By Tope Banso
“If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31 New King James Version).
In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus warned against being judgmental. Jesus advised the hypocrites, who were trying to remove the specks in the eyes of others, to first remove the log in their own eyes. A log is much bigger than the specks. Nobody, including those judging others, is perfect.
Instead of putting up a holier-than-thou attitude, judgmental people should be more concerned about the log in their own eyes than the specks in the eyes of other people. I’m sure with a log in their eyes, they can’t actually see clearly!
A judgmental attitude is a negative attitude. It’s an attitude that judges or criticizes others’ conduct, not essentially with the mindset of helping them become better, and not because such a person can do better. A judgmental person does not build up others, but destroys what is good in them.
While God doesn’t want us to be judgmental, He has asked us to judge ourselves. In 1 Corinthians 11:31, Paul says, “If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (New King James Version). Though Paul was talking about those who were eating the LORD’s Supper in an unworthy manner, the same principle can be applied to every aspect of believers’ lives. If we would judge ourselves, God would not have to judge us. In other words, if we would correct ourselves and do the right thing, God would not need to punish us.
Self-judgment is not talking about self-condemnation. If you’re born again, the Bible says there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Neither is judging yourself an attempt to attain self-righteousness. No. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Judging yourself is not tying to promote your works above the work of redemption Jesus did on the cross. It is examining yourself to ensure you’re walking in obedience to the Word of God. Jesus says if you love Him, obey His commandments (John 14:15).
That you’ve been saved by grace doesn’t mean you continue in sin. You cannot continue in sin that grace may abound (Romans 6:1). “We know that those who have become part of God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them” (1 John 5:18 New Living Translation).
As regards the LORD’s Supper, Paul says if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the LORD unworthily, he is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the LORD. Therefore, each person should examine himself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.
“For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30 New Living Translation). God’s judgment upon those who ate the LORD’s Supper unworthily manifested in weakness, sickness and untimely death. Self-judgment and doing the right thing would have averted God’s judgment.
God’s warning always precedes God’s judgment. Everyone God judged in the Bible, He first warned. He warned Cain, the generation of Noah, Solomon, Nineveh, etc. God told Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:6-7 New King James Version). If Cain had listened to God and judged himself, he wouldn’t have murdered his brother, Abel, and God wouldn’t have put him under a curse.
Leave the judgment of others to those who have been assigned the duty to do so, and to God. Face your life. Examine yourself to see where you’re wrong and judge yourself. Don’t wait for God to examine you and judge you. Don’t bring judgment upon yourself by not judging yourself. “But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32 New King James Version). Judge yourself correctly, rightly or properly
PRAYER POINT: Father, help me to judge myself correctly and do the right thing.
This is wisdom for living, and it’s worth sharing. Please share.
(For more inspiring messages, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
▪ Banso heads the Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, and cab reached at cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com; Tel No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947