The Judgements We Have Judged Will Be Judged

How long has it been since our Lord, Jesus, ascended into heaven? How many men since that time have made judgements concerning the teachings of Jesus and the way a Christian aught to live out their faith?

Many men—in Christ there is no male or female, so for simplicity’s sake, I say men—have made judgements. More judgements than we might number.

I am certain that many judgements were made with honorable intention. The Lord knows. We cannot judge the hearts of man. However, it must also be true that many judgements were made by many corrupt men.

As Christians, we are expected to use that which we were given by the Holy Spirit of God to make sound judgments: judgements that instruct us in how we might “occupy” until our King returns as those who love God, love the brethren, and love our neighbors of all sorts. We are also told that the saints will judge the world. The saints will judge angels (messengers). Messengers…like pastors, prophets, apostles who come in the name of the Lord, Jesus?

Is it a big deal if I make some judgements of my own?

People want sure words from a prophet. People want signs and wonders. I can’t give that. I’m not sure I would if I could. However, I can exercise righteous judgement to the degree it is given to me by the Holy Spirit, familiarity with scripture, and a growing relationship with Jesus.

I would like to be able to say, “The Lord says,” but I cannot. Many have.

Many men have said, “The Lord says,” but has He?

Has the Lord said, “You must worship on Saturday or Sunday?”

Has the Lord said, “You must refrain from all music during worship?”

Has the Lord said, “You cannot celebrate Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, or any other holiday?”

Has the Lord said, “You cannot wear shirt sleeves that go above the elbow?”

Has the Lord said, “Women and men must wear their hair a certain length?”

Has the Lord said, “Your denomination is true. All others are false?”

Has the Lord said, “Affirm the doctrines of this one true church or be cast out?”

There are many such judgements, and my judgement is against such judgements. Why?

I do not think our Lord, Jesus, the author and bringer of the New Covenant—a covenant of liberty—would make judgements of “taste not, touch not, handle not.” Instead of law, we should trust in the Spirit to convict each person “according to their conscience” and let each be “persuaded in their own mind.”

I believe that as Christians, we are being prepared for a Kingdom—a Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ that will come to this earth one day. However, this Kingdom first comes “not with observation.” This Kingdom first comes “within you.”

As Christians, we seek to have our inner man transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ, because He IS the Kingdom. As Jesus and the disciples painstakingly taught, this is “good news” that frees us from all death. As Jesus and the disciples painstakingly taught, the Kingdom of Heaven is not contained by law, and man cannot enter in by law. Why? Law does nothing to make the inner man righteous.

Law is weak, unforgiving, and condemning, self-righteous, hypocritical, proud, and prone to envy, strife, and murder. Law sits in the seat of God, doing the work of God, elevating itself above God. We do not worship in the house of law—but the house of liberty in Jesus Christ—the house of His holy Kingdom in which real righteousness dwells which is “the temple not built with hands.” We, the body of Christ, are the temple of God. Jesus is our “Emmanuel” which is “God with us.”

Oh, how we have gone astray from the fundamentals of the Christian faith—joining ourselves with the “bond woman” who can make no man free, but only enslaves and devours!

There are many errors on the side of legalism—too many to number.

There are also many errors that take advantage of liberty, and these most likely came into being due to the overly legalistic churches that came beforehand. The pendulum swings both ways. Back and forth. Back and forth. Getting further and further away from that perfect mark which is Jesus Christ. It is a shame.

Many men have said, “the Lord says,” but has He?

Has the Lord said, “Love means that we never judge sin. We should accept everyone just as they are without leading them away from sin?”

Has the Lord said, “Mankind is innately good and contains God within them. Man is immortal?”

Has the Lord said, “All religions are acceptable paths to God; we should accept all as good?”

There are many such judgements, and my judgements are against these judgements. Why?

Forgiveness and grace should never be used as a copout for sin. Likewise, our legalism and hinderance of the Spirit of God should not be replaced by the spirits of devils and New Age Christianity.

Love-so-called that calls sin acceptable is not love. Love-so-called that makes righteousness a sin is not love. Love-so-called that loves man more than God is not love. Love-so-called that does not lead a person to Jesus alone for salvation is not love.

Being “spiritual” by practicing Hinduism and Buddhism does not draw one closer to God, but further away from Him with nonsense like the Law of Attraction, chacra healing, and opening the Pineal Gland—which is NOT the seal of God. That teaching is a dangerous lie.

The Holy Spirit provides the seal of God.

The Holy Spirit rebukes sin. The spirits of devils tolerate it. The Holy Spirit brings humility and contentedness. The spirits of devils promise power and encourages greed. The Holy Spirit says that Jesus alone is God and man is mortal. The spirits of devils say that Man is God and Man is immortal. Many such delusions there are!

Oh, how we have gone astray from the fundamentals of the Christian faith—joining ourselves with spirits and miracles of devils which can build no man up in the true Spirit of God, but instead seduce many to the gates of hell and death.

There are many errors that excuse sin. There are many errors that call evil good and good evil. There are many errors that replace the Holy Spirit of God with the spirits of devils.

What a mess all of this is, right?

There are problems with the way we do church. Has the Lord said that you must sit and listen to one exalted figure talk for an hour or two each week? Has the Lord said that His Spirit can be contained only by the beloved ministers of God? Has the Lord said that we need man to stand in the gap for us as intercessors to God in place of Jesus Christ? Has the Lord said that we must meet in a building and expend riches on this building, the men who run it, and the system that robs the poor? Has the Lord said that our man-made buildings are the “house of God.” No.

