Scriptural Precedent for Judging Right(eously)
‘Why?’, you ask. Because the spread of food served up in the existing diet we’ve been consuming is grossly lacking in the Judgment ingredient. Well, I have some Great News! In this article, we will be putting the Judgment-Shaker back on the table... and adding it to any new dish served up to the Sheep who hear only the Voice of their True Shepherd. Think with me here… Would you or I even attempt to eat a full-course meal that contained no seasoning? Not on my table!! Yet the bland, boring, cliche-laden sayings of our (previous) church-ianity experience have often done this very thing… provided a tasteless distinction between good and evil, light and darkness, holy and profane, sin and righteousness.
Needless to say, the very title of this post is already infuriating any who would “hold (down) the Truth in unrighteousness”. And so be it! Far too long have the saints of the Most High been left without an accurate assessment of this extremely vital seasoning known as “Judgment”. We have done ourselves no great service to overlook something so basic, so fundamental, and so foundational to our experience in the Truth as to skewer our concept of the righteous Judgment of the Lord.
I aim to clarify (3) Big Points of Biblical, New Covenant Judgment that are usually missing, maligned, or mis-applied in the lives of the church-going masses. Due to the gross negligence and lack of Spirit-eyed understanding as to what Judgment really is...who may pass it...how it is served… in what way...and under what circumstances it is to be offered- the Eternal Counsel of God’s Word that “will never pass away” will be our guide and the Holy Spirit of Truth, our Counselor. So without further delay… Let’s eat!
JUDGMENT 101: “Calling all Men! Please Grow Up!”
JUDGMENT 101: “Calling all Men! Please Grow Up!”
As we begin, allow me to refresh our minds with some verses that you may have known, but not previously connected to the arena of Godly Judgment. Then I will expound a bit more as we get into the “stronger meat”. For now, let’s chew on this for a bit...
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth… And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” John 1:14, 16
“For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” Romans 11:21-22
“For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.” Hebrews 5:13-14 (Amp.)
“But seek first thekingdom of God
“It's judgment time for Christians. We're first in line. If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like for those who refuse God's Message!” I Peter 4:17 (The Message)
“For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.” Hebrews 5:13-14 (Amp.)
“But seek first the
“It's judgment time for Christians. We're first in line. If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like for those who refuse God's Message!” I Peter 4:17 (The Message)
Here’s Big Point #1:
The foundation of Judging Righteously is a true comprehension that: JUDGMENT IS A PART OF THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S LIVING WORD -CHRIST OUR LORD- AND HIS RIGHT JUDGMENT CONTAINS BOTH GRACE AND TRUTH… GOODNESS AND SEVERITY. Now, that may sound too elementary, but in reality… those who assay to hide themselves from God’s Judgment (and then accuse those who DO love His Grace and Truth as “not L-o-v-ing me”) are apparently “unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness”, as they “continue to feed on milk”... Babes, goo-goo gaa-gaa. Hebrews advises us that “full-grown men” have had some real-world practice in being able to “distinguish and discriminate between” good and evil. How do they
