Thou Shall Not Judge. Are Christians Called To Judge?

WEBVTT100:00:00.600 --> 00:00:05.799I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours. Send Me,200:00:06.160 --> 00:00:10.470Lord, I am your Val.Shall not judge. It's probably one of300:00:10.509 --> 00:00:14.949the most quoted or misquoted scriptures thatwe hear in pro life ministry. But400:00:15.109 --> 00:00:19.390is this concept biblical? Are weas Christians called to judge? Please take500:00:19.469 --> 00:00:29.100with us as we tackle the subject. I felt show passis touch your heart.600:00:35.140 --> 00:00:39.210Welcome to the Gospel Center pro lifepodcast. We appreciate those who join700:00:39.289 --> 00:00:42.369us. In this episode. We'regoing to talk about judgment. We're not800:00:42.609 --> 00:00:47.609going to talk about judging as sidewalkcounselors. That's probably one of the most900:00:48.969 --> 00:00:55.679quoted or misquoted scriptures in the entireBible when we talk to whether it's abortion1000:00:55.759 --> 00:01:00.520minded women or even pro abortion peopleor whoever it might be. Even some1100:01:00.679 --> 00:01:03.719well meaning Christians might say, youknow, we're not supposed to judge.1200:01:03.709 --> 00:01:07.829Of course we understand that right.We want to, want to follow with1300:01:07.909 --> 00:01:10.390the Bible says. Who Want tohonor the Lord and what we do,1400:01:11.430 --> 00:01:12.950and so we're going to talk abouthow we navigate through this thing because,1500:01:14.189 --> 00:01:19.459you know, the modern, evenChristian perspective is like the worst possible thing1600:01:19.579 --> 00:01:23.540you could do is to judge someone. At least the worst possible way we1700:01:23.659 --> 00:01:26.739could be perceived is being perceived asas judging. We don't want to be1800:01:26.859 --> 00:01:33.569judgy. And even some churches,of course, craft messages and and relevant1900:01:33.569 --> 00:01:38.409talks rather than the preaching. Theybe relevant talks and and try to come2000:01:38.489 --> 00:01:44.530across as non judgmental. And solet's talk this through then, Vickie,2100:01:44.609 --> 00:01:48.680and again you know from the beginningof this podcast, we want to talk2200:01:48.760 --> 00:01:52.959things through based on the Bible,not just based on you, the opinions2300:01:53.000 --> 00:01:56.920of man, based on the opinionsof society or even based on the opinions2400:01:56.959 --> 00:02:00.519of the of the modern church.We want to do what we do and2500:02:00.640 --> 00:02:02.269think the way that we think andtalk about the things that we talked about2600:02:02.269 --> 00:02:06.390in light of the scripture, multimatelyin light of the Gospel, right,2700:02:06.670 --> 00:02:09.229which is how I have to sayhonestly, when I was a brand new2800:02:09.710 --> 00:02:15.780counselor out on this hidewalk there,when I heard that, well, you're2900:02:15.900 --> 00:02:19.780terrible Christian because you're judging others,or the pro choice socalled pro choice,3000:02:19.819 --> 00:02:24.659people would say you're you are ahypocrite because you're judging, and they'd say,3100:02:24.780 --> 00:02:29.580especially I was a hypocrite because Iwas judging when I myself had had3200:02:29.620 --> 00:02:32.169an abortion. Yeah, and,and I must say I grappled with that.3300:02:32.449 --> 00:02:36.969I it and and I did startto scour the scripture and find out.3400:02:37.050 --> 00:02:39.530Well, it seems to me weare called to be here on the3500:02:39.650 --> 00:02:44.960sidewalk and there's certainly versus. We'vegone over those in other podcasts that we3600:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.879tell us that we should be.So are we to be on the sidewalk3700:02:49.000 --> 00:02:53.360silent? Are we to be onthe sidewalk not pointing out good from evil,3800:02:53.479 --> 00:02:57.680right from wrong? What? Whatdoes the Bible say? So so3900:02:57.759 --> 00:03:00.710I'm really glad we're having this podcastbecause I will tell you it's one of4000:03:00.750 --> 00:03:06.789the things new counselors that I train, new volunteers that I train, will4100:03:07.509 --> 00:03:09.469they say, I don't quite knowhow to answer this. So I think4200:03:09.550 --> 00:03:15.219this is good because I think itwill help give them and and anyone involved4300:03:15.300 --> 00:03:23.740in in pro life discussions with others, courage to make judgments. Yeah,4400:03:23.060 --> 00:03:27.330yeah, know, so you knowthis. This podcast is not just focused4500:03:27.370 --> 00:03:30.770on sidewall counseling. Again, that'stheir perspective we're going to be coming from,4600:03:30.810 --> 00:03:34.330but I think this can apply inany realm of prolife