Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

June 16 - Wrong Judgment: An Erroneous View of God - Devotional
Gracetoyou.org ^ | 2008 | John Macarthur, Grace Community Church

Posted on 06/16/2022 4:59:21 AM PDT by metmom

“‘Do not judge so that you will not be judged’” (Matthew 7:1).

Believers are not to make unrighteous and unmerciful judgment on others because it manifests a wrong view of God. With the phrase “so that you will not be judged,” Jesus reminds the scribes and Pharisees that they are not the final court. To judge another person’s motives or to stand in the place of condemnation is to play God. “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). During the millennial kingdom Christ will share some of that judgment with us (Matt. 19:28), but until that time we blaspheme God whenever we take the role of judge on ourselves.

“Who are you to judge the servant of another?” asks Paul. “To his own master he stands or falls” (Rom. 14:4). Paul was little concerned about how other people judged him, nor was he concerned about how he judged himself. “I am conscious of nothing against myself,” he says, “yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord” (1 Cor. 4:4).

Except as they may be continually teaching false doctrine or following standards that are clearly unscriptural, we are never to judge a person’s ministry, teaching, or life—and certainly not his motives—by some self-styled standard.

Whenever we assign people to condemnation without mercy, we pass judgment that only God is qualified to make. Our Lord does not call for men to cease to be examining and discerning, but to renounce the presumptuous temptation to try to be God.

Ask Yourself

Why is the desire to judge and size up such an alluring appetite of ours? What does our tendency to enjoy it tell us about ourselves? What would need to occur inside before we saw an increased resistance to practice it?

From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: gty
Religion Forum threads labeled “Devotional:”Devotional threads are closed to debate of any kind.

https://freerepublic.com/~religionmoderator/

1 posted on 06/16/2022 4:59:21 AM PDT by metmom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Alex Murphy; boatbums; CynicalBear; daniel1212; ealgeone; Elsie; Gamecock; HossB86; Iscool; ...

Studying God’s Word ping


2 posted on 06/16/2022 4:59:50 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Christians must judge.
Only God can JUDGE.


3 posted on 06/16/2022 5:26:35 AM PDT by KierkegaardMAN (I never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: metmom

judge others as you judge yourself. Hold yourself to the same standard as others.

Our problem is we are not hold others and ourselves to high standards.

We have bit into the liberal’s position of DON’T JUDGE at all.

Next is a needed discussion of what those high standards are and the source.


4 posted on 06/16/2022 5:37:06 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PeterPrinciple

Exactly.


5 posted on 06/16/2022 5:40:30 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith….)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: PeterPrinciple

Exactly.


6 posted on 06/16/2022 5:40:37 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith….)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Produce and multiply!
Says God.


7 posted on 06/16/2022 6:05:12 AM PDT by KierkegaardMAN (I never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: PeterPrinciple
I stand blameless before God not for anything I did or didn't do, (for the wages of sin is death, which as a sinner I deserve) but only because of the blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God's great mercy in accepting that sacrifice as covering for all sin.

My part in this is to help others see that they can attain the same status and come into right standing with God through faith in Jesus. Judgement falls away when one considers the magnitude of this gift.

8 posted on 06/16/2022 6:10:16 AM PDT by Mygirlsmom (Back after a long hiatus. Now mygrandkidsgrandma)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: metmom

These words were written, and spoken, in a time individuals were under the Law. In those times people were self regulating to a great extent thus to be reminded about such Biblically inspired Laws was to keep those being reminded that the Law applied to them. Today Christians and Jews are under the Judgment of non-believers who have an axe to grind with Gods and by extension God’s peoples. We who are humble and live our daily lives under God pose no threat to those massed against God. Actually, those who hate God have Judged themselves and know they are Condemned to die. They repent not but further impose upon themselves Death as if on autopilot headed for Hell. We don’t have to Judge others and we can see how our actions align with God’s plan for mankind. We know outselves and what we know of others, then looking at the Bible for guidance can see if we are Lawabiding or Lawbreakers - this is not Judgment, it is understanding of God’s intent. Our intensions derive from God’s intent and our guidance is the Law. Hell and Death without resurraction are why those who hate God dwell on harming those who love God.


9 posted on 06/16/2022 6:27:04 AM PDT by Jumper ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mygirlsmom

Judgement falls away when one considers the magnitude of this gift.


Judgment does NOT go away.

We may like to think God is lenient. He looks the other way against our sin.

There is a HUGE difference between leniency and mercy. If we understand mercy we repent and grieve over sin.

We can only understand the magnitude of the gift, if one understands the extent of our sin.

The whole message of the Bible is REPENT and turn to God. We tend to not like the word repent and only talk about the “turn to God”.


10 posted on 06/16/2022 6:51:02 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: metmom

I do not judge people. I don’t have the mind of God

I do judge peoples behavior If it’s out of line it’s out of line


11 posted on 06/16/2022 6:54:54 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom
I think there's a difference between Judge and Discern.
Too many people call discern (Discernment), Judgement.
You can discern what someone is saying and doing, apply the necessary correction as our Lord want's us to do without Judgement.

Am I off base here???
12 posted on 06/16/2022 7:12:21 AM PDT by glaseatr (Father of a Marine, Uncle of SGT Adam Estep. A Co. 2/5 Cav. KIA Thurs April 29, 2004 Baghdad Iraq)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: glaseatr

No you are not, and great point. God demands that we be discerning in our day to day life. He tells us not to,even sit with an angry man and have a meal,with them (because befriending such people will lead to,compromising on the part of the Christian and a falling away eventually possibly), so obviously we have to discern who is an angry man and who isn’t, and it’s not too hard to discern such things. God also would not want us hanging around criminals and such except to witness to them. We must discern who is a criminal, or deviant or whatever, and take steps to keep from getting invovled with their lifestyles

.I ing in the cleaning fire of God’s presence means we MUST shut our eyes to evil (ie do not look upon it lustfully), shut our minds to evil (do not revel,in filthy living), and keep from following those who hate God, because it risks our falling away and sinning and having to,be judged by God for our falling too. So,to,do,these things, we must discern who is,,ikely to lead us astray by their ungodly lifestyles (Note, this is different than “be in the workd but not of the world. hanging out with godless people because we enjoy their company and lerhaps their lifestyle is what is being talked about here).

We can’t judge such people, because they may infxct be saved but severely backlaidden, we can’t know for sure real,y, but we can and must use discernment to avoid falling back ourselves.

I think a lot of what people call judgement is really not judgement, but wise discernment. Obviously saying something like “so,and so isn’t saved and is going to hell” based on how they live is judgement, whereas saying “so and so lives an ungodly life thst I don’t want to constsntly be around and immersed in because it will affect my relationship with God Is wise discernment.


13 posted on 06/16/2022 7:42:17 AM PDT by Bob434 (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: PeterPrinciple

Sorry I did not state clearly what I meant

Judgment from God does not go away, but OUR inclination to judge others should when we realize we are all in equal status...sinners in need of a Savior.


14 posted on 06/16/2022 9:15:09 AM PDT by Mygirlsmom (Back after a long hiatus. Now mygrandkidsgrandma)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: glaseatr

No, you are correct.

God has given us His standards and Jesus told us to judge with righteous judgment.


15 posted on 06/16/2022 10:44:26 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith….)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson