Yes, Judge The Book By The Cover
1 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV) says, “But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.”
There are several reasons not to want judgement. Some are justified and some are not. As Christians we should never nitpick anyone. In Proverbs 19:13 we are told of how it’s the equivalent of a leaky dripping roof. You won’t win anyone that way. After all the Word tells us that he who wants friends must first show himself friendly. That being said, as Christians we must make judgements and do it often. Wait! Didn’t Jesus say, “don’t judge so you wouldn’t be judged”? Let’s have a look, I’m sure the answer is in there.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:1-5 (NKJV), “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
What He was referring to in these scriptures is simply not picking apart somebody else’s life. In other words, this is referring to constantly taking another’s faults before them, not even considering your own. The Bible is clear, other than what is written in Scripture, humans are left to their consciences to decide.
Something I’ve always loved about my church is how I was initially received. When I first started coming to Family Church I was living in the world and living in it bad. I was a master of the works of the flesh and took pride in my debauchery. When I came in disheveled, pierced, tattooed, hungover, and reeking like an ashtray (in other words, I was not what’s considered churchy), people didn’t judge me but rather loved on me. They accepted me, brought me in, befriended me, taught me, and encouraged me. That’s right, they let the Lord work things in and work things out. They didn’t, however, instantly promote me to head of any department, put me in charge of the children, put me on worship team, or give me the keys to the church. I didn’t make important decisions for the direction of the church and I wasn’t brought in as counsel for the pastor. They judged where I was, what I was capable of, and made decisions based on that. Just like Saul’s armor to David, I wasn’t fully trusted, though welcomed,because I hadn’t been proven. My faithfulness would be tested over time, first.
Over the years I was given more responsibility, a little at a time. As I proved my faithfulness, I would occasionally be increased. Today I pastor my own church and am called upon by my Pastor for anything. I no longer resemble the world but have been transformed, more and more, to look more like Him. I haven’t arrived but as I’ve been faithful, and continue doing so, I get closer to it.
We need to make judgements based on many things but how we react to those judgements should always be within the confines of Scripture. After all, part of the purpose of the Holy Ghost in us is to guide us in all things. I was judged and continually am, yet this is not bothersome to me. It was for my own good and to help me grow in spiritual maturity. When a Christian is judging a situation, it should always lead them to look closer at God. Not that we live in perfection but we need to be clean enough to reflect His.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
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