How to Judge and Not Be A Jerk – by Christian author and speaker Trevor Lund

Publisher: Expectancy Press

Category: Religion : Christian Life – Inspirational

Release Date: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-9812775-5-4

978-0-9812775-6-1 (e-book)

Editions: Booklet, 4×6, 36 pages; e-book

Price: $4.99/booklet; $39.99/10 booklets; $0.99/e-book

What It’s All About:

The Bible has a lot of statements about judging that at first glance can seem contradictory. Learn the secret to discerning, deciding and how not to condemn. Follow the Father’s footsteps and treat others as He treats us. It’s not an easy walk, but one worth the effort.

How can I honor all people? How do I honor in conflict? Can I honor when there has been sin? Is it possible to honor and still excommunicate?

This booklet is a primer to help you think the Father’s thoughts about judging and enable you to work out its implications on your life.

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Available only from Expectancy Press

Excerpt from the message

Download audio file (fightingwithhonor.mp3)

Look Inside

About the Author:

Trevor Lund is a Christian Speaker, Author and Lead Dreamer for Expectancy Ministries. He lives with his beautiful wife and kids in Edmonton Canada and blogs at RevTrev.com

As we continue in examining what the what the writer of Hebrews calls “milk” we’ve looked at Repenting from Evil
Deeds, Placing our Faith in God, Baptisms, theLaying on Of Hands, and the Resurrection of the Dead. Now we’ll look at what we know about the Eternal Judgement.

The first time Jesus came He didn’t come to condemn. He didn’t come to judge. So you and I don’t have any right to judge anyone outside the church. He didn’t come to condemn the world so how can we? We also can’t judge another’s servant. Since those inside the church are God’s servants not ours, we can’t condemn them either. If this seems hard for you I’ve written “How to Judge and Not be A Jerk.” (Find it on Expectancy Press.)

One day Jesus is returning to judge the living and the dead and make all things right. It’s not for us to stand on the street corner and call on people to repent because this is what’s in store for you. It’s the kindness of God that leads people to repentance.

We need to be be filled with the love of God and the power of God and go out into the streets and show people His grace and mercy and power and have them encounter God face to face through us. They need to see His passion, His power, His love so they can respond and repent and start on the milk of the word so they can move onto the meat.

That’s our responsibility when we think about the judgement that’s coming. It is coming. But I’m sick and tired of Christians being satisfied with letting the world go to hell.

Too often we talk about eternal judgement and vindicate our inaction or guilt ourselves into taking on a “project”. I’ve found when I encounter our living God, no one can keep me from sharing it with others.

It’s not evangelistic programs we need, it’s the power and presence of God.

How does Eternal Judgement motivate you? Do you really think it’s forever?

Love the controversy. Share your thoughts today.

photo credit: Sabby3000

How to Judge and Not Be A Jerk - Episode #8 – RevTrev Radio

Download audio file (RTRadio1_8.mp3)

How to Judge and Not Be A Jerk – Part 1

There is so much self-righteous misinformation and confusion around judging that we need to take a serious look at it. I’m so passionate about this topic that I’ve written a booklet with the same name. You can order the full sermon as well, or just take some time to listen to this week and next week’s podcast. This is important information not just to know, but to know how to live out in a world that is quick to tear down.

Listen to the message and share your questions and comments below. I know this is controversial, but I also know I need to practice what I’m preaching before I expect others to do the same, so I’ll be nice.

Enjoy!

Truth:

How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? Psalm 116:12 (New International Version)

Thought:

I don’t consider myself a modern thinker. I’m resistant to the labels others try to force on me.  I think about webs of relationships, not linear cause-and-effect. I can hold multiple conflicting thoughts without any angst. And I’m a follower of Christ.

I know this makes some people nervous. However, I’m believing that from post-post-modernity the greatest theologians in history will emerge.

I do have a problem with the way many people, especially those with my thinking process, carry out truth. We can believe something is true, but it doesn’t make a difference in our lives. Truth doesn’t matter if we don’t work out its implication into our lives. If it doesn’t matter, can it be true?

Let me give you an example.

Ask anyone to create a scale of goodness. Pick a spot on the wall – the top is good, the bottom is bad. Tell them to choose an example for the bottom – it’ll be someone like Hitler. Ask them to have an example for the top – Mother Teresa will usually come up.  Ask them where they think the average person in the world is on the continuum and depending on their view of life, the average will be anywhere from the middle of the scale or slightly below, up to halfway or to the top or slightly more.

Now, ask them to say where they are. We inevitably say we’re better than the average. (If you don’t think you are, you may have some issues with guilt. Read 1 John 1:9, then repent and know you’re forgiven.)

How can we all be better than average?

It is because we judge ourselves by our intention and judge everyone else by their actions.

Sorry news… the Bible tells us to judge goodness by what we do. Intentions are not good enough.  It’s not “being good’ that is important, it’s “doing good” that counts with God.

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.  Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:8-13 (New Living Translation)

So as we intentionally grow the fruit of goodness, we need to do “good”. We don’t need to feel “good”. We don’t need to think “good”. We need to do “good”.

And you already know what “good” is because you belong to the One who is Good.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Luke 6:31 (New International Version)

Who will you show goodness to today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for creating me the way I am. Thank You I was born for this time and created for eternity. Thank You so much for the goodness You’ve shown me. Thank You for Your forgiveness and mercy and provision and blessing. Empower me, Holy Spirit, to show that same goodness to someone today.

Challenge:

Treat everyone today, the way you would want to be treated. That includes the telemarketer that calls during supper and the unenlightened individual that cuts you off in traffic while he or she was talking on there mobile. Make it a habit… who knows where it could lead?

