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Judgment Toolkit
Please see COMMENTS
Ian Vincent 
July 25, 2012 at 12:34 am
From: http://www.youareallbrothers.com
To: The Meek
Subject: Judgment Toolkit
Date: May 12, 2005
Judgment Toolkit
The right tools are always needed to repair things such as cars and machines. God has given us ‘spiritual tools’, which, when handled in the way the Maker intended, using His Word, and by the Current Authority of the Spirit, these tools are very ..effectual.. for repairing the foundations of the House of God : Jesus’ Church. God will not build on sand, but only on the Rock of the revelation of His Son.
For the time is come (now) that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that don’t obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17
We need to understand that there are 8 distinct usage’s of the word “judgment”. Here are 8 tools for the workman’s toolkit, for there may be some loose “nuts” in the machinery which need to be tightened.
1. Judging behavior and things in general : beliefs, teachings, actions, attitudes etc. Judgments concerning right and wrong.
2. Judging our own behavior : our own thoughts, attitudes, actions, words.
3. Judging a specific person’s behavior : their beliefs, teachings, actions, attitudes etc.
4. Judging a specific person’s standing before God. Judging their heart motives.
5. The Assembly executing a conditional judgment upon a specific person/s, on the condition that they repent of their sin.
6. The Assembly executing a final judgment upon a specific person/s, (the unpardonable sin).
7. Christ’s judgment of His own people. The Shepherd judging His lambs.
8. Christ’s eternal judgment of those who don’t obey Him.
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1. Judging behavior and things in general.
To judge between right or wrong, Light or dark, Truth or lie, helpful or unhelpful, edifying or unedifying etc.: To make value judgments : To define one’s values : Judging certain concepts/teachings concerning their truth, pertinency, or priority, (i.e. are they needful), in regard to their conformity to Christ, as revealed by the Word of God, through the Spirit.
E.g. When you taste some food, and either enjoy it or dislike it, you are in fact making a judgment concerning it. Similarly, in our spirit and mind we have “senses”, and we are always judging/evaluating everything we encounter. The fool doesn’t have this spiritual sense.
All our life, as saints, we are learning righteous judgment, for we are being prepared for a day when we will judge the world and fallen angels, (during the millennium) :
1 Cor. 6:2-4 Don’t you know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Don’t you know that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments of things pertaining to this life, (why) set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Assembly.
This scripture applies to all the forms of judgment. How can we judge the world if we can’t even judge sin in our own lives? And if we can’t discern/judge what is right and wrong in our own lives, then how can we help others to see what is right and wrong? Only the man who takes the log out of his own eye can assist his brother in removing his speck. There’s the divine order : remove your own log, then help others remove theirs, (Matt.7:5).
In this use of the word judgment, we should judge/prove/discern/test/examine everything….
1 Cor. 2:14-15 But the natural man doesn’t receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but prove (judge, test, examine) the spirits whether they are from God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1 Thess. 5:21 Prove (test) all things; hold fast that which is good.
Romans 12:2 And don’t be conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove (judge/discern) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The Lord Jesus rightly judged between righteousness and lawlessness. To love what is right and hate what is wrong is to exercise righteous judgment :
Heb. 1:9 You have loved righteousness, and hated lawlessness; therefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
Prov. 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to HATE evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Do we love what is right and hate what is wrong in anything close to the capacity of the Lamb of God? Ask yourself that question next time you watch TV.
2. Judging our own behavior.
As individuals we begin by judging/discerning good and evil in our own lives first :
Heb.5:14 But strong food belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use (by making mistakes, wrong choices) have their senses exercised to discern (judge) both good and evil.
2 Cor.13:5 Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove (judge) your own selves. Don’t you know your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you have been rejected?
More examples:
Luke 12:56-57 Hypocrites! the appearance of the sky and of the earth you know how to discern (judge) ; but how is it that you do not discern (judge) this time? And why even concerning yourselves don’t you judge what is right?
2 Thess. 2:10b ..because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
They weren’t willing to let the Truth judge their own lives. Not willing to face the Truth – who is Jesus.
