"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2
I have a confession to make! I curse--A LOT. Let's be honest. We all have vices that we need God's help to confront and change. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (1 John 1:8-10). Now, I definitely want to and intend to work on this nasty habit of mine; I know that as long as I am pursuing the Lord and his Word that he will align my heart with His will for my life (Matthew 7:7-11). As Christians, we are perpetual works in progress, and we will be working towards the goal of perfection in Christ until the day we die (Psalm 57:2)! I know that "from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45), but I also know that I am not perfect, and that is why I need a Savior! "For sin shall not be your master, because your are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14). "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..." (Ephesians 2:8).
Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that we should just sin our days away. Although God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9) and His mercies are new each day (Lamentations 3:22-23), he does expect us to be obedient. Obedience brings blessing and favor, and who wouldn't want that?!? When feeling discouraged when you stumble, remember that "the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart'" (1 Samuel 16:7). "Your father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8). In Romans 8:26, we learn that even though "we do not know what we ought to pray for, [the] Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." God, omnipotent and omnipresent, knows the condition of our hearts (Romans 8:27)!
Although we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), we are not perfect due to the fallen world that we live in. The good news is that through Christ all things are possible (Philippians 4:13)! We "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), so let us not be proud, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). God implores us to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Have some confidence in the Father of our faith!
However, do not forget to heed God's warning while embracing his grace. We must give grace to others if we want to receive grace from God. In James, chapter 4, verses 11-12, we are given a big ole slab of humble pie. "Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?"
I hope that you will commit the words that Paul told to the church in Corinth to your heart: "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." God is a just God. Don't be so presumptuous to think that you can do a better job than He can. When you and I judge, we are essentially saying, "God, step down from your throne, give me your scepter, and let me rule for a while."
Don't be the person in this picture. Be a Christian.
**Bold emphasis is mine. For those without a Gmail account, please submit comments or questions to lbeauwilliams@gmail.com. If you have a Gmail account, please feel free to put comments on blog :)**
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