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

He who the Son sets free is free indeed. Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

If you think  you may be living “under the law” – if you’re attitudes can be characterized by Judgement over Grace, Works over Relationship, Shame over Identity there are a few easy steps for you to take.

1. Recognize What It Means to Be Born Again

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Living Translation)

2. Put Off Your Old Self

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 (New International Version)

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices Colossians 3:9 (New International Version)

3. Stay Free

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Galatians 5:1 (New Living Translation)

Let’s set it right and start living right.

“Heavenly Father. I confess to you the sin that seems to so easily trap me. You  know what it is. I’ll name it out loud to you in private. I have agreed with the enemy that I should have to pay for the sin. I know you’ve already paid the price and finished the work on the cross. You are the only One who could pay the price and make everything right. Show me how I can repent in thought and action. Help me live my life free from sin.”

Now you may need help to stop living under the law and break the Condemnation Cycle. I highly recommend Accountability Groups and if you’re interested to find out more there are pamphlets available for you, but maybe in the next post I’ll give you some Accountability Groups information.

The store will soon be up… contact me if you can’t wait.

I need to give a warning, and I’m not here to single anyone out. But I have heard it from many people and I confess, I’ve participated at times. We can’t allow it any longer in the Body.

Let’s go to a Bible story that’s rarely taught in Sunday School.

Genesis 9:18-28 (New Living Translation)

The sons of Noah who came out of the boat with their father were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham is the father of Canaan.) From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth.

After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard. One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers. Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked.

Noah was a righteous man. He was the last one God called “perfect”. It’s clear from Noah’s response later in the text that his son Ham was likely going to his brothers to laugh about the state of their “perfect” father. It was not a concerned “What do we do?” or else Noah would not have cursed Canaan. What Ham did was to further the shame of his father, and the curse was passed to his kids.

Children, stop doing this to your parents. Quit mocking them even in fun for their mistakes or idiosyncrasies. Adult children do this in front of their kids and don’t expect it to be returned upon them later in life. Your judgment of others limits your destiny. This is especially clear when children mock or try to shame their parents. I’m not old, but I’ve lived long enough to see children judge their parents the same way their parents judged their grandparents.

The lesson from this account isn’t just for covering up the mistakes of parents. It should be our model every time shame is exposed. We don’t make a joke about it. We don’t hold them up to judgment. We show them honor by not exposing their shame.

Incidentally, not exposing the shame of one who is fallen but who has repented is one of the most difficult things for a church leader to do. People want the details. But if they’re not part of the solution or part of the problem, to discuss the details is simply gossip. And if the individual has repented and is trying to make it right, their is no reason to expose their shame. The easy course is for the church leader to expose the sin and stop the vultures circling him or her. It’s easy enough to expose a dead corpse to the birds.

But our mandate is reconciliation and we cannot expose the shame of others to save ourselves from unfair judgments. If you’re a church leader, don’t worry. I’ll give you tools to honor those who have fallen and those who want to rip into you because you won’t play the gossip game. Stay tuned.

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.