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- RULES ON JUDGEMENT
-
- DO NOT JUDGE IN THE FOLLOWING
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- 1. OFFICIOUSLY OR MAGISTERIALLY
-
- This is which lies outside the prerogrative of the
- privite individual: this assuming such authority over others
- as we would not allow them to exercise over us, since our
- rule is to be:
-
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- "subject one to another and be clothed
- with humility......" I Pet 5:5
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- We are required to by the scriptures to judge of
- things, and persons too, as we meet them in the sphere of
- OUR duty. But to judge what lies OUTSIDE of our path and
- providence is forbidden
-
- "Study to be quiet and do your own
- business....." I Thess 4:11
-
- This can be said quite simply, we are not to go outside of
- our legitimate sphere, which is to take upon ourselfs judge-
- ments outside of our path and providence.
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- 2. PRESUMPTUOUSLY
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- This that judgement that takes place based upon any
- of the following, "suspicions", "unconfirmed rumors", and
- "motivies" of others.
-
- "Who art thou that judgest another
- man's servant ? to his own master he
- standeth or falleth." Rom 14:4
-
- To judge a bothers motives presumptuously is in the same
- league as satan, the accusor, when he presumptuously judged
- Job's future actions if God would remove the protective
- hedge from around him and allow him to touch Job.
-
- "....touch all that he hath, and
- he will curse Thee to Thy face."
- Job 1:11
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- 3. HYPOCRITICALLY
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- This form of judgement is layed before us in a few
- short verses after the command "Judge not that ye not be judged"
- It is directed at those who are quick to detect minor faults in
- thier brethern while blind or unconcerned about graver sins on
- thier own part. Such twofacedness is most reprehensible in the
- sight of God and to all right-minded people too. Paul expounded
-
- "Therefore you are inexcusable O man,
- whosoever thou art that judgest: for
- wherein thou judgest another, thou
- commemnest thyself, for thou that
- judgest doest the same things."
- Rom 2:1
-
- The example given of Samuel's and David's encounter bears this
- out far to truthly. II Sam 12:1--11
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- 4. HASTILY OR RASHLY
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- The command is given over clearly in John 7:24;
-
- "Judge not according to appearance, but
- judge righteous judgement."
-
- Can an righteous judgement be made on ungrounded reports or
- rumors ? God in judging man on many occasions came down to
- "SEE" before he passed judgement. The examples of the "Tower
- of Bable" and that of "Sodom and Gomorrah" attest to this.
- So we in our judgment must make an full investigation and
- obtain clear proof of the report which we have heard to be
- true before passing sentance in our minds on the offender.
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- 5. UNWARRANTLY
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- In God's Word certian things are to be commended,
- certian things are to be condmned. Yet still there is another
- area or class which the Scripture passes no verdict. To cond-
- mne someone on or for useing such things is to be "righteous
- over much" (Eccles 7:16). The offences of the saints at Rome
- very much as the above brought reprove from Paul. These were
- over eating meat. Rom 14:13--23.
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- 6. UNJUSTLY OR UNFAIRLY
-
-
- How often do we look at those traits or actions in
- others, fixing our attention only on those things which we
- know to be unfavourable and ignoring all those which are favor-
- able ? It is the lack of FACTS that has produced many unfair
- and cruel judgements to be passed down by the most well mean-
- ing. It is equally unjust to censure one who has SINCERELY
- done his or her best, simply because it falls short of what we
- THINK and what SATISFIES US. Much of the unjust judgement comes
- from two areas namely those of bitterness, revenge, and the
- disire to do mischief.
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- 7. UNMERCIFULLY
-
- We are not to go so far on one hand to allow things
- which are not right to go unnoticed. We are to apply the law of
- charity (love) so as to be constructive in our judgements of
- others. We are not to go about with our eyes closed to sin, nor
- wink at it when we see it, yet it is equally wrong to hunt for
- something to condemn. We are so prone to err in areas of that
- seem gray in nature. Here there is real danger of calling light
- darkness. It is an area where great caution and prayer should be
- excerised. We are not to make a man an offender for a word or
- harbour suspicions where there is NO evidence. Many have done
- satan's work out of personal jealousy and ill will in this area,
- with out the slightest sign of mercy. Our efforts are to be
- REDEMPTIVE in nature savoured with love and mercy !!
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- Acknowledgement and thanks to A. Pink author
-
- of "An exposition of the Sermon on the Mount
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- Pages 260--274"
-