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!
bb We will never become holy by criticizing others, nor is anyone brought nearer to God through finding fault.
b When we get serious about personal holiness & personal sanctification, we’ll see if we don’t have time to judge others.
aa We’ll realize we need mercy ourselves & to show anybody anything else other than mercy just isn’t going to happen.
3 Yes, Jesus judged people in certain situations, but His motive was always to save.
a When our love for someone is like Christ’s “Hebrews 13:5", our spirit of discernment will be perfected, for it’s love alone that gives us pure motives in judgment. Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," Heb 13:5 (NASB)
b We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 1 John 4:16-17 (NASB)
Conclusion
A Still want to fault? Be careful, Christ’s standard of judgment is high!
1 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7 (NASB)
a Speak out against sin, unrighteousness, but be sure to do it out of the motive of the love of Christ.
b But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NASB)
2 In God’s Kingdom, you’re not allowed to judge someone until you’re first committed to die for them.
a “I’ve got the right to speak my mind, this is a free country.” (I love America, fast/pray for her revival)
b Our love for freedom has taken across moral boundaries.
aa We demand the courts protect all manner of immorality under free speech provisions (Westboro Baptist Church)
bb The unborn are denied the freedom of life itself for the sake of a woman’s “freedom of choice”.
c Our freedom is out-of-balance with heaven’s authority.
aa For many, it’s not “one nation under God”, but “one nation under freedom”.
bb Increasingly in America, freedom has become its own god.
cc In 1776, the Founding Fathers rebelled against the tyranny of the king & bishops-land of the free, without authoritarian reign or nobility.
dd In our rejection of the cultural traditions of the past, we’ve minimized the power of honor that existed in other cultures.
d Asia: bow to show respect & honor; Germany: discipline parameters.
aa American tradition is free/core standard...free to do what you want-nothing is sacred.
bb Minimized honor, respect, absolutes, principles.
cc Families, schools, churches have suffered unprecedented breakdowns over the past 50 years (I never would have called my pastor by his first name, if you dishonored the pastor or Sunday School teacher there was trouble).
dd You’ve got freedom of speech as a citizen of the United States, but you also have a responsibility of humility as a follower of Christ...which one are you first?
B Don’t contribute to the noise pollution of judgment on others.
1 How, Preach?
a Stop the offender from speaking.
b Ask them to pray as Jesus would.
2 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,"Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. Rev 12:10 (NASB) Your ears are holy, do not let them come into agreement with the accuser of the brethren.
a Ears listening to gossip or criticism are as guilty as the mouth speaking it.
b Jesus didn’t condemn sinner, so why do we do it?
C Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12 (NASB) Jesus numbered Himself with sinners-bearing our sins/sorrows.
1 This is the humility we’re seeking
2 Holiness shine in the meek heart.
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