I love reading Luke 6 everytime it comes up in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan, and any other time it comes up! Especially verse 37:
37 Judge not [neither pronouncing judgment nor subjecting to censure], and you will not be judged; do not condemn and pronounce guilty, and you will not be condemned and pronounced guilty; acquit and forgive and release (give up resentment, let it drop), and you will be acquitted and forgiven and released.
There has been so much judgment leveled at minsters of the Gospel, and any believer who dares to defend them! I have used this verse many times when the conversations turn to condemnation of ministers who are blessed with wealth and prosperity, and who teach others the Biblical principles for prosperity. I have been accused of taking Scripture out of context and of being ignorant of the Word when I use this verse. I don't know what context they are thinking of, but JESUS was speaking here of what the attitude of our hearts and our actions SHOULD be toward others. It really could not be more clear and simple! JUDGE NOT, so that judgement does not come back on you! Why did He say this? Galatians 6:7 tells us why!
7 Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.
There is now NO condemnation (from God) to those who have received JESUS as Lord and personal Savior (Romans 8:1)! BUT, if we choose to SOW condemnation, then we WILL receive condemnation, from many sources, into our lives! We each have choices to make every day about what we will think, say and do! Speaking ill of another believer, especially a minister of the Gospel (Romans 14:4, for they are God's servants!), is very bad seed to sow! I have heard of situations where God has sent a minister to offer a Word of correction to another minister, but, without fail, those sent do not want to go! The first sign that YOU are NOT sent by God is whether or not you WANT to go! Those who are quick to judge and condemn are NOT the ones 'spiritual' enough to be sent! What is our recourse if we see something that we believe to be in error? PRAY, and then PRAY SOME MORE! Do NOT share it with another person, but present it to the Lord ONLY! Cast the care of it on Him and then ONLY proceed as HE directs. If He does not, then it is NOT for you to do! Turn your attention to what God has for YOU to do, and leave the care of this in HIS very capable hands! AMEN! And if you can't say AMEN, then you'd better say "Oh me", as Brother Kenneth E. Hagin used to say, and REPENT! I pray that this message will begin to get into the hearts of believers who have been tearing the Body apart by judgment and criticism and that they will repent (change their thinking to agree with God) and begin to sow seeds of love that will bring them a great harvest of blessing! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Greatest Of These":
Shalom in Him!
