.

 

JUDGENOT, BUT BE A FRUIT INSPECTOR 

 

While Jesus says judgenot that you may not be judged, He is warning us not to be judge, jury andexecutioners, not to treat people with contempt and punish them ourselves. Weare not to pass judgement and condemnation against others, be they in the churchour out of the church.

However, we must be ableto judge the results, the fruit of what others do. In a sense, we cannot bejudges or condemners of men, but we must be fruit inspectors!

Matthew 12:33

“Either make the treegood and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the treeis known by its fruit.

 

Jesus said in John 15:5

I am the vine; you arethe branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears muchfruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

 

Luke 6:43-45

“For no good tree bearsbad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known byits own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapespicked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of hisheart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure producesevil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

So if you are to judge,don't judge the man or woman… Judge the fruit. 

As a pastor, I havepeople telling me that God told them to do certain things. If God said it, I amnot going to stand in their way. I cannot judge them, but I can be a fruitinspector. If the fruit of their decision is disharmony, disunity anddestruction, that's bad fruit. That decision is not God, folks, because thefruit of the Spirit is…

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of theSpirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

 

Don't be judgemental,just be a fruit inspector. You've every right to pass judgement on the fruit onsomeone's decision, but no right to judge the person themselves, because thatis God’s job!

 

THEPOISON SEEPS IN

 

A judgemental spirit isa poison that seeps into your life. If you have this poison, then everythingyou see is negative. Everything any one else says or does you immediately jumpto the most negative judgement you can.

James 4:11-12

Do not speak evilagainst one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judgeshis brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judgethe law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiverand judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge yourneighbor?

Or as the Message says, 

James 4:12

God is in charge ofdeciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny ofothers?

So if you are someonewho is quick to judge others negatively, and maybe quick to condemn them also,then you may be infected with this poison.

THEANTIDOTE TO THE POISON OF PASSING JUDGEMENT 

 

The antidote to thissinister poison of passing judgement on others is to renew your mind. Youcannot just say, I'm going to change, you must renew your mind. You do this byfilling it with that which is good…

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers,whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, ifthere is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

 

In other words, do thedaily bible reading plan and watch your mind, attitudes, standards and eveurging be renewed. It really works!

Remember also if you arequick to judge that you will be judged accordingly…

Romans14:10

Why doyou pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? Forwe will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

 

Ultimatelywe will all be judged by God. That's His job, not yours, not mine.

 

Thosewithout Christ experience the Judgement of the Great White Throne, where Godwith a broken heart will say, depart from me, I never knew You. They go toeternal hell. That's why we urge you to give your life to Jesus. If you acceptChrist, then you skip this judgement. But you still face the judgement seat ofChrist. Here your actions, word and thoughts will be judged. You are not atrisk of going to hell, because you are saved already, but you will receiverewards for what you have done.

 

AsChristians we must not judge one another negatively, we cannot condemn oneanother and we must not treat each other with judgement and contempt. Beforeyou try and pass judgement on another, stop and think about what they are goingthrough, how hard their struggle has been and don't for one moment think youare better than them, and that you'd never be tempted to fall too.

 

Everythingwe do must be done in love, not judgement. Remember, you can be right but stillbe wrong. If this poison is in you, I challenge you to join us in the Biblereading plan and renew your mind. Don't be too busy. If you have time to eat,watch TV, you have time to read your Bible. And if you are serious about thisantidote, you can start taking it immediately.