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We Don't, But He Does!
We had a good sermon about judging (or rather NOT judging) others Sunday from Darrell, Thank you!
I've mentioned before a satirical FB post called "The Babylon Bee" who, using humor in fictitious new stories, often times teach some much-needed lessons on the spiritual side of things. One of their posts this week had the headline, "Man With ‘Only God Can Judge Me’ Tattoo Suddenly Realizes God Can Judge Him".
You know, on the serious side, there are people who make headlines, and sometimes people we meet on the street in our very own hometown, that preach "you have no right to judge me"! It's no revelation that some do this because they know full well that what they are doing is wrong, but they don't want anybody calling them out on it. If it gets to the point of conversation, they usually throw Matthew 7:1-3 at us, even though we know it is not our place to judge.
How often though do they understand that even if we did judge them, it's not our judgment that they should worry about? They can usually quote "judge not lest ye be judged", that's pretty popular, well known, and used to secure their position or justify their conduct in their minds. Lord willing, they might too also learn to quote these verses. "There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day." (John 12:48) "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken." (Romans 14:12) "For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed." Acts 17:31
There are other great verses as well, but these clearly tell us there will be a time of judgment, and everybody will give an account of their lives, and the standard used to determine the outcome of that will be the very words of Jesus Christ. He says that those who rejected Him will stand condemned. So it doesn't matter whether or not man judges man, all people will be judged by the same judgment, and if found un-repentant and dis-obedient on that day, a punishment sentence will be pronounced.
We as believers need to understand that only God judges the heart, and He alone understands. We likewise are responsible for sharing the Good News of His saving Grace that will allow us to stand before Him cleansed of our sins and acceptable in His sight. That message of Good News is only good to those who accept it and live by it. The message also includes Bad News for those who reject it. So the next time someone says, "don't judge me", don't judge them, but as lovingly as possible, remind them that God has set a day when He will judge the world, and that will include every last one of us bowing before Him like it or not. Our prayer is that people will realize that now, not after it's too late.
