Brethren, if a man is
overtaken in any trespass,
you who are spiritual
restore such a one
in a spirit of
gentleness, considering
yourself lest you
also be tempted.
Bear one another’s
burdens, and so
fulfill the law of
Christ. For if anyone
thinks himself to be
something, when he is nothing,
he deceives himself.
But let each one examine his own work,
and then he will have
rejoicing in himself alone,
and not in another.
For each one shall bear his own load.
Galatians 6:1–5
How
often have you heard someone say: “We are not to judge anyone?” This is the
pluralism, a philosophy that there is more than one basic substance or
principle. This is the culture of this present age which has often been
assigned as post–modernism. What is being taught to us as adults and
especially to the children in school,, by the media, movies, music, etc., is
that everyone has their own truth and we are not to judge them by our truth.
Scripture used to be the basis for this philosophy that has found its way into
the church: “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). Then of course those philosopher’s of this
age, they who call themselves Christian point out Paul’s words: “Let not him
who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge
him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant?
To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God
is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:3–4). It is always, context, context,
context, to consider when understanding, or interpreting Scripture. In both
cases, one when Jesus was speaking was not that we do not judge that which is
good or bad according to God, rather that we first examine ourselves before
making any judgment on others, and to ensure before judging that the person to
be judged has provocation to be judged. Did Paul judge? Yes!: “For I indeed,
as absent in the body but presenting spirit, have already judged (as though I
were present) him who has so done this deed”(1Corinthians 5:3). How will we
be able to know when a person is overtaken in sin? Because we see what is to be
done, and then judge that action or teaching according to Scripture. We must
though be careful and examine ourselves first, is this not what we do before
partaking of the Lord’s Supper? If not being done then you should read Paul’s
words in regard to the manner a person is to approach this sacrament. Notice
this: it is a spiritual man, the one who has examined himself, the one that has
read, studied, and mediated upon Scripture that is to be the judge. Paul makes
this clear: “But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is
rightly judged by no one” (1Corinthians 2:15). Does this mean that a
spiritual man is not to be judged? Or, is this to mean that if a man is
spiritual and has the mind of Christ then we are not to judge this one as not
having the mind of Christ, that he has received the Spirit of God. Listen to
the words of Jesus: “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do
not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 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” (John 12:47–48). It
is not that we do not see the sin in the world, those works of the world, that
are contrary to Scripture and are to do nothing. No, for we are to be the light
of the world, as was Jesus for we are to be the image of Jesus: therefore, we
see their sin, we address their sin, but we do not have to judge them for their
sin has already judged. As Christians, we are not to be passive, apathetic to
the sins of this world, to sit aside and say: “God will judge!” Yes, God will
judge: “in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ,
according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16). Will we, as Christians judge anyone?
Yes! Paul makes this clear that we do things that are so unchristian, so
hurtful to another Christian, and disparaging to the gospel, to Jesus Christ
Himself, to God the Father who sent Him. How? We take our brothers and sisters
to court and not before saints. We have the word of Jesus (Matthew 18:15–17;
read the whole chapter) for we are to judge but we are first to judge ourselves
seeing that we have not a sin that would disqualify us from being a judge: “Dare
any of you, having a matte against another, go to law before the unrighteous,
and not before the saints? 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? Do you no know that we shall judge angels? How much more,
things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things
pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the
church to judge? Is ay 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?
But brother goes to law against brother, and that before
unbelievers”(1Corinthians 6:1–6)!
We
are called to bear one another’s burdens. We are the adopted sons of God so why
not act like that which we are? We are we so ready to condemn for almost any
reason another brother over matters that are at times so trivial: i.e., color
of the carpet, to have wine, water, grape juice, or, crackers, bread, wafers,
etc., and not meet together to settle the matter? We are we so ready to sue our
brother, our sister? We are we taking our fellow Christians to court? Have we
not instructions on how, as Christians we are to handle matters? Do not deceive
yourself into thinking that we will not be judged according to the manner in
which we have dealt with our brothers and sisters. Judge your thinking on
matters of God, His people, and examine yourself to assure that what you are
attempting to judge is not something of a speck in your own eye. Now, in love
we approach our belief in Jesus Christ towards others who are they adopted sons
and daughters of God. We are those who have the promise of Abraham. We are
heirs to the throne of God and who are ambassadors of Jesus Christ, who will
judge this world and angels. We examine ourselves we ensure the joy that comes
from being love by God, by His Son, and led by the Holy Spirit, and then we
have a witness to the world that cannot be overturned.
Beloved, let us love one another,
For love is
of God;
And everyone who loves is born
Of God and
knows God.
1John 4:6
Love By God’s Principles
Richard L. Crumb
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