July 23 , 2007

Is It Judgment or Holy Spirit Conviction?

The scripture taken from Matthew 7:1-5: Do Not Judge Others-“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others.[a] The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.[b] 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye[c] when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend,[d] ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite!

First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye, continues to be one I hear more and more coming from Christians concerned that they are being judged by someone else. It always causes me to pause. I wonder what is going on with them that is so important that they think someone is judging them. I guess I come from the other side of that. The one that says I should live my life before men in a way that glorifies my father, which art in heaven.

If I am doing that what do I give anyone to judge. To often this verse is being used as our smoke screen to continue in our bad behavior. But in Romans 6:1-2 the bible says, 1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

If you feel like people are judging you ask yourself, what do I think people are judging? My lifestyle, where I live, what I look like, my attitude? What? Have I inadvertently said or done something that would cause people to pause and question? I know that people sometimes wrongfully judge those that are less fortunate. I know that people sometimes wrongfully judge those that do not look like we do. But I am challenging the people of God to assess their situation. Why do you think people are judging you? Is there anything that you are doing that is causing or adding to the situation? I know that we are not to judge, but I encourage us as the people of God to live righteously before men so that God will be glorified.

So what am I saying? I am saying to my Christian brothers and sisters let’s give ourselves a check up and make sure we are not doing or saying things that fuel the fires of gossip and judgment. Then take the time to figure out whether what we are experiencing is judgment or Holy Spirit Conviction. The Holy Spirit living in side of each one of us ought to be strong enough to convict sin, without anyone ever saying a word.

Many times when I have heard my Christian brothers or sisters complaining about being judged it has been based on someone sharing the Word of God. They have made a decision to live contrary to the Word and then feel they are being judged because someone brings it up. As Christians the Word of God is the only standard that we have to live by. Ask yourself if you are being judged or Holy Spirit convicted. Many of us don’t want anyone to tell us when we are out of order, because we want to continue to live the way we do. If you cannot hear it from your brother or sister in the Lord, turn your heart and spirit to hear from the Lord. Don’t get upset if God brings the word of conviction through the preacher, pastor, teacher, co-worker or a TV commercial. Recognize that God can use any means He chooses to use to get your attention, because He is God. Don’t try to excuse it away and don’t shoot the messenger, heed the message.

Because someone looked at you does not mean that they are judging you. Because he or she is not interested in you does not mean that they are judging you as unworthy. Because someone shares a scripture with you does not mean they were attempting to get you straight. Their focus may not have been on you.

Have you ever heard a sermon preached and thought the pastor or preacher was speaking to you? They don’t know you well enough to be judging you so you have to assume God put that in them to share. How you perceive it is between you and God, but don’t skip past the fact that He might be sending you a message. If it seems personal maybe it is but make a distinction between the judging of others and the righteous judgment of God, aka Holy Spirit conviction. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict God’s people and to chastise His people when they are out of order. The reason He chooses to draw us unto Himself is because we are His children and He loves us.

Would you do any less for your children? He loves us and wants to get us out of any situations that we have created for ourselves. God has the right to do this because He is our father. Ask yourself based on what the Word of God says whether you are being judged by man or convicted by the Holy Spirit. As Christians we have to stop, getting mad or upset or jumping on people when God is really convicting us.

Am I living according to your standards Lord or have I set my own? Is God honored by what I am doing and how I am living? Have I begun to treat my bible like a book and begun to pick and choose which verses of scripture I will obey and which ones I will skip over. Ignorance and blame will not save us from God’s righteous judgment.
Listen and obey the Word of the Lord.

  Weekly Scripture:

Romans 6:1-2: Sin’s Power Is Broken 
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? (Read Chapter 6 in it’s entirety.)

We just worked out spiritually. If you have not worked out your physical temple get up and put your video in or go for a walk, but do something. Remember to work out at least 3 times per week (20-30 minutes per day) to experience a New Beginning physically. Work out to music, workout and pray. Just workout.

For further discussion contact angela@mynewtemple.org or write to us on the message board