j****ment

i think judgement is a really key idea, and lots of bad stuff happens when there is no judgement.

i also think that it is a fundamental way to discern how things should be. those that proclaim that we shouldn't judge, are doing themselves a disservice (err, sp?) and make it difficult for themselves to get on with life.

to flesh this idea out, here's what would happen if we were not allowed to judge ever again:

1. i would start with not judging my own deeds, and give myself the capacity to do whatever i liked. there would be no introspection, and no room for sanctification.

2. i'd be prohibited from caring about what kind of friends i make, which means i'd be prey to abusive friends just because i'd be not allowed to be a good judge of character.

3. i'd find that the more extreme minorities of the earth that say, glorify murder, paedophilia, racism and all other shades of evil, i would have to just let them run rampant in my society without even a opinion on the moral backlash, because oh yeah, that involves judgement.

4.there'd be no such thing as criminals.

5.friends that you could have talked out of a bad idea, now have no other choice but to run with their bad desicions and go down in flames, because there'd be no discernment allowed between good or bad actions.

when God calls for people not to judge, it is because we go over the top for the most part in our judgements. but God wants us to judge, only, start with yourself first.

"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."

there are also times to acknowledge when you cannot judge, that is sure. that is why the command "do not judge" is there in the bible. for the judge-mental. i think it's in us to want to judge when it is not necessary, or healthy, like judging non christians for example - if a person is not a christian, what reason or motivation could they possibly have to seek a godly life? those that do not live a godly life while not being christians is not something to be judged, but is actually something to be expected.

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?"

it is a good idea to know who the supreme judge is in all situations, especially in the situations that are not up to us. we have to give up those fights to God, who will battle on our behalf. the bible allows God to judge when all is said and done.

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord."

getting away with things scot-free doesn't exist because of God and that can be comforting to those who find the world to be a mass of injustice. however, it is also an affront to those who feel, in their own heart, that they have done nothing wrong. but hold on, doesn't that require some kind of self-judgement to come to the conclusion that 'you're alright, really' in the first place? what gave you the desire to evaluate whether you are good or not?? this underlines the idea that most people are actually quite okay with judging, so long as the judgement is one that doesn't step on our own toes. the closer we are to God, the less painful judgement becomes, especially judgement of ourselves, because the gap lessens between what we think of ourselves and what God thinks of us, and he allows us to slip more comfortably into his way of thinking. he never meant us to feel down about judgement.

"i have not come to condemn the world, but to save the world"

he meant it as a means to describe how much he loves us. when we put our trust in jesus for forgiveness of our sins, God judges us as if he were judging jesus, so he judges us innocent, and he judges jesus as if he were judging us, meaning Jesus becomes guilty for us.

not very many people love people that are consistently an irritant, annoyance or an enemy.

"while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"

his judgement is there as a persuasion to call out to him, a call to be saved, a call to be in his arms. a call to accept someone who has the greatest entitlement to judge, but is actually more willing to forgive, love, and bless instead.