There are problems with our ideas of Christian suffering. Has the Lord said that Christians should never suffer? Has the Lord said that Christians who do well are to be blessed in riches in this world? Has the Lord said that Christians who do well will not become sick or suffer tragedy? Has the Lord said that all evil that comes upon a Christian is a direct result of their own sin, therefore they are to blame? No.

There is much corruption in the church, so what is left but to start an online ministry that discusses these many problems, leads people to the real Christian faith, and condemns all others as “fake” Christians? I speak sarcastically.

There are many who, in their zeal, forget the patience and mercy of God. There are many who take advantage of the lost and lonely Christian, lure them in by claiming to have all the answers, then turn them into shadows of themselves and disciples of their kingdom.

This is just the surface of much depths of deception that have been wrought by the corrupt judgments of many men—many Christian men.

There is so much. Too much to be said. This does not even begin to touch on Christian doctrine. Arguing over secondary doctrines is largely responsible for our unrighteous judgments that lead to all manner of being “drunken” and “smiting our fellow servants.”

I understand why it is more important to focus on the things that will live than it is to focus on the things that are passing away. There is just too much. It can become consuming, and there are temptations that go along with considering faults within the faith. Temptations to self-righteousness, hypocrisy, anger, lack of patience and faith, and pride.

Yet, I know that when Jesus returns, He will not be as one who bears our sins, but as one who brings judgement—because for all our “The Lord says,” He HAS NOT SAID. Is it futile, vain, or foolish to attempt to discuss these matters? Maybe.

What has the Lord said? What is good and true? What should we really focus on?

I am thankful that the truth of the gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is simple.

Though we must be held accountable for the judgements we have made in the name of Jesus, His mercy abounds just as sure as ever. I believe that those who put their trust in the blood of the Lamb that was slain will be forgiven. Those who really love Him are known by Him, and He will not lose a single person who He has redeemed. Not one. He will teach us sound judgement, love of mercy, and the humility needed to receive more of Himself.

I am thankful that He knows our frame. He knows that in our desire to find Him and to be pleasing to Him, we have made many kings that stand where the King of Kings should stand. He will forgive it—yet—He will destroy all things that are standing in between us and Him.

Man has made many judgements, and it is our Christian duty to do so, but Jesus has the final say. He will judge what we did with the faith. Will we hear, “well done good and faithful?” That is what we want. Let us consider how we can be more faithful.

The corrupt judgments of man and the many things that have been birthed by these judgments will be judged, and they will of a necessity come crashing down: our denominations, our Christian seminaries, our church buildings, our online ministries, our pride, our greed, our envy, our backbiting, our lying, our wrathfulness—all things that rob Christians and the world at large of Jesus and His Kingdom.

When this happens, do not lose faith. Trust in Jesus. Each individual can repent according to their conscience, find mercy, and trust that though things seem to be falling apart, the Lord is near and He does not despise us in our affliction. Just as God the Father heard the Son when He cried out to Him, so will the Son hear us. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Those who fall away due to this fear are more like the “son of perdition.” I trust that fate is not for any sincere believer, regardless of their sin.

However, though Jesus is near, the false Christ is near too. So is his whore church. Both are at work, even now. “The beast that was and was not and yet is” will come, and many Christian systems will join in.

The pressure to conform to the ways of the false christ will come full force, and in many ways, Christians have welcomed him already in spirit. We do not fully know what that will look like, but we can get an idea by looking at our current failings. So, fear God, but also trust in His promises to honor the sacrifice of His Son.

I do not accuse any Christian. I do not want to see any Christian fall away or find themselves condemned. I would rather see repentance, a turning back to Jesus more fully and a remembrance of the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, and trust that endures the overthrow of our failings within the faith. All things are for our good—even the painful things. Especially the painful things.

In conclusion, there is a Kingdom to pursue: a Kingdom not made by the hands of man and one that cannot be corrupted by the poor judgements of man. This Kingdom is of Jesus Christ: He who brings liberty to the captives and oppressed, healing to the sick, joy to the downtrodden, thankfulness and contentedness to the poor, peace to the heathen, judgement and wisdom to the fools, and life to the dead.

Though this Kingdom comes to this earth once the Wicked one is revealed and destroyed, we can seek this Kingdom now. The more Jesus rules our hearts, the more we see results that resemble New Jerusalem within us. We need no light other than Jesus. There are fruits of healing. There is a water of life. Nothing will enter our hearts that corrupts us. We will be with Jesus and we will be as He is.

There is nothing better to pursue in this life. There is nothing more worth sacrificing ourselves for. There is nothing more worth sacrificing the pleasures of sin for. There is nothing more worth sacrificing our corrupt attempts at establishing this kingdom ourselves.

Bring yourself to Jesus, and though we cannot make sacrifice for our sin, we can offer ourselves as a “living sacrifice” which is our “reasonable service.”  Truly, this Kingdom is the “pearl of great price.” Keep going. Keep seeking. Let no man rob you.

There are many things that would rob us of the Kingdom, but these things will be “trodden under foot of man” because they are built upon sand. Let’s stand firm in the simplicity of Jesus Christ and His gospel, which provides us with a sure foundation that will never waiver.