ministry. Whether4700:03:34.370 --> 00:03:38.729you're on a college campus and talkingyou from a prolife apologetic standpoint, whether4800:03:38.770 --> 00:03:43.439you're in a pregnancy center and you'retalking with an abortion minded mom and and4900:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.919she's thinking you're being judgmental, wewill be want to be non judgmental,5000:03:46.319 --> 00:03:50.560but again we want to thank throughthis thing biblically. We've touched on this,5100:03:50.639 --> 00:03:54.479I'm sure, several times in differentpodcasts and about the judgment thing.5200:03:54.520 --> 00:03:59.509It's almost a sort of a runningjoke within, you know, our circles,5300:03:59.710 --> 00:04:01.789even within my family. You know, some of my kids sometimes might5400:04:01.830 --> 00:04:04.669say to each other, you know, the Bible says Thou shall not judge,5500:04:04.669 --> 00:04:06.949and they're just kidding, of course, because they've heard it so many5600:04:06.990 --> 00:04:12.340times as they've been involved in thiskind of ministry at least heard me talk5700:04:12.419 --> 00:04:15.500about it. So let's dive intowhat the scripture actually says. Exit this5800:04:15.579 --> 00:04:20.939Chapter Twenty is where the ten commandmentsare found, and I'm told actually that5900:04:21.220 --> 00:04:25.449this scripture is actually in there.Thou shall not judge. I've even heard6000:04:25.449 --> 00:04:30.329it in perfect king games English before. Okay, about shout not judgeth like6100:04:30.490 --> 00:04:33.850that, and so. But ifyou look in Exitus Chapter Twenty where the6200:04:33.850 --> 00:04:38.639ten commandments are found, God's morallaw, you actually find that that's not6300:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.480there. It's a matter of fact, if you look from genesis all the6400:04:42.519 --> 00:04:45.160way to revelation, one of thethings that you're not going to find,6500:04:45.560 --> 00:04:48.480just like you're not going to findthat the the awesome pastor of scripture,6600:04:48.519 --> 00:04:53.829which is God helps those that helpthemselves. You heard that one thousandto t6700:04:54.110 --> 00:04:57.750yeah, it's not. It's notin there either. And what is cleanliness6800:04:57.790 --> 00:05:00.269is next to godliness. You know, you might think you would find that6900:05:00.350 --> 00:05:02.350somewhere in the page subscripture, butyou actually want. If you did,7000:05:02.430 --> 00:05:05.629it'd be right beside thou shall notjudge. It's actually not in the Bible.7100:05:06.379 --> 00:05:10.579But there are principles in the Bibleabout judging. Yeah, be probably7200:05:10.620 --> 00:05:12.939one of the most famous, andyou have a list of scriptures that you7300:05:12.980 --> 00:05:15.259want to touch on. Yeah,but one of the most famous, and7400:05:15.300 --> 00:05:19.819I think we're people get confused withThou shall not judge, and what the7500:05:19.899 --> 00:05:27.290Bible actually says is when Jesus hetalks about judging right, and I'll just7600:05:27.490 --> 00:05:39.199read some of that here, andit's in Matthew and Chapter Seven. Matthew,7700:05:39.199 --> 00:05:43.319Chapter Seven and it starts out onthe first verse. Judge, not7800:05:43.639 --> 00:05:48.120that you be not judged for withthe same or with with what judgment you7900:05:48.319 --> 00:05:51.829judge. And King James says withthe same measure that used to judge it8000:05:51.910 --> 00:05:56.069we measured back to you. Butit says with the this is a new8100:05:56.110 --> 00:05:59.990King James version, with what judgmentyou judge, you will be judged and8200:06:00.110 --> 00:06:01.470with the measure that you use,it will be measured back to you.8300:06:02.389 --> 00:06:04.980Why do you look at the speckin your brother's eye but not do not8400:06:05.139 --> 00:06:08.579consider the plank in your own eye? So this is sort of like a8500:06:09.019 --> 00:06:13.779hyperbical parable. I guess you couldsay, yeah, you got a beam8600:06:13.860 --> 00:06:15.980in your eye. That's the picture. You got this big log sticking out8700:06:15.980 --> 00:06:19.850of your eyes. White people outif you're turn your head too fast.8800:06:19.889 --> 00:06:24.490Right. Meanwhile you're judging your nameand you're looking at the back, yes,8900:06:24.689 --> 00:06:27.850of nothing in his eye. Yeah, so should Jesus say and judge9000:06:27.850 --> 00:06:30.529not as should be judge, andsame measure you used to judge be measured9100:06:30.529 --> 00:06:32.680back to you in the same levelthat you judge people. You're going to9200:06:32.720 --> 00:06:36.319be judge. You be judged bythe by the standards that you set yourself.9300:06:38.000 --> 