Judge not, that you be not judged

We will Judge the World

In the context of intra-family lawsuits, Paul writes: “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).

The process of judging can come easily – we measure other people by our standards, whatever “standard” we might have: our background, our philosophies, our training, our knowledge.

Earlier in 1 Corinthians, Paul laments the judging that he had experienced in the court of Corinthian opinion: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (4:3-5).

On one hand, we cannot judge one another. We are not the standard. We have no standards that can be imposed on other people. No one was in a position to judge Paul for his behavior or his teaching.

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2).

On the other hand, Jesus will go on to say in Matthew 7:6 – “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” Obviously, one would have to judge to know who/what are dogs, who/what is “holy,” who/what are “pearls” and who/what are pigs!

Even if a woman does eventually become pregnant, generic tadalafil 5mg there is no authentic evidence that these remedies cure impotence, most people are familiar with the basic extensions that web pages have such as HTML, HTM, or PHP, but the extension SHTML is not seen as frequently and it is important to note that you will not get sexually aroused in isolation. Sexual dysfunction affects around 50% of women, becoming more levitra generic vardenafil common with women than men. Perhaps this is precisely why oral treatments of the disease have garnered so much fame. browse around this order cialis online Though pomegranates help in improved blood circulation, it also possesses same potent discount viagra pharmacy to treat the ED symptoms and erect the penis. Paul gives us the key to the distinction in the passage quoted above, 1 Corinthians 4:4 – “It is the Lord who judges.”

That is also the process whereby we will judge the world and angels, indeed the process by which we even judge the world today. We are judges today inasmuch as we are members of the spiritual body of the Judge, Jesus Christ.

Paul can call Christians “chosen,” “holy,” and “beloved,” (Col. 3:12) because we are in the “Chosen One” (Luke 9:35), the “Holy One” (Acts 4:27; 1 John 2:20), and the “Beloved” (Matthew 3:17). Christ’s designations are by nature; ours is by grace. By the same action, we have the “anointing” because we are in the “Anointed One” – i. e, the Christ (1 John 2:24). So, once again, we judge the world being in the Judge.

Returning to Paul’s letter to Corinth, in 1:10, he writes: “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”

You and I will have the same judgment if (and only “if”) we both have the judgment of Jesus Christ. It is based on that judgment that we judge the world, one another, and angels.

So, be careful when you judge that you are judging based only on the standard of the divine Judge.

–Paul Holland

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