March 9, 2021 | Judgement
It’s one of the easiest things in the world to do, in fact it comes naturel. We have become masters at ignoring our own shortcomings while at the same time hi-lighting someone else’s. One party is full of communists, the other is full of Nazis. One age group has no common sense, another age group is too detached to understand anything. We have become judgement driven as a society. So today, let’s talk about judgement.
James 2:12-13 says, So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement.” In other words, we are to pronounce judgement on others as God does on us, with mercy and not anger. In the world of the Christian, mercy will always be more effective than Judgement.
In the summer of 1805, a number of Indian chiefs and warriors met in council at Buffalo Creek, New York, to hear a presentation of the Christian message by a Mr. Cram from the Boston Missionary Society. After the sermon, a response was given by Red Jacket, one of the leading chiefs. Among other things, the chief said: …
‘Brother, we are told that you have been preaching to the white people in this place. These people are our neighbors. We are acquainted with them. We will wait a little while and see what effect your preaching has upon them. If we find it does them good, makes them honest and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will then consider again of what you have said.’
Unfortunately, even though we have heard the message time and time again, we find ourselves falling into the easier and more satisfying road of judgement. The Indian Chiefs certainly found that out. Judgement allows our Old Adam to find peace in the knowledge that those who have resisted us in some way, have paid the price. Instead of allowing God to instill the proper vengeance, we take it upon ourselves to pronounce guilt.
No mercy, because mercy is too difficult. No grace because we have none to give. No forgiveness because we have already passed judgement and the sentence is life (too often without parole). Judgement is easy. It’s in our nature. But we have to come to the understanding that it is not in God’s nature to judge as we do.
One day we will all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he had done in the body, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10). Each one of us will have to give an account. And one thing we will have to explain s why we judged others so harshly. Why have we too often noticed the speck in our brothers eye and failed to see the log in our own?
God judges in love, always and forever. Though we certainly deserve the penalty of death for our sins, God passed judgement on us by sending His Son to take on that penalty. He loved us enough to save us from the ugliness of sin and death, even though we had done everything we could to achieve it.
“Why do you pass judgement on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God; for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So, then each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 12:10-12).
Our time of passing judgement needs to be behind us. We have enough to worry about in ourselves to spend our valuable time looking at the shortcomings of others. Now is the time for love, instruction, caring and mercy. Our world longs for grace. Please pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank you for judging us with love when all we deserved was Your wrath. Keep us from proclaiming judgement on others as we focus more on what we have done to separate You from our lives. Keep us vigilant to your will, full of grace and mercy. Amen.
