Only God Can Judge Me

By: Steph Neres

People overuse this phrase to keep others from talking to them about things that they are doing wrong. And oftentimes, the advisers (me and you), we get tired of it. Although I really want to talk about people who love to use this phrase, today we will talk to the advisers.

The battle with self is the greatest one. It almost seems like we wish to lose not one chance to make ourselves look good. In the case of advisers, it comes like this: We want to tell our friends about their faults so that they can recognize that there is a right way. This all sounds so amazing but most of the times, our motives are purely selfish.

I will say this clearly that the reason that we bring others down is so that we can seem to be better. Example: We would tell a man that he dresses poorly. Why? Simply because we have a standard of how to dress in mind. And our way is “OBVIOUSLY” the right way. The fact that we focus on our works to be saved, we seem to think that our way is the way because there can’t be too many ways. We somehow hold ourselves as a standard of righteousness. But the Bible teaches something contrary. It teaches that there is One way, One truth, and One life…and it is Christ. When we lose sight of HIM, we become self-centered in our approach to others. That approach can take them into deeper ruins. Christ rebuked, counseled, and can even sound very stern but it was all out love. 

Nothing makes a better leader than humility. We know that because the Bible testifies of it in many different ways (John 13: 12-17) (Luke 22:26) (Philippians 2:3-8). Jesus was a great example of humility (Mark 10:45) and so was Moses (Numbers 12:3).  There are many other bible verses that speak on this and even the first commandment teaches us this: To not have any other idols before the Lord (Hint: Pride is when self is the idol). 

Now, here are some reasons why we shouldn’t judge:

1.    “Judge not, that ye be not judged”(Matthew 7:1). There is a story in the bible that depicts this clearly. King David committed adultery with a woman and then murders her husband. Prophet Nathan was sent by God to reach out to him. The prophet lines out a story that somewhat depicts an act similar to that of the king’s sin. In a rush, the king gave a verdict that the criminal in the prophet’s story should pay four times over and must die”. Thank GOODNESS GRACIOUS, the Lord only gave him half of the sentence that he pronounced on himself.  Moral of the story is: Pray for the person, maybe there’s a little bit of yourself in the act they committed. 

2.    Self-Worship: Oftentimes, we judge based on our standards and not on God’s standard. When we judge based on how we think or feel, it is saying “in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”(Isaiah 14:13-14). Sounds familiar? Judging according to your standards and unrighteousness is a Satanist concept. 
3.   Let’s not be hypocrites:  ³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. The only person worthy to judge is God. We are all filthy, we all come short of God’ glory. Let us seek to help each other out instead because we are in the same fight. Provide support to others, there is more blessings in doing that.  

In conclusion, Only God Can Judge Us...it's the truth. I have personally dealt with this situation before. I found myself being unable to forgive someone for something that I would typically do. I found myself in the place of the judge, exacting that they were wrong and that they need forgiveness. The goal of this blog is not to tell you to avoid talking to the brethren about their sins but it is more to address the conditions of our hearts when we seek to talk to others. We must lift others instead of pulling them down. When talking to others, let it come from a place of love. We can become so self-righteous sometimes…Let us continue to pray for a surrendered heart.