00:06:41.720You're going to be judged by thosevery standards. But he does talk9400:06:41.759 --> 00:06:44.720about the log this in your eye, help your brother to remove the spects,9500:06:44.800 --> 00:06:46.550and that's in his eye. Andverse for it says, How can9600:06:46.589 --> 00:06:49.990you say to your brother, letme remove the speck from your eye and9700:06:50.069 --> 00:06:54.509look, a plank is in yourown eye? Hypocrite. First five,9800:06:54.829 --> 00:06:57.029and that's sort of a key wordhere, I think, as we talked9900:06:57.029 --> 00:06:59.829about judgment. First remove the plankfrom your own eye and then you can10000:06:59.829 --> 00:07:02.939see clearly to remove the speck fromyour brother's side. And continues on.10100:07:03.100 --> 00:07:09.100But we'll we'll stop right there,because what is Jesus saying here is he's10200:07:09.180 --> 00:07:15.579saying that we should not make ajudgment at all. No, I would10300:07:15.579 --> 00:07:18.730I would say no. I meanhe did you presuppose, when he says10400:07:19.050 --> 00:07:24.970first do this and then, yeah, do this, that he's saying at10500:07:25.050 --> 00:07:29.730some point, in my opinion,that you can at some point then do10600:07:30.439 --> 00:07:32.160that other thing? Yeah, well, so he does say, you know,10700:07:32.279 --> 00:07:34.839you have a plank in your owneye, right, and your brother10800:07:34.879 --> 00:07:39.120has a speck. So so wecan liken these things, the plank to10900:07:39.319 --> 00:07:42.160sin, the Speck to sin.So you got a big sin going on.11000:07:42.319 --> 00:07:45.029Yeah, they got little sin goingon right, and you're nitpicking their11100:07:45.069 --> 00:07:46.750little sin when you need to dealwith your big sin. Now he doesn't11200:07:46.829 --> 00:07:50.350say that you need to forget aboutthe speck in your brother's eye. That's11300:07:50.389 --> 00:07:53.829what worried about the speck in yourbrother's eye because you got a plank.11400:07:53.949 --> 00:07:57.670No, he says, you getthe plank out and then you can see11500:07:57.709 --> 00:08:01.620clearly to help your brother remove thespeck. So the speck that's there,11600:08:01.779 --> 00:08:03.100the sin that's there, the follythat's here, whatever it might be,11700:08:03.740 --> 00:08:07.379is has to be dealt with.It needs to be dealt with, but11800:08:07.500 --> 00:08:11.899you need to deal with yourself first. And I might reference to scripture a11900:08:11.939 --> 00:08:15.050couple of times, but this isin First Corinthians Chapter Eleven, and the12000:08:15.089 --> 00:08:20.889context here is Paul talking about communionand the Lord's supper and he talks about12100:08:20.889 --> 00:08:24.730how they take Commu in worthily inall of this. But in Verse Thirty12200:08:24.769 --> 00:08:28.879One of First Corinthians chapter eleven hesays this and it's it is there's a12300:08:28.959 --> 00:08:31.960context to it, but I thinkthis is one of those scriptures that you12400:08:33.039 --> 00:08:35.759can take out of its context andit kind of be universally applied. If12500:08:35.799 --> 00:08:39.840you will. And here it isin Verse Thirty One of First Corinthians chapter12600:08:39.879 --> 00:08:43.710eleven. For if we judge ourselves, we will not be judged. If12700:08:43.750 --> 00:08:48.669we judge ourselves. So Jesus istalking, and Matthew Chapter Seven. Making12800:08:48.710 --> 00:08:54.629a judgment about yourself, judging yourselffirst, and then helping your brother to12900:08:54.990 --> 00:08:58.580get the speck. You judging yourbrother, so to speak, judging the13000:08:58.779 --> 00:09:01.340behavior, or whatever it might be, the spet, judging the fact that13100:09:01.419 --> 00:09:03.980there's a speck there, and then, you know, seeing clearly, to13200:09:05.059 --> 00:09:07.460help them remove the specs. WhoMake a judgment about ourselves first? Yeah,13300:09:07.539 --> 00:09:11.850and then we can make judgments aboutothers. And Yeah, and I13400:09:11.929 --> 00:09:18.610see very valuable warnings from our Lordto anyone involved in pro life ministry.13500:09:18.809 --> 00:09:22.690Yeah, you need to be rightwith God to the very best of your13600:09:22.809 --> 00:09:28.039ability. Yeah, and really belooking at yourself and in prayer and in13700:09:28.480 --> 00:09:35.960in in the word and making surethat you have dealt with those logs in13800:09:37.120 --> 00:09:39.870your own life, in your owneye. Yeah, yes, certainly are.13900:09:39.909 --> 00:09:43.110Satan will eat you alive out here. You have the devil eat your14000:09:43.190 --> 00:09:48.350lines, as I say. So, yeah, making a righteous examination of14100:09:48.389 --> 00:09:54.259our own behavior. Now going