JUDGEMENT
Let’s address the term ‘‘judgement’. I am obligated as a Jesus follower to exegete the New Testament text in order to dispel undue judgements by which the error born in misunderstanding the coherency of the New Testament text brings great confusion.
I witness hasty and lusty acts of judgements by “Christians” who are given the divine commission to preach the *GOSPEL*, not the damnation.
The illusory sense of ‘duty’ to ‘call those out of their sin lest they go to hell’ is exposed by the doctrines of Grace and Election. That is, how do we know who is going where, when and how with God? Jesus made it clear to His disciples to not judge others who are doing another work for God:
Luke 9:49: “Master, said John, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us. *Do not stop him, Jesus said, for whoever is not against you is for you”. Secondly, is it not God who calls us out and not the flesh of another?
(For a germane study of “exorcism” one might find themselves finding only valid examples in the first century Christian era and based on their cultural anomaly. Many doctoral theses have been written on this subject matter such as Dr. Graham Twelvetree’s works on “Jesus, the Exorcist”. As for me, I believe that the exorcisms were for a time in order to show the power of Christ and His disciples and Apostles in order to confirm the Church. I do NOT believe that this exists today).
Maybe this could work if we just all call out each other all day long. But, I see a much cleaner and more holy approach. That approach is found in the understanding that we are ordained as the elect to be put into sinful bodies and ‘come to be’ as Christ through these mortal senses to a renewed Sense that supervenes the mortal sense. Did Jesus not come to Baptize with fiery trials while the Holy Spirit confirms us in this true Baptism? Are we not coming to our senses through problems overcome in the understanding to simply ‘let it go’. Doesn’t the words, “God has Willed it” bring any peace?
Did not Romans 9:16 make it clear that it is not of anyone who ‘wills’ but of God who shows mercy? How can the ‘church’ see the substance of the infinite Christ when the gates of Heaven are presented shut due to their sin? Is not the Kingdom of God within us (Luke 17:21 – “The Kingdom of God is within you” – Jesus) ? Then why the ‘kingdom of closed doors’ being preached then? —-because ‘humans’ create a ‘christendom’ that is a failure. They shut out the oppressed, the fatherless, the widow, the poor, the downtrodden. They respect the outward appearance, the rich, etc., but “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7. Again, this is ‘judging’ one another based on what the victim would only ‘choose’ not to be if they could. Who would ‘choose’ to be any of the downtrodden of Matthew 5? Yet, Jesus said they are all blessed. Who would ‘choose’ to be successful? — all of us. No one wants to suffer…but that is exactly what God has chosen us to do.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”.
If Jesus is Lord and the Lord Jesus is not willing that any should perish are any going to perish?
The works of the flesh and the flesh will surely suffer unto destruction.
Ontologically ({Greek:ontos=be + -ology = study of} study of ‘being’, ‘being in time’, ‘being over time’, etc.), we are all horrid ( Romans 3:1-ff). If you are of age, would you like to live with your 20 year-younger self? How about your last month’s self? – No! Could you live with yourself now for eternity with all your prejudices and ignorance? No! We change every day. We are predetermined before this world to become more and more like Christ until that Day of redemption (Romans 8:28-31). We are becoming a *different being* every day. We are ‘coming to be’ into the likeness of God’s Son, Jesus. That is, perfection.
If it is God who is working in us to do His will and to do His work according to HIS good pleasure (Philippians 2:13) then what are you doing judging another? Are you not judging God? What ‘goodness’ did you generate in your naturally fallen state to ‘choose’ a good thing? Romans 3-ff makes it clear that we are naturally damnable. Ephesians 2:3 makes it clear that ‘we (the Christians) were at one time ‘children of wrath’ *by our nature*. That we, at one time, deserved wrath (Greek:“orge”-‘rage’ {mature context alert: ‘orgasm’, ‘to blow out with fury’}). But, WHO saved us from that according to HIS works and not ours? The bragging rites get smaller and smaller when we find in Ephesians 1:4 and following that God chose us before the foundation of the world, knowing us, predetermining our salvation, etc. We find the same message in Romans 8:28 and following all through Romans 9.
What am I saying? I do not believe that the “Gospel” is one of judgment from God upon us. I believe the Good News are the words of Salvation that one can go preach. I do not believe that we render ‘goodness’ by spreading the news of damnation. Would a good husband tell his wife, “if you don’t obey me I’m going to divorce you”?
Would a good marriage be contingent upon the act of the other? Let’s ask it like this: Does we love God in selfish fear that we will be damned if we don’t? Do we love God because we are in Love? Do we love God because we have a true relationship?
Below this paragraph is Jesus talking through the prophet Hosea more than 700 years before His ministry on earth! Keep in mind that ritual observances, laws, festivals and ordinances were the vehicle by which a relationship with God was kept, though, the Spirit was always there:
Hosea 2:16 (ca. 730 B.C.) – “And it shall be in that Day, Saith the Lord, That you will call me ISHI (my beloved Husband) and no longer call ME Ba’al (Owner/ Master)—-“
Is this not the definition of ‘free’ to ‘will’ the Husband’s love? Is this not the chain that is broken from the shackles of law, property ownership (chattel)? Why would anyone return to a “husband” who claimed property ownership over you by the law?! Why would anyone not run into the arms of the most gracious Husband who wants nothing more but a relationship? Read Solomon for the analogues of that kind of relationship.
Finally, the LOGOS, the WORD, the CHRIST who became flesh and dwelt among us in John 1 was TheDiscerner, The Judgement, The Distinguisher. As “Logos” had its humble origins as to mean: “collocate”, “collect”, “categorize” logs, wood branches, etc. Yes, you read it right. It meant to ‘judge the sizes, shapes, weight, etc. of wood in order to distinguish which logs would be best for what purpose (fire, building, dams, weapons, etc.). The Latin gives us the root for ‘discerner’ as in: ‘dis’ = ‘apart’ + ‘cerno’ = ‘sieve’. That is, ‘to discriminate, to set apart. “Distinguish” used ‘dis’ the same plus “stinguere” which meant ‘to prick’. To stab, tabulate by pricking, etc. Finally, “judgement” in the Greek has many forms. Diakrino meant “divide asunder” or “set apart”. This ‘divide’ is His pricking the flesh, His eliminating the ego, His tabulating when it is time to act for our sakes a good judgment. Did God not put Job through ‘judgement’? Did Job earn this “judgement”? – NO!. God loved Job/ Loves Job. This true Love necessitates that the flesh must get out of the way from the Wife and Husband. She and He must draw nearer.