Declaration:

I choose to reflect the light of the Son to the side of the world that’s away from the Son. I choose to put on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

How can you refrain from condemning others and know how to deal with those who condemn you?

The answer to both questions is “honor”.

Church leaders tend to immediately love the idea of honor. With all the external influences on individuals spirituality, honor is hardly ever automatically given to them anymore.

But there’s a warning in Scripture about that attitude:

It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.
Proverbs 25:27 (New International Version)

And our Father gives us the path to receive honor:

Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
1 Samuel 2:30 (New International Version)

The Son confirms it:

My Father will honor the one who serves me.
John 12:26 (New International Version)

It’s best we understand honor to know how it enables us to both refrain from condemning others and to also know how to deal with those who condemn us. Let’s start with an accepted definition:

Honor is the evaluation of a person’s trustworthiness and social status based on that individual’s espousals and actions. Honor is deemed exactly what determines a person’s character: whether or not the person reflects honesty, respect, integrity, or fairness. ?< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor>

It’s natural to honor the honorable. The Bible confirms we are to honor those worthy of honor including the Father (Exodus 12:42) and the Son (John 5:23). But the Bible doesn’t let us off with living out such an ordinary definition of honor. I’ll explain more in the next post.

I’m really appreciating your comments. Keep them coming.

Let’s take a closer look at Matthew 7 to see what Jesus is really saying to His followers about judging. Peterson gives some insight into the passage with his transliteration of it.

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. Matthew 7:1-5 (The Message)

With this insight, have you condemned others? Is the Spirit convicting you of it? We can’t pick on others even when they’re wrong. If you have, deal with it now.

“Lord, I have agreed with others and the enemy by judging another. I now agree with you that it is wrong. Forgive me and help me to love with your love. With this sin covered by Your blood, I close the door to the tormentors assigned to me because of this sin. I renounce the spirit of judgment and spirit of criticism and I say to them ‘no more!’. I welcome the mind of Christ to indwell me and the Holy Spirit to convict me and to teach me. Lord, I thank you and I need you.”

If you can, go and ask for forgiveness. Do this only if they know you’ve unfairly condemned them. If they have no idea what you’ve thought or said, you’re not doing them any favour to bring it up and then ask for forgiveness.

In the next post we’ll deal with how to respond when you’ve been wrongly judged.

The Greeks had a word “krino”. It meant to, “discern,” “decide” and “condemn”. We most commonly translate “krino” into English as “judge”.

It’s easy for us to move from discernment to condemnation without any thought of it. But the Bible tells us not to be so hasty:

Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously. John 7:24 (Amplified Bible)

So how do we discern? How do we decide? And how do we condemn? Let’s start with discernment:

Spiritual discernment is how the Spirit shows the church or individuals what the Father wants them to do and be.

Discernment is more than just a skill. Discernment is a gift from God before it is anything else. Yet there are clearly skills you put to use when activating your gift, and you can become better at it through training and experience.

These are the main criteria the Bible gives us to look for when we discern a situation:

• Is it governed by love ? (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)?
• Does it center us onto Jesus the Christ and Lord ? (1 Corinthians 12:3)?
• Does it direct us to Scripture, not away from it ? (Isaiah 8:19, 20)?
• Does it builds up the church and its members ? (Ephesians 4:11-12)?

Discernment is a supernatural gift, and – as with all gifts of the Spirit – when it’s not done in love, it perverts into something ugly. People who use discernment without love are critical people. They easily condemn.

Love keeps discernment in its proper, life-giving place.

If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.
1 John 3:14 (New Living Translation)

Move in the gift of discernment. Here’s how:

We are told to “eagerly desire” spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:29, 14:1, 14:12 and 14:39). You operate in it by and through faith and in a continual attitude of worship. There is not space to draw this out further, so let’s simply summarize how to move in the gift of discernment:

• Eagerly desire discernment
• Operate in it by and through faith
• It’s activated in worship.

Gifts can come through impartation, so let’s move on to it right now. Have you been eagerly desiring discernment? It can be yours right now. Believe that you’ll receive this gift, then act on what He shows you.

Father, right here and now we impart the gift of discernment on those who read these words and who by faith and in love choose to act on the gift of discernment that You freely bestow. Lord, give them dreams, give them visions, give them a deep inner knowing. Empower them to speak out in faith and in love. Father, we ask also for the gifts of wisdom and knowledge needed to accompany discernment. Thank you for being a Good Father who gives good gifts to His children who ask.

Now listen to what the Father says. Don’t look at the situation to find solutions; look to see the Father’s will. The gift is yours. Stir it up. Use it. Impart it to others.

We’ll continue our discussion at ‘krino” next time by looking at “decision”.

_____

These thoughts come from How to Judge Without Being A Jerk by Trevor H. Lund.

Judging is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Bible. It’s confusing.

Jesus tells us not to judge.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
Matthew 7:1-2 (New Living Translation)

Paul says we’ll judge the angels, so judge between yourself.

Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 1 Corinthians 6:2-4 (New Living Translation)

Jesus says He’ll return to judge the world

But all who reject my message and me will be judged on the Day of Judgment by the truth I have spoken.
John 12:48 (New Living Translation)

But He also says He didn’t come to judge the world, and that He won’t judge those who hear Him but don’t obey Him.

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:17 (New Living Translation)

I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. ?John 12:47 (New Living Translation)

We’re told to test everything and hold to the good.

Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NIV)

By the same person who after talking about the retrobateness of culture in Romans 1, followed it up with this in Romans 2 -

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
Romans 2:1-4 (New Living Translation)

So with all of this confusion, I find most of us have the same idea about judging -

“You don’t judge me, and I’ll judge you when you deserve it.”

We need a better understanding of judging. We’ll get to that in the next post.