backto Matthew Chapter Seven and that word that14200:09:54.340 --> 00:09:58.620a pointed out earlier in verse five, hypocrite. Yeah, Jesus, when14300:09:58.620 --> 00:10:03.500he's talking about judgment, here inthis passage, he is talking about hypocritical14400:10:03.539 --> 00:10:07.610judgment. You know, it's sortof like, maybe the modern example is14500:10:07.769 --> 00:10:11.929like, you know, you're judgingsomebody for dipping snuff and you smoke cigarettes14600:10:11.970 --> 00:10:15.490or something. It's hypocritical, likethey're different snuff, can't believe they're doing14700:10:15.529 --> 00:10:16.490that. It's going to rock theirteeth, they're going to get throat cancer,14800:10:16.610 --> 00:10:18.889whatever, and you're puffing away ona cigarette. Right. It's like14900:10:18.970 --> 00:10:24.879that's hypocrisy. Now he's really,more than anything, talking about the Pharisees15000:10:24.919 --> 00:10:28.399and their their judgment, about aboutthe people, the common people, how15100:10:28.440 --> 00:10:33.200much better they are in the factis they ultimately will go so far in15200:10:33.440 --> 00:10:37.549sin as to crucify the very sonof God and they twist the scriptures.15300:10:37.549 --> 00:10:41.389They twisted the scriptures in a waythat suited them. Its ypocrisy and he15400:10:41.509 --> 00:10:46.309was dealing with hypocritical judgment right,and that's what oftentimes we talk about,15500:10:46.389 --> 00:10:50.299that shut not judge, and youshouldn't judge what we're talking about, what15600:10:50.379 --> 00:10:54.899the Scripture is talking about is hypocriticaljudgment. Yeah, yeah, so that's15700:10:54.899 --> 00:10:58.460sort of the groundwork for what we'retalking about here, because one of the15800:10:58.539 --> 00:11:03.940things I'm going to say that mightoffend some people's sensitivities is not that not15900:11:03.100 --> 00:11:07.129only can we judge, that wehave a scriptural right to judge, but16000:11:07.210 --> 00:11:11.610we are actually commanded to judge.Not only can we, we must.16100:11:11.649 --> 00:11:18.679As as God loving people, lovingindividuals, we must judge and we are16200:11:18.759 --> 00:11:22.320equipped. We are equipped to judge. We have the Holy Spirit within us.16300:11:22.320 --> 00:11:26.279Yeah, and who could guide usinto all that justness? So we16400:11:26.360 --> 00:11:30.039are equipped. And those are theverses we have sleep that I exactly.16500:11:30.080 --> 00:11:31.720We have them right in front ofus. And the ones that I highlighted16600:11:31.909 --> 00:11:35.590that I I was going to gothrough our that there is a way to16700:11:35.710 --> 00:11:41.149judge, that is, with righteousjudge, and and God does give us16800:11:41.429 --> 00:11:46.830some parameters by which we can andshould judge. Yeah, yeah, so16900:11:46.070 --> 00:11:48.899let's jump into okay, well,so the first one, I've got it17000:11:48.940 --> 00:11:52.700and I just went chronologically through theBible. So the first one is in17100:11:52.740 --> 00:11:56.659lebitticus, one thousand nine hundred andfifteen. Okay, and that says do17200:11:56.899 --> 00:12:03.330not pervert justice, do not showpartiality to the poor or favoritism to the17300:12:03.370 --> 00:12:07.529great. But judge your neighbor fairly. Okay, so I think you know17400:12:07.649 --> 00:12:13.769it. there. It's saying thatjustice is is to be kept pure.17500:12:13.929 --> 00:12:18.360Don't don't pervert it, don't changeyour justice depending on who you are speaking17600:12:18.480 --> 00:12:24.480to. In other words, speakingto a poor abortion minded mom, I17700:12:24.600 --> 00:12:30.710should still say killing your baby iswrong in God's eyes, and speaking to17800:12:30.870 --> 00:12:35.509the rich lady sitting next to mein church who is contemplating taking her teenager17900:12:35.990 --> 00:12:41.070to an abortion, I should makeno distinction. The judgment should be the18000:12:41.110 --> 00:12:45.179same. So that's kind of thefirst principle in that. And then,18100:12:45.539 --> 00:12:50.379secondly, judge fairly. Yeah,we're told to judge fairly, and we18200:12:50.419 --> 00:12:54.980can talk more about maybe what thatmeans to judge fairly. Yeah, but18300:12:56.899 --> 00:13:01.129well, I think judge and fairlyis sort of exactly what you just what18400:13:01.330 --> 00:13:05.370you just talked about, like,we're not basing the judgment on an outward18500:13:05.370 --> 00:13:09.769appearance, on an economic status,own killer of person's skin or anything else.18600:13:11.409 --> 00:13:16.440We're judging, when we make ajudgment call based on what the Bible18700:13:16.679 --> 00:13:20.840says. We believe that abortion iswrong