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“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:4)
The Number One Biblical Misconception
Written by Administrator
I would venture a guess that there is not one person in today’s church who is not guilty of some part of this misconception.
First off, what would cause a misconception? Lack of knowledge of subject material Being taught wrong Taking someone else’s opinion as correct Assumptions without facts or knowledge Sometimes we don’t really know why we think a certain way
Here are a few misconceptions we as Christians would find with other religious beliefs. Catholics - Praying to Mary and other saints Mormons - Jesus & Lucifer are brothers 7th Day Adventists - You can only worship on Saturday etc, etc, etc.
These are just a couple. Do you have any you can think of?
Good. Before I start I would like to ask you a couple of questions.
1. Is the bible the Word of God?
2. Is the bible trustworthy?
3. Should we use the bible to govern how we live and what we think?
2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
This verse sums up how we should be using our bibles to go through life. Would you agree?
OK that brings us back to the original topic. Do you remember the misconceptions we talked about a few minutes ago? Catholics, Mormons, 7th Day Adventists etc.
When we agreed that we felt these people had misconceptions about certain things, in essence what did we do? How did we come to the conclusion that they were wrong in their beliefs.
We judged them didn’t we?
Judging Others
Judging others, it’s the new “unpardonable sin.” What a blessing this “new commandment” is to what I call “Easy Christianity.” People can flaunt their violations of the Word of God and yet parade unchallenged as Christians. No one dares call them hypocrites for (“Oh, NO!”) that would be “judging them.”
It seems to be the favorite verse of many people in the church. Tell anyone nowadays that he or someone else is doing wrong and you will be immediately rebuked, “Don’t Judge!” Some people claim that since Christ said that He did not come to judge the world but rather to save it, Christians today are similarly not supposed to make judgements. After all, WWJD (what would Jesus Do)? Is this what the the bible teaches? What sort of judgements can Christians make and what criteria should be used in making them?
Christ’s Example
Let’s begin by examining some of Christ’s own words on the subject of exercising judgement. Jn 5:27 “and [God] has given Him [Christ] authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.” He had God-given authority to exercise judgement even while on the earth is, however, also the testimony of Scripture:
Notice what He said to the Pharisees in Jn 8:15: Jn 8:15-16 “You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, b
ut I am with the Father who sent Me.” Christ did not mean that He did not judge at all during His earthly ministry, for verse 16 tells us otherwise, what He says is that He would never judge in the carnal manner that the Pharisees and others did. Instead, His judgements were true. He did make and will again make many more judgements:
Jn 8:26 “I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” Christ qualified His statement in Jn 12:47 about not having come to judge the world, but to save it:
Jn 12:48 “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” Christ came, not expressly to judge, but to open the door of salvation by offering His life for the world according to the foreordained Plan of God. Yet while on earth, as He dwelt among and interacted with men and women, judgement was still rendered according to the righteous Words of God. On His disciples, the disbelieving Jews, the unresponsive cities of Capernaum (Mt 11:23) Chorazin or Bethsaida (Lk 10:13), and on Satan (Jn 16:11).
Christ judged according to the righteous Words and will of His Father. We should do likewise: Jn 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” Christians are to judge!
However, in today’s world, people are more and more reluctant and seemingly unable to set moral standards and make moral judgements. This affects the people of God too.
Let’s see how Christ, the perfect Judge, is described prophetically: Isa 16:5 In mercy the throne will be established; and One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.” Mercy, truth, justice, righteousness are mentioned as integral to the judging of Jesus Christ. They should likewise be paramount in our judgements. Let’s consider how these same ingredients are to be incorporated in the exercise of our own godly judgement.
Christ Himself told the crowds at the Feast of Tabernacles to make right judgements, in this instance in regard to Sabbath-keeping: Jn 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” And, on another occasion: Lk 12:57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?” The judgements we make must be right and righteous judgements.
The apostle Paul specifically tells Christians that they are to make worthy judgements within the household of God: 1Co 5:12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 1Co 6:2-5 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? In comparison to our future role in judging the world, and angels, judgements about things in this life would seem insignificant. Yet we are to judge.
Paul then gives us an example of such a judgement made by him, and given to the Church: 1Co 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; not even to eat with such a pers
on.
