SimpleFolk

Judge Not?

Have you ever felt like you were being haunted? You know, like something or someone was lurking around the next corner just waiting to confirm that your deep premonition was warranted. I feel like that sometimes, but not about ghosts, stalkers, or even axe murders. I feel like that about people, more specifically people that make ignorant statements. Well, not even just ignorant statements, but ignorant statements about spirituality that will affect the eternal lives of the unsuspecting victims that hear those statements and accept them as fact. You ever felt like spiritual statements in the mouths of people with no spiritual understanding is haunting you? I have, and I’m scared.

I’m scared every time I hear someone say, “Only God can judge me” or “judge not or you will be judged”, because it is usually the only biblical reference they can make. Furthermore, it is used out of context ninety-nine percent of the time.  It does make sense for someone to say “Only God can judge me” right after someone just told you what God said His judgment is and will continue to be. That’s like telling someone, “Hey man, the paper says that a law was just signed, and taxes are going to hit us hard next year”, then the person responds by saying, “Only Obama can tax me!” That does not make any sense! 

Look, if you are stealing from the treasury of the neighborhood community center, and I tell you that you are wrong. Not to mention, you are hurting the financial stability of the community center, I’m not judging you. I’m simply making a moral determination based on what the Judge (God) has already decreed. If I was judging in the way that Jesus means in the book of Matthew 5:21, then I would have come to my OWN opinion and verdict about the person, rather than what Jesus taught about improper behavior.  If a person wants to cry, “Only God can judge me”, then he is right. Unfortunately, in this sort of case His judgment says, “You are guilty!”

When Jesus said, “Judge not, or you will be judged” He certainly did not mean for one to make no determination about what is moral or immoral. However, the way people quote that phrase you’d think that is what He meant. You can instantly see the hypocrisy in this line of reasoning, if you investigate with even the slightest of effort. For example, should the child molester be free to make this same statement. Hey, stop touching the private parts of those little children! Is it reasonable for the child molester to respond, “Judge not or you’ll be judged”? That’s insanity!!! If we applied this hypocrisy to all of life in the way that people use it to escape accountability for their bad behavior, then the world would be in complete chaos. Well, actually the world is in a bit of chaos, and this crazy thinking is part of the reason why it is.

Make no mistakes about it; God has been absolutely clear about what will be tolerated and what will not. You and I do not have to wait until judgment day to find out what He is going to decide. He has already laid it out on the table. Let me give you two verses from the word of God that will help many to stop trying to cop-out with the out-dated Only God can Judge Me card.

Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9 AMP)

The sky will disintegrate and the earth dissolve before a single letter of God’s Law wears out. (Luke 16:17 MSG)

What does that sound like to you? Go ahead, you be the judge!

Posted on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 at 2:47 PM. Filed under: Simple Truth Tags: behavior, excuse, fake, hypocrite, immoral, judge, judge not, law, lies, moral, morality, morals, Only God can judge me, real, religion, simplefolk, simplefolknet, sin, truth, urban RSS 2.0 feed.