because it's because the Bible says it's18800:13:20.879 --> 00:13:26.200wrong, because God says it's wrongto kill an innocent person. Right and18900:13:26.279 --> 00:13:30.789judge and fairly sort of ride alongsidethat. Equal Balances Right, equal weights19000:13:30.830 --> 00:13:35.190and measures scriptural principle. And so, yeah, we have to be consistent19100:13:35.230 --> 00:13:39.549in that, and doesn't matter whothe person is that we encounter, we19200:13:39.669 --> 00:13:41.940need to tell them the truth rightof what God's words says. We're called19300:13:43.019 --> 00:13:46.139to judge fairly. And again atthat that verse tells us that we are19400:13:46.340 --> 00:13:48.379to judge, but weren't to judgefairly. Okay. The next one I19500:13:48.419 --> 00:13:52.059found was in first kings three,okay, and it was versus nine to19600:13:52.220 --> 00:13:58.289eleven. And this is where Solomonis, is made king, and and19700:13:58.490 --> 00:14:03.129God asks him, what can Ido for you? Basically yeah, and19800:14:03.370 --> 00:14:09.559Solomon replies that in this manner,these verses are Solomon's reply to what he19900:14:09.600 --> 00:14:13.200would have God to do for himas as made King. Okay, so20000:14:13.399 --> 00:14:20.600give your servant a discerning heart togovern your people and to distinguish between right20100:14:20.759 --> 00:14:24.149and wrong, for who is ableto judge govern this great people of Yours?20200:14:24.750 --> 00:14:28.669The Lord was pleased that Solomon hadasked for this. So God said20300:14:28.710 --> 00:14:31.870to him, since you have askedfor this and not for long life or20400:14:31.950 --> 00:14:35.470wealth for yourself. Nor have askedfor the death of your entery enemies,20500:14:35.549 --> 00:14:41.019but for a discernment in Administering Justice. I will do what you would have20600:14:41.179 --> 00:14:43.419asked. So we're not a king, at least I'm not, not,20700:14:43.779 --> 00:14:50.580not yet kings and priests. That'swell, Okay said, but I'm not20800:14:50.659 --> 00:14:54.210a literal King of a people.I'm not governing a people. But I20900:14:54.289 --> 00:14:58.409think the principle is that God wasobviously very pleased that that Solomon above all21000:14:58.409 --> 00:15:01.370these other things that he lists,that maybe, in a worldly sensus,21100:15:01.690 --> 00:15:07.039is what we would desire, butthat Solomon listed the ability to discern right21200:15:07.440 --> 00:15:13.519from wrong as primary yeah, andGod was pleased and then granted him all21300:15:13.559 --> 00:15:18.159these other things in addition to that. And I think that's a a great21400:15:18.360 --> 00:15:24.990concept for us, that we shouldalso be asking for discernment in being just21500:15:26.629 --> 00:15:28.990yea, and in being able tojudge, yeah, right from wrong.21600:15:30.110 --> 00:15:33.389And that pleases God. And wheredo we find it in the scripture?21700:15:33.389 --> 00:15:37.980Yeah, we're we're told, weknow. So we need from the Lord21800:15:39.179 --> 00:15:45.059wisdom to Judge Rightly, just asSolomon did. Yeah, and and and21900:15:45.220 --> 00:15:48.539wisdom to judge fairly when we makea judgment. So here's the thing.22000:15:50.009 --> 00:15:52.610When we talk about judging and whenwe hear you know, the Bible says22100:15:52.649 --> 00:15:58.570thou shalt not judge, don't judgeme. Of course, again Jesus is22200:15:58.649 --> 00:16:02.250talking about hypocritical judgment. That's wrong. When we talk about judgment, we're22300:16:02.289 --> 00:16:07.679actually talking about is making an assessmentof behavior exactly. We are not judging22400:16:07.720 --> 00:16:14.240a person. Yeah, we arejudging a person's actions. Thinks that we22500:16:14.399 --> 00:16:18.750can see. We don't need toand we shouldn't judge motives because we can't22600:16:18.789 --> 00:16:22.710see that. You can guess it, but we can see an action and22700:16:22.830 --> 00:16:27.350if an action such as murdering aninnocent human being, which God clearly says22800:16:27.429 --> 00:16:32.190do not, we can judge.That is wrong. Yeah, yeah,22900:16:32.230 --> 00:16:34.940and so again we're talking about theassessment of particular behavior. You know,23000:16:36.419 --> 00:16:40.220when you go, when you pullout of the driveway at your house to23100:16:40.340 --> 00:16:42.139leave, if you're on a busyroad especially, you've got to make a23200:16:42.220 --> 00:16:45.580judgment. They're like if cars arepassing by a pretty fast you make a23300:16:45.620 --> 00:16:48.610judgment. Okay, is this MACtruck coming fast enough to wear? If23400:16:48.610 --> 00:16:51.809I pull out, it's going tohit me or don't need to wait for23500:16:51.850 --> 00:16:53.009it to pass or need it.Do I need to go. You make23600:16:53.049 --> 00:16:56.490a judgment, and that's not reallya moral judgment that you're making. It's23700:16:56.490 --> 00:17:02.600just sort of a natural, practicaljudgment, but it's it's an assessment of23800:17:02.639 --> 00:17:06.160another person's behavior and, based onthat behavior, what's the effect going to23900:17:06.200 --> 00:17:07.920be? And we're looking at theissue of abortion. Of course we're looking24000:17:07.920 --> 00:17:12.440at the assessment of the behavior ofa mother. Is Her action going to24100:17:12.480 --> 00:17:17.710affect another person or is it justgoing to affect her? And so,24200:17:18.269 --> 00:17:22.470of course we know in an abortionthat baby's alive, that baby's life is24300:17:22.549 --> 00:17:26.069going to be destroyed. We haveto make a judgment about that behavior and24400:17:26.150 --> 00:17:30.059then say that it's wrong. There'sa big difference, and here's here's where24500:17:30.140 --> 00:17:33.059we I think, when you talkto Christians about not being judgmental, not24600:17:33.140 --> 00:17:37.299being perceived as judge, they're sortof talking about this, the fact that24700:17:37.420 --> 00:17:41.259there's a big difference. This iswhat people need to understand about judging make24800:17:41.299 --> 00:17:45.170an assessment of behavior and being judgmental, which is like nitpick pick and people's24900:17:45.210 --> 00:17:48.890lives, looking for what's wrong witheveryone else rather than first what's wrong with25000:17:49.130 --> 00:17:52.650us, which is what we needto do, based on what Jesus said25100:17:52.650 --> 00:17:56.250and based on what the Apostle Paulsaid in First Corinthians, chapter eleven.25200:17:56.769 --> 00:17:59.799We need to judge ourselves first,make an assessment of our own behavior,25300:18:00.000 --> 00:18:03.480rectify that behavior, and then wecan see clearly, and you God is25400:18:03.559 --> 00:18:07.079pleased if we're going to go outand just cast judgments when everyone else they're25500:18:07.079 --> 00:18:11.160wrong, they're wrong, they're wrong. God's not pleased with that. But25600:18:11.279 --> 00:18:14.029we make an assessment of our ownbehavior and we take the call of God25700:18:14.230 --> 00:18:18.190seriously to make an assessment of behaviorin general and then do something about that.25800:18:18.789 --> 00:18:22.549God is pleased in that. Godis pleased in righteous judgments. Yeah,25900:18:22.710 --> 00:18:29.180and I think picky backing off ofthat idea that sometimes people will hold26000:18:29.259 --> 00:18:32.579back saying, well, I'm notclean, yeah, our God. I'm26100:18:32.579 --> 00:18:36.500not perfect before God. There arethings in my life I know I deal26200:18:36.619 --> 00:18:40.059with that. Yeah, and thereare and there will be till the day26300:18:40.099 --> 00:18:44.730we die, because we are fleshuntil the day we die. We are26400:18:44.809 --> 00:18:49.809not just a spiritual being. ButI don't think God would be saying throughout26500:18:49.849 --> 00:18:52.329the Bible, which you'll see bythe time we get to the end of26600:18:52.930 --> 00:18:59.680these scriptures, that that we pullout. I don't think he's saying wait26700:18:59.759 --> 00:19:03.079until you are perfect. You're right. Yeah, I think he's saying you've26800:19:03.079 --> 00:19:08.440examined yourself, you're going forth inin my word and in my power,26900:19:10.069 --> 00:19:15.190and you are ringing light to darkness, which we're clearly called to do.27000:19:15.390 --> 00:19:17.549Yeah, yeah, and Ian,if we're going to wait until we're perfect27100:19:17.549 --> 00:19:19.230and we got it all together,yeah, then what's never going to happen27200:19:19.309 --> 00:19:22.150for everyone. Will Never, andI am even like you know, talking,27300:19:23.150 --> 00:19:26.940share the Gospel with people, peoplethat are lost. Right, yeah,27400:19:26.019 --> 00:19:30.619you have to be perfect before wecan bring an imperfect people to person,27500:19:30.700 --> 00:19:33.339to the Lord. Of course,never share it, will never share27600:19:33.339 --> 00:19:37.299it, will never take any action. And so I think that's a that's27700:19:37.339 --> 00:19:41.490a really important point. Yeah,because I think that that is discouraging to27800:19:41.609 --> 00:19:45.009people. They hear these verses andthey shrivel up and or they hear the27900:19:45.250 --> 00:19:48.450those, you know, people onthe pro choice side saying that shall not28000:19:48.609 --> 00:19:53.920judge until you're right before God,and you all better not right before God.28100:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.599And