Notice his description of one who is led by the Spirit: 1Co 2:15 But he who is spiritual judges [the Greek means “examines well, searches out, sifts”] all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one [who is unspiritual]. We might ask ourselves, “Why this mandate to exercise correct judgement?” In short, we owe it to each other to exercise godly judgement towards one another in the Church of God. To fail to do so is to be derelict in our responsibility to one another:
Lev 19:15,17 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.’
As we go on to consider what manner of judgement is required of the saints of God, we find that biblical guidelines for making judgements are set out for us in the Word of God.
Judging Ourselves First
All judgement begins with ourselves; if we cannot judge ourselves correctly, how can we hope to judge others? 1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged
As Christians, we are both under judgement and called upon to exercise self-judgement: 1Pe 4:17 For the time has come for judgment [self-examination as well as God’s judgement] to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Absence of self-judgement necessitates divine judgement: 1Co 11:32 But when we are judged [because we are negligent in judging ourselves], we are chastened by the Lord [which is not pleasant], that we may not be condemned with the world.
The guidelines for testing for good or for evil should begin with us: 2 Co 13:5 Examine yourselves [look into your own heart] as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves [judge your motives]. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?; unless indeed you are disqualified. Gal 6:3-4 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine [Gk: “test, try, approve”] his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. Ro 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly [use wisdom and discernment], as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
If we judge ourselves correctly we can, like the apostle Paul, have a relatively clear conscience before God, who alone can pass the ultimate judgement: 1Co 4:4 For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Avoiding Error and Sin
Let’s look at a simple all-encompassing admonition given to us in the Book of First Thessalonians: 1Th 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil. How can we do this unless we make judgements on what is good and what is evil?
Paul upholds this point, applying it especially to what we are taught: 1Th 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. We must constantly make judgements as to what is right or wrong, good or evil, especially in regard to what is taught to us.
Everything must be put to the test: 1Co 14:29 (NIV) Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 1Jn 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
The Scriptures tell us to continually, habitually, to exercise our powers of discernment to enable us to avoid evil
and sin: Heb 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. In the mature Christian, mental habits have been established through the constant exercise of the mind to judge, to distinguish-between good and evil.
The Church in Ephesus was commended for having done just this: Rev 2:2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. Hypocritical Judgement
Christian judgement can be nullified by the presence of ungodly criteria. We can be right but still be wrong if we would pass judgement hypocritically or self-righteously: Mt 7:1-5 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Christ is not saying that we must not judge, but that we must not judge deceitfully. We cannot see well enough to remove the speck in our brother’s eye until we have dealt with our own sin that impairs our judgement of another person.
It is the nature of human beings to maintain that we are judging righteously when really we are only finding fault in others in areas where we ourselves fall short; we can cover up our own sin and feel less culpable by seeking to expose the same fault in others around us. This was the apostle Paul’s charge against the Jews: they sought to cover up their own guilt by condemning the Gentiles for their immoral lives while they themselves were guilty on the same charge while claiming an exemption on the basis of being the recipients of God’s special revelation: Ro 2:1-4 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Unlike the Jews, we must be careful not to assume that knowledge justifies willful ignoring of the law of God. When we pass judgement, it must be as God judges, in truth (v2).
Self-righteousness can lead to an attitude where, in making a judgement on disputable questions, the “sinning” brother or sister is despised along with the purported sin. This type of spiritually-insignificant judgement is contemptible, as a stumbling-block is put before those weaker in the faith: Ro 14:3,10,13 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats [these issues are not really that important]; for God has received him. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt [this type of judging produces contempt] for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
This was the attitude of the self-righteous Pharisees which Christ condemned: Lk 18:9-11 Also He spoke this parable to some
who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
Godly judgement should find us first looking at ourselves for evidence of self-righteousness or similar problems and seeing our own potential for sin and error. Then we will be more considerate when judging someone else: Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself [discerning your own tendencies to do similar evil] lest you also be tempted.
God’s judgements are always just because He is blameless in judging. No reproach, no accusations of self-righteousness or hypocrisy, can ever fall back upon Him. There is never any regret in how He dispenses judgement: Ps 51:4 (NIV) Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Paul re-echoed these words of David in his epistle to the Romans: Ro 3:4 (NIV) Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” As Christians we too must therefore judge righteously with pure motives and be blameless in the judgements we make.