John 7:24 Don’t judge according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
John 16:13a ..Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth:
Over the duration of your life you will judge all sin in your flesh, as and when the Holy Spirit reveals it to you, for:
..If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8
God is Light, therefore wherever His Light shines is where His righteous judgment is revealed. The manifested presence of God’s Glory is the “heaviness” of a deep and probing conviction of sin, before there can be true joy released:
Eph.5:7-13 Therefore don’t be partakers with them. For you were previously darkness, but now you are light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving (judging) what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (judge and expose) them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the Light: for whatever makes manifest is Light.
Also..
1 Cor. 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Cor. 7:25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. … Vs. 40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
1 Cor. 10:15 I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.
1 Cor. 11:13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
1 Cor. 11:28-31 But let a man examine himself, (judge himself) and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1 Cor. 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge.
Phil. 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That you may approve things that are excellent; (judge and discern what is excellent) that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ;
3. Judging a specific person’s behavior.
At times, as the Spirit leads, it is necessary to judge a specific person’s behavior, (and not their standing with God), concerning their moral choices in regard to whether or not such actions, words and thoughts conform to the teaching and example of Christ, and whether or not their teaching and beliefs are actually the teachings of Christ, (that is the standard – 2 John 1:9-11).
The immature wrongly think that when a caring loving saint questions their behavior, or their beliefs, then they are being “unloving”, or are rejecting them personally : they take it personally. The end times apostasy in the Church has produced a generation of “basket-cases” who can’t cope with any form of accountability to the saints, and who are so touchy and defensive in this regard. That’s the appeal of “mega-churches” – a place where one can be “free” from accountability, and where one will never suffer the “humiliation” of being corrected, because in that environment very few really care enough anyway to bear anothers burden. Therefore, Christians don’t grow and never become the full and “real” person Christ intended them to be.
We are commanded to judge any brother or sister who is bound in a sin, with the aim of restoring them in the spirit of meekness :
Gal. 6:1-2 Brothers, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Peter needed to be judged, and Paul’s judgment of him was very effective, for Peter repented:
Gal.2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
God has given us men to correct and warn us when necessary:
1 Thess.5:12 And we beseech you, brothers, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you..
Also..
Eph.5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (expose and correct them).
Matt.18:15 Moreover if your brother shall sin against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
(For verse 17, point 5 applies) 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Assembly: but if he doesn’t hear the Assembly, let him be to you as a heathen man and a tax collector.
Heb.3:12-13 Take heed, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Rom.15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brothers, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish (correct and warn) one another.
4. Judging a specific person’s standing before God.
Sometimes the Assembly needs to judge whether or not a person who claims to be a Christian is actually in Christ.
Peter judged Simon to be still unsaved, even though he was a baptized “Church member” :
Acts 8:18-23 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said unto him, Your money perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. You have neither part nor lot in this matter: for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of unrighteousness.
Paul had judged some “brothers” to be pretenders:
2 Cor. 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers.. (Paul had judged some “brothers” to be pretenders)
Gal.2:4-5 And that because of false brothers unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we didn’t give any place by submitting to them, not even for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
5. The Assembly executing a conditional judgment upon a specific person.
Corporately executing, or passing, a conditional judgment for ..a sin not unto death.. (1 John 5:16) : A conditional redemptive judgment meant for the person’s salvation and not for eternal damnation.
1 Cor 5:4-5 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such a one to satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Cor. 5:11-13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are outside? Don’t you judge those that are within? But those that are outside God judges. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
2 Thess.3:6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that lives disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. Verses 14 & 15 And if any man doesn’t obey our word by this letter, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (Peter judged Ananias and Sapphira’s sin).
2 John 1:9-11 Whoever transgresses, and doesn’t remain in the teachings of Christ, doesn’t have God. He that remains in the teachings of Christ, (actually obeying them) he has both the Father and the Son. If any comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that bids him God speed is a partaker of his evil deeds.
Romans 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brothers, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the teaching which you have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetite; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
6. The Church executing a final judgment upon a specific person.
There is a sin unto death, which is to deny the Lord Jesus, thus blaspheming the Holy Spirit, (who testifies of Jesus), usually by believing there are other ways to God, or the denial that comes by simply turning away from Him to indulge in sin.
1 John 5:16-17 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
Matt.12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men.
