Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.
Do you follow Jesus’ advice, “Don’t judge or you will be judged”? (Mat 7:1). What are the chances you misunderstand what Jesus meant?
I once invited two door-knocking Jehovah’s Witnesses into my living room. I listened carefully and questioned their approach to God and scripture. One of them quoted Jesus, “Do not judge,” and told me that JW’s don’t judge others.
But I have a friend who dated a Jehovah’s Witness man and his church disapproved, so they shunned him, treating him like an outsider, socially rejecting him. Was that judging, or what?
In John 16, Jesus warns that the world will judge his followers. They will be shunned by Jewish synagogues, persecuted by fanatics who don’t know God, and killed by religions that profess to serve God.
Jesus’ response to this judgement? He will judge those who judge his followers. The Holy Spirit Advocate or lawyer who Jesus sends will prosecute the world, showing where it is wrong and judging it for sin (v 8-11).
Jesus sends the same Holy Spirit Advocate to Christians–not as judge, but as the spirit of truth, teaching us right and wrong, true and false (v 13).
I make two comments about judgment.
1. First, the harshest definition of judge is to condemn someone. If I say, “God damn him” that’s a serious judgment. Does that person deserve damnation? Not from me! That’s God’s job.
2. Another meaning of judge is to evaluate someone’s action or behavior. Referees in World Cup soccer use the rule book to judge players’ actions, issuing yellow and red cards for bad behavior, except when President Trump intervenes. But notice: the referees judge actions, not players. They leave it to newscasters and commentators and armchair pundits like me to judge players as principled or dishonorable.
Jesus said, “From within, out of people’s hearts, comes sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly (Mark 7:7).
When I see theft, murder, or adultery, Jesus doesn’t ask me to suspend my judgement. I need to recognize and name bad behavior.
But after evaluating and naming behavior, I ask God to judge the person.
I used to be bitter toward my father for his anger and stubbornness, but now I remember his generosity and kindness. I can still name and forgive his wrongs, and I can celebrate what was right about him. But best of all, I trust God to judge his person and life.
That’s what Jesus teaches. Live in the real world, recognizing bad attitudes and bad behavior. But don’t judge the people. Leave judgement to God.
Let’s pray.
O God, your Spirit convinces us of what is right, convicts us of wrong, and helps us prepare for when you will judge everyone.
Help me make accurate judgements about sin. To name it, to abhor it. To discern bad motives and bad behavior. To confess where I sin against you or others.
Forgive me where I participate in the systems and the spirit of the world. For being part of a system that privileges the rich and oppresses the poor. For profiting from economics that protect my wealth while others go homeless.
Send us your spirit of truth. May the JW’s who visited me find truth in Jesus. May the Anglican church I attend be transformed by the truth of scripture. May our society learn the wisdom and compassion of Jesus.
And may you, our God, judge us in mercy.
Amen.
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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