Merciful Judgement
One who seeks to judge righteously will always bear in mind his inadequacy before the perfect law of God and so will always include a preparedness to extend mercy: Jas 2:10-13 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty [which will judge the heart and motives of each man]. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment [but not at the expense of God’s judgement and justice]. The injunction is that we be just as merciful when judging as God is merciful in His judgements (Lk 6:36)-to the same degree, no more, no less.
Without this component of mercy, appropriately dispensed, we cannot hope to be granted mercy by God: Mt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
According to fruits
The standard for Christian judgement is the fruit produced in a person’s life: Mt 7:15-20 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” It is up to each one of us to correctly discern these fruits.
Likewise, our judgement should be in hope and anticipation of the fruits of repentance. This has been the call of all of the servants of God, as exemplified by the words of John the Baptist to those who came to hear him: Mt 3:8 “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance”.
These fruits of repentance are demonstrated by a person’s deeds, so we will always have a standard by which to judge: Acts 26:20 (NIV) First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusal
em and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. The claim that since we can never really know the heart we so we must not judge is nonsense; there is no injunction in the Scriptures to suspend godly judgement because we are limited in this manner. The Word of God judges the intents and motivation of the heart; if an individual is not being led by the Word of God the bad fruits will, in time, be evident for censure.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Sometimes this type of judgement can be quite severe, but it is always carried out, as has been mentioned, with the hope of repentance and a preparedness to extend mercy: 1Co 5:3-5 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Paul, acting in accordance with the prescription given by Christ to deal with unrepentant sin (Mt 18:15-17), realized that only God could save the spirit through repentance and change; yet this would have to be brought about by exposing the sinner to the buffeting of the Devil out in the world.
Let’s look at some examples of the evil fruit of the flesh on the basis of which severe judgement was made. 2Pe 2:1,3, 12-14, 17,21 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
Jude 4,12-13 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
Finally, notice what Jude was led to conclude about such individuals: Jude 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. How many people today would be inclined to label a person like this? Did Jude know the hearts of these individuals or was he making a judgement on the basis of the fruits of their lives? Christ sai
d that the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart (Mt 12:34) and that the heart is the source of all the evil fruits of the flesh that cause defilement (Mt 15:18-20). Continued unchecked, these actions would lead to destruction. On that basis, and according to the correct prerequisites of Christian discipline, these judgements were made by Jude, and the Church forewarned. This is not to say that we make habitual, hasty judgements about the indwelling or otherwise of the Spirit of God. The point is that a Christian should be able to assess the fruit of God’s Spirit in an individual’s life, as well as the works of the flesh.
However, it is not for us to pass sentence. God alone imposes this.
The Perogative of God
So, what aspects of judgement are disallowed for the Christian?
In making judgement, we must ensure that we never infringe upon God’s prerogative to judge whether one stands or falls. Condemnation, or for that matter, acquittal, is the responsibility and right of God alone: Lk 6:37 “Judge not [incorrectly], and you shall not be judged [by the same standard]. Condemn not [do not pronounce anyone guilty] , and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Ro 14:4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he [ultimately] stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
As we know, the inner recesses of the hearts of men can only be truly judged by God. Ro 2:16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
So only God can give correct weighting to every thought and deed of man, both good and evil: Ecc 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
This type of judgement - the passing of sentence - by the saints is reserved for a time when we will indeed know the hearts of all men: 1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. The Greek translated “judge nothing” can also be rendered as “stop pronouncing judgement”. That is, stop pronouncing this type of judgement - one that involves an assessment of the counsel of the heart.
To pronounce judgement of a brother in this way is to speak evil of him and scorn the law of love by putting ourselves above it: Jas 4:11-12 Do not speak evil of [or slander] one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy [to acquit or to condemn]. Who are you to judge another? We slander a brother by presuming to be able to pronounce judgement on him.
The one Lawgiver is also the Judge who will determine whether we stand or fall Jas 5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! CONCLUSION
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
God calls upon us to exercise judgement within the Church. Let us ensure that we are not derelict in this responsibility, but that we are learning here and now, as the apostle Paul put it, to discern between good and evil by making righteous judgement
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