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Sermon: Judging is Believing
Judging Is Believing.
Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? (Luke 12:57)
What is right?
The statutes of the Lord are right (Psalm 19:8).
False Christians (and others) often tell us it is not right to judge. Some fools hypocritically condemn us for judging (Luke 6:37), and they all hypocritically judge that we judge.1 When we identify preachers as false teachers leading both themselves and those who follow them to hell, when we declare others as on their way to hell, and especially when we warn them they are lost, we often hear these words (or the equivalent), "Judge not" (Matthew 7:1). Yet, these words are exactly why we judge.
Jesus said,
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. (Matthew 7:1-2)
Jesus also said,
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. (Luke 6:37a-b)
We take these words very seriously. They literally scare us. In fact, we are terrified of them (Psalm 119:120; Isaiah 66:2). We do not want to be judged by our "measure" as Christ warns in Matthew 7:1-2, because we know we fall short (Romans 3:23); and our measure is guaranteed to be faulty (Psalm 16:2).
Moreover, we desire not to be judged as the Lord says in Luke 6:37a. We also desire not to be condemned as Jesus promises in Luke 6:37b. Therefore, we strive, in the fear of God, to be certain to never judge and never condemn anyone.
This is why we have chosen to write and speak solely in accordance with God's judgments2 and Yehvah's condemnations, as it is written,
With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. (Psalm 119:13)
Everyone judges. No matter who you are, you make judgments every day. The most complacent judge there is nothing to be concerned about (Zephaniah 1:12). The most paranoid judge there is trouble everywhere (Proverbs 28:1). Everyone judges and makes judgments concerning their surroundings and those around them. Those with the mind of Christ judge according to Christ (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).3 Those with a mind of their own (Isaiah 65:2) judge according to their own and are among those described in Isaiah 5:20-21.
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Those who judge according to their own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) are those who are "prudent in their own sight" and they "call evil good and good evil," because the human heart is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) and does not rightly judge.
For example, false Christians typically think if a person claims to be a believer, they assume they are. In a perverted twist of Romans 10:9-10 they think if a person simply proclaims "Lord Jesus" and claims to believe God raised Him from the dead, they think such a one is saved. Such thinking is simplemindedness.
The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps. (Proverbs 14:15)
Without submission to the Word of God (Scripture, John 1:1, Hebrews 4:13-14), confessing "the Lord Jesus" and claiming to "believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead" (Romans 10:9) is a meaningless and idle proclamation. Jesus said,
Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"
If a person is not one "who does the will of My Father" they are not saved. If they are those "who practice lawlessness," they are those who practice sin, for "sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4); and therefore, they are lost (1 John 3:4-10). But, those who judge against the Word judge such people to be Christians, when they are not. Thus, they "call evil good," and bring upon themselves the "Woe" of Isaiah 5:20.
God's judgments are what matter, and if we declare only His judgments (1 Corinthians 2:2), and not our own, we will escape the condemnation of Matthew 7:1-2 & Luke 6:37 and avoid the woe of Isaiah 5:20-21. For then, it is not us who judge, but Him, and His judgments are right (Psalm 119:7, 39, 62, 75).
Evidenced from the many who assail us as judging wrongly (because they themselves are judging wrongly), many think Matthew 7:1-2 & Luke 6:37 dictates a silence on the matters we judge (false teachers, people's lost condition, etc.), but such a perspective is only rebellion (Proverbs 17:11) and unbelief (Jude 5).
More...
Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? (Luke 12:57)
What is right?
The statutes of the Lord are right (Psalm 19:8).
False Christians (and others) often tell us it is not right to judge. Some fools hypocritically condemn us for judging (Luke 6:37), and they all hypocritically judge that we judge.1 When we identify preachers as false teachers leading both themselves and those who follow them to hell, when we declare others as on their way to hell, and especially when we warn them they are lost, we often hear these words (or the equivalent), "Judge not" (Matthew 7:1). Yet, these words are exactly why we judge.
Jesus said,
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. (Matthew 7:1-2)
Jesus also said,
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. (Luke 6:37a-b)
We take these words very seriously. They literally scare us. In fact, we are terrified of them (Psalm 119:120; Isaiah 66:2). We do not want to be judged by our "measure" as Christ warns in Matthew 7:1-2, because we know we fall short (Romans 3:23); and our measure is guaranteed to be faulty (Psalm 16:2).
Moreover, we desire not to be judged as the Lord says in Luke 6:37a. We also desire not to be condemned as Jesus promises in Luke 6:37b. Therefore, we strive, in the fear of God, to be certain to never judge and never condemn anyone.
This is why we have chosen to write and speak solely in accordance with God's judgments2 and Yehvah's condemnations, as it is written,
With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. (Psalm 119:13)
Everyone judges. No matter who you are, you make judgments every day. The most complacent judge there is nothing to be concerned about (Zephaniah 1:12). The most paranoid judge there is trouble everywhere (Proverbs 28:1). Everyone judges and makes judgments concerning their surroundings and those around them. Those with the mind of Christ judge according to Christ (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).3 Those with a mind of their own (Isaiah 65:2) judge according to their own and are among those described in Isaiah 5:20-21.
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Those who judge according to their own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) are those who are "prudent in their own sight" and they "call evil good and good evil," because the human heart is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) and does not rightly judge.
For example, false Christians typically think if a person claims to be a believer, they assume they are. In a perverted twist of Romans 10:9-10 they think if a person simply proclaims "Lord Jesus" and claims to believe God raised Him from the dead, they think such a one is saved. Such thinking is simplemindedness.
The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps. (Proverbs 14:15)
Without submission to the Word of God (Scripture, John 1:1, Hebrews 4:13-14), confessing "the Lord Jesus" and claiming to "believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead" (Romans 10:9) is a meaningless and idle proclamation. Jesus said,
Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"
If a person is not one "who does the will of My Father" they are not saved. If they are those "who practice lawlessness," they are those who practice sin, for "sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4); and therefore, they are lost (1 John 3:4-10). But, those who judge against the Word judge such people to be Christians, when they are not. Thus, they "call evil good," and bring upon themselves the "Woe" of Isaiah 5:20.
God's judgments are what matter, and if we declare only His judgments (1 Corinthians 2:2), and not our own, we will escape the condemnation of Matthew 7:1-2 & Luke 6:37 and avoid the woe of Isaiah 5:20-21. For then, it is not us who judge, but Him, and His judgments are right (Psalm 119:7, 39, 62, 75).
Evidenced from the many who assail us as judging wrongly (because they themselves are judging wrongly), many think Matthew 7:1-2 & Luke 6:37 dictates a silence on the matters we judge (false teachers, people's lost condition, etc.), but such a perspective is only rebellion (Proverbs 17:11) and unbelief (Jude 5).
More...