Heb.10:26-29 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, shall he be thought worthy, who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, a common thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
This can be expressed through falling back irreversibly into the bonds of sin, or through simply conceding that there may be “other ways” to God than through faith in the Blood of the Son, which is to esteem His Blood as a common thing. Even to believe that one only needs to be “good” to go to heaven, or to be “religious”, is to trample under foot the Son of God. Did you know that MANY of the big names in Christianity are already in this camp? E.g. The “pope”, Mother Theresa, Tony Campolo, George W Bush, etc. etc. Maybe even your friendly-smiley evangelical or charismatic pastor who has ‘liberal’ tendencies?
Also:
Heb.6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, And have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come. If they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Each Assembly has to pass judgment, (mark out), those who have denied the Lord in these ways. John the Apostle says that you can’t even pray for those who have changed their mind and have believed that there is more than the One Way to God, or that all religions worship the same God. It is the unpardonable sin. It would have been better if they had never been born.
We can help backsliders to repent, (and not those who deny), if they still have the Holy Spirit within them, and the proof of this is manifest in their heart attitude and faith. However if they are entangled again , (hopelessly and irretrievably tangled up again in the ropes of sin), there is no hope for them. (Refer to handing the backslider over to satan in point 5, and even that their body would die, and their soul be saved, as in Ananias & Sapphira).
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
7. Christ’s judgment of His own people.
It will be a great joy for us obedient and faithful saints to have our Savior judge us! To have Him judge us, who ..bore our sins in His own body on the cross.. will be a wonderful event, a happy day, without fear :
1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.
2 Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.
In this judgment, when our whole life is reviewed and evaluated by the Lamb, we will finally know and feel perfectly how our Lord Jesus felt about everything we ever did, thought or said. We now ..know in part… Because we love the truth, and don’t hide from Him, we really want to know how Jesus evaluates our life, and He will reward all faithfulness, and not unfaithfulness. Its better to find out now how Jesus feels about your life, than get a great shock on that day.
The letters to the 7 Churches in Rev. 2 & 3 are very important for us because they are the only place where the Head of the Church speaks directly to Churches telling exactly what HE sees and feels about their condition. We should also want Him to speak in such a way to us today, personally and corporately. This is real gift of prophecy : i.e. what Jesus is saying to His Churches today, (and not fortune telling).
The final judgement will be something like a “big screen movie” titled “This is your life!” , in as far as there will be nothing kept secret:
Mark 4:22-23 For there is nothing hidden, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
8. Christ’s eternal judgment of those who don’t obey Him.
2 Thess. 1:7-9 ..when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that don’t know God, and that don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power..
Rev. 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Our flaky friends tell us that ..the lake of fire.. is “only” a metaphor. A metaphor of what then? Something just as bad as a lake of fire ? Or was Jesus over-stating it, and really its not as bad as a lake of fire ? Whatever a lake of fire physically means its plainly DREADFUL BEYOND DESCRIPTION.
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Conclusion : Some things which we are not to judge.
We are not to become busy-bodies in other people’s lives, nosy, talking loosely about people, judging trivial things which don’t affect one’s relationship with Jesus:
1 Tim. 5:13 ..And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but babblers also and busy-bodies, speaking things which they should not.
Rom.14:3 Don’t let him that eats despise him that doesn’t eat ; and don’t let him which doesn’t eat judge him that eats: for God has received him. …Vs. 10 But why do you judge your brother? (In this matter) or why do you count your brother as nothing? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Don’t judge saints over food, drink, Sabbaths, Sundays, or Jewish festivals etc. (But festivals with pagan/demonic origins and names, like C and E , should be judged : Paul was referring to Jewish holidays, not pagan ones).
Col.2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of a “holy” day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
1 Cor. 4:3-5 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yes, I don’t judge not my own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
This needs to be understood in its context, otherwise one would be accusing Paul of contradiction, compare with :
1 Cor. 5:11-12 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are outside? Don’t you judge them that are within?
– Ian Vincent
http://www.youareallbrothers.com/current/show_article.php?id=180,20050512
July 25, 2012 at 1:16 am
July 25, 2012 at 10:35 am
Like!
November 20, 2012 at 12:34 am
http://glennchristopherson.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/the-command-to-judge/