TODAY’S SCRIPTURE John 12:44-50
“The one who rejects Me and does not receive My words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” (John 12:48)
The favorite Scripture of unbelievers is “Judge not, that you be not judged”
(Matthew 7:1). Christians are not to judge motives; we do not have that ability. We are not to usurp God’s prerogative and attempt to pronounce final judgment. We need to be humbly conscious of our own faults and avoid the habit of harsh judgment.
Actions and doctrines, however, are subject to judgment. Some actions, like helping widows and orphans, are good; some, like stealing and idolatry, are evil. We are to discern the difference. In the same sermon in which Jesus says, “Judge not,” He also tells us to recognize false prophets by their teaching. The criterion for judging actions and teaching is Scripture, the God-breathed Word (2 Timothy 3:16).
People sometimes accuse Christians of condemning them when all they are doing is living by the Word. “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Hebrews 11:7). When we do what is right, those who continue in sin feel judged by our right-doing. People who drink alcohol, for example, feel compelled to push a drink on all non-drinkers, so they can feel better about their drinking.
Sex between two unmarried teenagers, sex with a person married to another, sex between people of the same sex are all declared by New Testament Scripture to be sin, along with murder, strife, envy, and such like (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 6:19-21). It is the function of the Word as law to show sin to be sin (Romans 7:7).
When we sin, the Word judges and convicts us.
If we accept God’s gift of grace by a living obedient faith, Jesus Christ pays the penalty for our sins and we escape judgment. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).
Today I will…be reminded of the importance of eternal life in Christ and the reality of judgment. I will pray for someone I know who is not a Christian, and I will pray that God will give me an opportunity to share His Word with that person.
