Judge Not

Judge Not

Based on Francis Frangipane’s Holiness, Truth, and the Presence of God

Introduction

A Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matt 11:29 (KJV)Voice of creation describing Himself as meek and lowly.

1 Holiness doesn’t happen outside of humility.

2 Holiness is a product of grace, & grace only comes to the humble.

B Jesus didn’t condemn sinners, but He did condemn hypocrites.

1 Defining hypocrisy is difficult, but we’re going to go with the definition of anyone who excuses his/her own sins while condemning the sins of another.

a “Two-faced” doesn’t quite get it, because we all struggle with single-mindedness at times.

b A hypocrite refuses to admit that (s)he is at times two-faced, therefore pretending to have a righteousness that (s)he fails to live.

2 Hypocrites usually don’t think they’re hypocrites (immature believers fail to realize they’re immature, because they’re immature).

a Because they don’t see their own corruption, sin, they don’t seek God’s mercy.

aa Why should I seek God’s mercy when I’ve done nothing wrong?

bb Not under mercy, always under judgment, so judging is what comes through him/her.

b We can’t be hypocrites & be holy.

aa The first step to being holy/sanctified is to admit we’re not as holy as we’d like to appear.

bb Called humility

C You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.1 Peter 5:5 (NASB)

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6 (NASB)

1 God resists/opposes the proud, but comes running to show grace to the humble.

a Humility is when we see our lowliness, low estate, that we’ve missed the mark.

aa Humility brings grace to our need, & grace alone can change our hearts.

bb Humility is the substructure of transformation.

b If we’re not humble, we’re not of any good to God.

2 At times in our life we are all faced with impurities in our heart.

a The Holy Spirit reveals our sinfulness not just to condemn us/make us feel rotten, but to...

aa Establish humility in us

bb Deepen the fact that we need God’s grace.

b The Holy Spirit constructs a crossroad, point of decision.

aa Saints & hypocrites both breed at this spot.

bb Admit sin/brokenness/flaw/faults & seek deliverance, become holy.

cc A hypocrites sees his/her sin & makes excuses. Sin remains & they hide the true condition of their heart.

c Sanctification/holiness doesn’t begin with rules & laws, but rather with the forsaking of self-pride, & humility gives birth to holiness.

3 If we as Christians do not fully grasp the depravity of our old nature, we run the risk of being “Christian Pharisees” (hypocrites, full of contempt & self-righteousness).

a And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt...Luke 18:9 (NASB) Jesus warned about those guys!

aa Every time we judge another Christian, we do so with self-righteousness.

bb When we criticize another church, contempt is the motive behind our words.

b The modern church has been overstocked with those who think they’re holy, and they’re not (exact opposite because there is no humility).

c And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Cor 12:9 (NASB)

aa Even if we are spiritually fulfilled, fullness we must understand, acknowledge, & delight in weakness-strength comes from the Lord, it’s a product of His grace.

bb Live in meekness, choose humility like our Master.

D Christians have not been called to stand in judgment of other Christians (cannot reach holiness, be holy if you think you’ve been called to judge).

1 Anybody can cast judgment, criticize, but can they save? Lay down their lives in love, intercession, faith?

a Jesus didn’t come to condemn, but to save.

b If we want to be holy & we see sin (ours or someone else’s), we fast/pray-ask God to supply that which is lacking...that’s what we’re called to do.

aa We’ll bring more people into the Kingdom by one act of love than the sum of all our pompous criticism.

2 “But didn’t Jesus condemn sin, Preach?” (Yes, & we do, but the first sin we’re going to condemn is our own).

a The first sin we’re going to condemn is going to be the sin of judging others.

aa You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Matt 7:5 (NASB) As long as we have sin, we don’t see right!