Love and Judgement

One of the things most important to having the right mind, is not judging.

You have heard many tell you that once you become a Child of God, that you should no longer have anything to do with Sinners. That you should judge them for their sin and condemn them because of their sin. For because of their sin, they cannot become a Child of God, therefore, have nothing to do with them.

Is this Biblical? No. For who are we to judge anyone? What are the sins in your life? Are you so Holy that you need not seek forgiveness of your sins? Can you see into the heart of another? Are you more important than Jesus? Are you higher than God Himself?

Truth is, it is completely crystal clear, that God says, we should judge no one. The world teaches us to live and let live. Is this what God is telling us also? Not exactly. But He has a very clear plan on how to deal with others. Love. Not condemnation. Love.

1 John 3:

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

We should love our fellow man, as Christ loved us. Even to the point of laying down our very lives. It is not for us to judge. To condemn. To reject. There is but one with that ability. It is our job to love.

Hebrews 12:

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Hebrews 13:

8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

Let's talk about Love and Judgement. Judgment is not given unto you toward others. For you have your own sin to be forgiven for. In...

Romans 2:

1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

God condemns no one. We condemn ourselves through the deeds we do. It is not for us to justify others. God does that. In....

Romans 8:

33 Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Aso in....

Matthew 7:

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Some of you think, "But you do not know what they have done. It is clear that they are Sinners. It is clear they have committed things that are against God. We need to call them out on it. We need to make an example." You fool. What Sin have you committed? Have you been forgiven? Did God make an example out of you? Do you know what is in their heart? God does. Remember the Adulterous Woman?

John 8:

3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

According to the "Law," the woman was worthy of death. According to the "Law," there is no forgiveness for what she did. Now as a side note, and the Bible does not say it's true, but some think that what Jesus was writing in the sand was a list of the sins that the accusers were guilty of. Interesting concept, but it matters not either way whatever He was writing. The point is, when He said...."He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." They all ran away. Why? Because they were all convicted of their own sins.

There is not one of us, that is without sin. There is not one of us that has not been forgiven of our sins. It is not for us to judge another, because God did not judge us. For....

James 4:

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

As Jesus also told us...

Luke 6:

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

But what if someone, even that I may love, Sins over and over again? What then. How much must I forgive them? Well, Jesus tells us this....

Matthew 18:

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

There is no limit. No magical number. God does not draw a line in the sand and say, I will forgive you until you cross this line, then, I will condemn you. If God says for us, being evil, to forgive our Brothers, who sins and begs forgiveness seventy times seven, then how much more do you think, God, being Holy, shall forgive us, being His Children?

How do we overcome sins, and how do we forgive others for their sins against us? Faith. Faith in God, and Love. Remember, Love is the most powerful force in the universe.

1 Corinthians 13:

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

God tells us, that as His Children, we are to Love first. First we are to Love God. Second, we are to Love our Families. Third, we are to Love our enemies. In Matthew, Jesus tells us that Faith without love, is dead. That we should love all. In...

Matthew 25:

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Do you know all these that you will help in life? Of course not. Are they all God's Children? Nope. Are they all people you "Love?" Nope. Some you help in this life, you may never see again, and you may never fully understand the impact you make in their life. Should this stop you from loving them? Of course not.

God even tells us, that as His Children, not only should we not condemn those that hate us, or those that are our enemies, but we should Love them as well. In....

Luke 6:

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Remember what Paul said?

Romans 12:

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Are you, as a Child of God, a Sower of the Seed? A Shower of The Way? A Teller of Truth? Of course. Does this mean you should withhold this from those that hate you? Of course not. For those in the World, will learn and do the things of the World. Being part of the World that hates God and anything to do with God, will they hate you as well? Of course. Jesus Himself told us these things. But what were you like before you heard The Truth? What Sins controlled your life before someone showed YOU The Way?

You see, we are all born into Sin. Some who hear The Truth, accept it. It becomes as seed planted in fertile ground that brings forth an abundant harvest. The person that Hates you? Could they be fertile soil? Could they be a vessel that God is ready to use to bring forth many more? Truth is, you have no idea what God's plan is for their life. The Catalyst for them to become a Child of God? Could be you.

Every time I meet someone new, I always extend my hand in friendship. It is up to those I meet to take it and shake it, or slap it away. If they take it, we get to know each other. Sometimes we become associates, acquaintances, sometimes friends, sometimes even Family. I do not care where they are from, what they have or what the lack, what "religion" they follow. Male, Female, Gay, Straight, Black, White, none of this matters to me in the least.

I do not judge anyone. We all are the Captains, sailing our own ships, through this wondrous voyage called life. We all reap what we sow. We all receive the consequences for our actions. We all are the choices we make. Will I share my faith with others? Of course. We they all accept it? Of course not. If they choose not to, does this mean I can not be friends with them? Of course not. I will live as I do, and allow them to make the decisions they make.

It is not for me to judge them. It is not I that condemn not justify. It is God. It is all about their one on one relationship with God. In some cases, do I know they are living in sin? Of course. Do I accept that? I accept the Sinner, not the sin. If the sin is too much for me to deal with, I simply wish them well, and offer them up in Prayer. My hands are clean. My conscience is clear. I simply move on with my life and allow them theirs.

Who knows? Perhaps the way I treated them will lead them to seek answers to the reasons why. Why was I so nice to them? What is this "Faith" thing all about? Perhaps I planted a seed that no one knew about at the time. Perhaps I will never know nor see them again. That's OK.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? Do you know how to live your life as a living example of Love? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now you need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10} Besides all this? Remember this always.....

Hebrews 13:

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Be the living example of God, and His Love. Love, do not judge. Forgive, do not hate. Do not let the Sun set on your anger. Give all to God and allow Him to sort it out. He knows much more than you. Just live. Just love. Receive the Peace God has for you. Others will receive their own recompense. Allow God to be the author of yours.

Until next time, be blessed, and Jesus IS Lord of all!