Beloved, Iam glad to share with you today on the next window of the temple of truth, namely charity. We have just completed with the exhortations which complete to characterize the justice of the kingdom of heaven and the conduct of the children of God. Indeed, just as the believer must show in his dealings with the Eternal God a simple and upright heart and does not seek to serve two masters, but who confides in the heavenly Father, likewise, in his relations with the next the believer must show the same simplicity and righteousness and be animated by this charity “which does not suspect evil and does not rejoice in injustice, but who excuses everything, believes everything, and hopes for everything. “
For this, the Lord Jesus forbids his disciples to be judges of their brothers, which they can do only by forgetting their own sins and putting themselves in the place of God, to whom only judgment belongs.
For this, the Lord Jesus forbids his disciples to be judges of their brothers, which they can do only by forgetting their own sins and putting themselves in the place of God, to whom only judgment belongs. We continue here the reformation of religious life introduced by the Savior and it is in these terms that he said in Matt 7.1-5: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 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.”
I. PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
Let us note from the outset that madness consists in being preoccupied with the faults and defects of others, while one is blinded by very great sins. This fact is unfortunately very widespread: indeed, it is the hypocrisy that comes out when you can not see the beam that blinds you; and yet you must first remove it in order to see, and then really, with delicacy and charity, remove the strand of straw from your brother’s eye.
This is what we read in the following verses: Matthew 7.6,15 :“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 15 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ” 1 Corinthians 5.12 :” What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” 1 Thessalonians 5.21 :”but test them all; hold on to what is good,”1 John 4.1 :” Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
- Self-examination is profitable
Lam 3:40 ” Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.”
Matt 7.5 “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.”
1 Cor 11.28 “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.”;
2 Cor 13.5 ” Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
- Man is enjoined to exercise mercy: Pro 3.3 ” Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”
Pro 11.17 ” Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.”
Micah 6.8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Matt 5.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Luke 6.36 “Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.”
- The reward of righteousness: Isa 35.4 : “say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Luke 14.14 “and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
II. IT IS FORBIDDEN TO JUDGE
-love is a duty and it is forbidden to judge: Rom. 2.1 ” You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” Pro 17.9 :” Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” Matt 7.3 :“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? ” Rom 15.1 :“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” Matt 7.1 :“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Rom 14: 4,13 :”Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.”
- the judgment is forbidden because:
-it is not in our power: Rom 14: 4 “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”
-It implies a certain presumption: James 4.12 “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?
-the last judgment : Matt 25.31-32 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” 2 Peter 2.9 “if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment”; 2 Peter 3.7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” 1 John 4:17 “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.”; Jude 14-15 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
– the spiritual purification is ordained: Isa 1.16 “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.” Jeremiah 4.14 “Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?”; Acts 22:16 ” And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” 2 Cor. 7.1 ” Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Tim 2.21 :”Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” James 4.8 :”Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” 1 John 3: 3 ” All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”
- the spiritual vision is important:
– given in answer to the prayer: 2 Kings 6.17 “And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
-the purity of the heart is essential to the spiritual vision: Matt 5.8 :”Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
– only believers have the spiritual vision: John 14.19 “Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”
-The Holy Spirit is the author of the spiritual vision: John 16:14 :”He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.”
-the spiritual vision uses the telescope of faith: Heb 11.27 “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.”
III. ATTITUDES TO AVOID
- the natural consequences of deceiving oneself:
-the sufficiency Gal 6.3 ” If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.”
- Inattentive Hearing: James 1.22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”;
-a language without brake: James 1.26 ” Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
-the bigotry: 1 John 1.8 ” If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
– spiritual poverty: Rev 3.17 “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
- the rewards of evil:
Isa 59.18 ” According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.” Ezekiel 7.4 ” I will not look on you with pity; I will not spare you. I will surely repay you for your conduct and for the detestable practices among you. “ ‘Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” 2 Thes 1.6 ” God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you”;
- the madness of one’s own justice
Pro 20.6 ” Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” Pro 30:12 ” those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;” 2 Cor 10.12 ” We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
- lack of love
1 John 1.6 “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”; Matt 7.4 “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?”
- Examples of hypocrisy (this is an element always present in false religions):
Matt 15.7 “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:”
Matt 22.18 ” But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?”
Matt 23.13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”
Matt 24:51 “He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Luke 6.42 “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Luke 12.56 “Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?” Luke 13.14″ Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” John 12.6 “He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” Rom 16:18″ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”
It follows from the foregoing that the believer must show in his dealings with the Eternal God, a simple and upright heart that does not seek to serve two masters, but confides in the heavenly Father. Likewise, in his relations with the neighbor, the believer must show the same simplicity and the same righteousness and be animated by a charity that does not suspect evil and does not rejoice in injustice, but which excuses everything, believe everything, and hope everything. Our prayers to the Lord God rise for you all in this direction.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows :
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all worship, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be glad to respond to your queries and comments as necessary, before sharing with you next week on the next window of the temple of truth, namely the dispensation of the truth.
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you profusely.
David Feze, Servant of the Lord Almighty.