I see are you know,people just shrivel up and think,28200:19:56.680 --> 00:20:00.519well then I can't speak. Yeah, and and I don't think that's the28300:20:00.599 --> 00:20:03.720case. At all. Absolutely not. So move on to another one.28400:20:03.759 --> 00:20:10.509How about this one? This isin proverbs twenty four and versus twenty three28500:20:10.910 --> 00:20:15.789to twenty five. These also arethe sayings of the wise. To show28600:20:15.910 --> 00:20:22.099partiality in judging is not good.Whoever says to the guilty you are innocent28700:20:22.779 --> 00:20:26.779will be cursed by people's and denouncedby nations, but it will go well28800:20:26.819 --> 00:20:32.740with those who convict the guilty andrich blessing will come on them. And28900:20:32.859 --> 00:20:36.089so in the pro life world,this one really popped out at me.29000:20:36.369 --> 00:20:42.089Okay, because thinking of whoever saysto the guilty you are innocent, well,29100:20:42.890 --> 00:20:48.930that's exactly what our nation has saidto those who are a boarding their29200:20:48.970 --> 00:20:52.440children, and what the pro choicemovement is saying. They are speaking to29300:20:52.640 --> 00:21:00.279these women who are guilty of destroyingthat innocent life that God has created within29400:21:00.440 --> 00:21:04.150them and they're telling her it's okay, yeah, and we hear that all29500:21:04.390 --> 00:21:07.670wrong. It's just your body,your choice, that's right, you are,29600:21:07.910 --> 00:21:14.829in a sense, they are sayingyou are innocent. Yeah, and29700:21:15.150 --> 00:21:18.500and I think it's clear that it'snot what we are called to do.29800:21:19.299 --> 00:21:22.059And you know, are you know, based on that scripture in this what29900:21:22.140 --> 00:21:25.859we've talked about this far. Youknow, we're called, yes, to30000:21:25.980 --> 00:21:29.980it, to judge, to makeassessments of individual behavior. That's wrong,30100:21:30.220 --> 00:21:33.009that's right. I'm called to dothat, but not just individual behavior,30200:21:33.170 --> 00:21:37.690like national behavior. You Look atthe prophets in the Old Testament and look30300:21:37.769 --> 00:21:44.369Jesus himself. He made assessments ofthe Jewish leaders, their behavior nationally Israel30400:21:44.609 --> 00:21:51.039and their behavior that the prophets.They made assessment of behavior. First God30500:21:51.240 --> 00:21:55.839did, and then they took God'struth that was revealed to them, made30600:21:55.839 --> 00:22:00.160an assessment of the behavior of thepeople and then made a national proclamation against30700:22:00.440 --> 00:22:03.309particularly behavior. That's right. Oneof those behaviors in Jeremiah. Jeremiah deals30800:22:03.349 --> 00:22:07.869particularly with child sacrifice, exactly,offering their children to Molich. Yeah,30900:22:07.950 --> 00:22:11.430and and so he deals with thatand he makes a judge it. And31000:22:11.470 --> 00:22:15.140then, based on this scripture,you know, it's it's it's commanded,31100:22:15.180 --> 00:22:18.579it's encouraging and it pleases the Lord. When we make a judgment, HMM,31200:22:18.900 --> 00:22:22.900when we say you are guilty,yeah, and you don't want to31300:22:22.940 --> 00:22:26.700be guilty, you don't have tobe guilty, you can choose another path.31400:22:26.779 --> 00:22:30.930Yeah, and then blessings follow.Blessing. Less sings follow on those31500:22:30.970 --> 00:22:37.650who point out there is a differencebetween guilt and and not guilty and we31600:22:37.730 --> 00:22:42.490shouldn't confuse them and we don't needto confuse them, because God doesn't confuse31700:22:42.650 --> 00:22:45.799them. Right. Yeah, yeah, got us a Gout of justice.31800:22:45.160 --> 00:22:48.640Yeah, I'm next. I'll seeyou got it marked there in your Bible31900:22:48.680 --> 00:22:52.720and I actually went ahead and turnedthere. It's sort of like the I32000:22:52.799 --> 00:22:56.240guess, the theme scripture, littleanthembs. Right, yes, exactly,32100:22:56.400 --> 00:22:57.910it is, and I think it'san important scripture for us as side,32200:22:57.910 --> 00:23:00.950well, counselors. We need tohave scriptural, you know, backing for32300:23:02.069 --> 00:23:06.630what we do and and this tome is there's a lot of other scripture32400:23:06.670 --> 00:23:08.190backing, but this is one ofthe things that really fuels my fire.32500:23:08.589 --> 00:23:14.460And I actually spoke with some youthlast Saturday and it was a pro life32600:23:14.500 --> 00:23:17.700boot camp that love life had puton. There was some youth there.32700:23:17.700 --> 00:23:21.539They wanted me speak about speaking forthose that can't speak for themselves, and32800:23:21.660 --> 00:23:23.180I came out of this, rightout of this scripture, because it's a32900:23:23.220 --> 00:23:27.130sort of the bedrock of what wedo as a ministry and side about counseling,33000:23:27.609 --> 00:23:30.730and I broke it down and sortof three points. Maybe I'll do33100:23:30.809 --> 00:23:33.569that real quick and discovery. Thatsounds there. But it starts out.33200:23:33.609 --> 00:23:37.809This is a proverbs thirty one,versus eight and nine, and verse eight33300:23:37.930 --> 00:23:41.400starts out with open your mouth forthe beechless, and so I said that's33400:23:41.480 --> 00:23:45.039one point there, open your mouthfor the speechless. The first point is33500:23:45.599 --> 00:23:49.880actually opening your mouth. You've gotit. It takes energy to open your33600:23:49.880 --> 00:23:55.119mouth, you know, it takesmuscles, it takes you being uncomfortable actually,33700:23:55.440 --> 00:23:57.950and for us to make a judgment, especially we know our sin right.33800:23:59.029 --> 00:24:00.789We know, like Paul says,I'm the chief of sinners. We33900:24:00.910 --> 00:24:04.309we know I'm the chief it likeI'm wicked. If wasn't for the mercy34000:24:04.349 --> 00:24:07.470and grace of God, I wouldbe lost eternally. But got to save34100:24:07.549 --> 00:24:11.460me. And so that can sometimeskeep up, you know, make us34200:24:11.500 --> 00:24:14.259keep our mouth closed, because weknow our own flesh and we know our34300:24:14.259 --> 00:24:18.140own failings. But we're commanded opena mouth, to exert effort, to34400:24:18.220 --> 00:24:21.180get out of our comfort zone.And so that's what it's talking about.34500:24:21.180 --> 00:24:22.819It's talking about open your mouth andspeeches. We can apply it in that34600:24:22.900 --> 00:24:26.369way. Yeah, and it continueson in the cause of all who are34700:24:26.369 --> 00:24:30.009appointed to die. Open your mouth, and this was my second point.34800:24:30.049 --> 00:24:34.490Judge Righteously, and course this issort of the theme of this podcast.34900:24:34.809 --> 00:24:38.920Then we're to make a righteous assessmentof behavior. When we see behavior,35000:24:38.960 --> 00:24:45.200naturally, individually, we didn't makea righteous assessment of that behavior. Now,35100:24:45.400 --> 00:24:48.440how do you get a righteous assessmentof behavior? Like, how do35200:24:48.519 --> 00:24:53.269you know if that behavior is wrongor if it's right? It's not just35300:24:53.470 --> 00:24:57.269that we get some kind of feelingin our heart. We have God's word.35400:24:57.910 --> 00:25:02.829We see behaviors that is in directcontradiction to God's word and what God35500:25:02.910 --> 00:25:06.430says is right and what God saysis good, then we are supposed to35600:25:06.589 --> 00:25:11.619judge that behavior righteously. Yeah,that doesn't mean being judgmental. It doesn't35700:25:11.619 --> 00:25:15.539mean just completely writing people off.That's something we can never do, you35800:25:15.619 --> 00:25:18.299know, with an abortion minded womanor a post abortive women. We can't35900:25:18.339 --> 00:25:23.009just write those people off because theythey've contemplated or they've been involved in particular36000:25:23.089 --> 00:25:26.569behavior. God still would save andrescue them like he did for us.36100:25:26.609 --> 00:25:30.529Yeah, that was sort of spycapefully, we would not do that.36200:25:30.650 --> 00:25:33.730We are told that we are tojudge but to speak in love, faith36300:25:33.769 --> 00:25:37.880and love. Yeah, and thencontinue on. It says again, open36400:25:37.960 --> 00:25:41.839your mouth, judge, righteously,plead the cause of the poor and needy.36500:25:42.279 --> 00:25:47.240Now these are and it says that, you know, in the cause36600:25:47.359 --> 00:25:49.190of all who are pointed to die. It says that in Verse Eight,36700:25:49.230 --> 00:25:52.630and then it says again, pleadthe cause of the poor and needy.36800:25:52.670 --> 00:25:56.990And firstnege. Yeah, that wordcause is actually could be used as the36900:25:56.069 --> 00:26:00.029word case, like a judicial case. I think we talked about this a37000:26:00.069 --> 00:26:04.819little bit in the what is subwallcounseling episode that we did, that we're37100:26:04.900 --> 00:26:11.460called to plead a case. We'recalled to say this child is unjustly scheduled37200:26:11.579 --> 00:26:14.619to die. Yeah, we makea judgment of that behavior and you ultimately,37300:26:14.660 --> 00:26:17.299in the situation we're dealing with,and we're dealing with an abortion mind37400:26:17.380 --> 00:26:21.690and mom at an abortion clinic,at a pregnancy center, in whatever context37500:26:22.329 --> 00:26:26.450is, she's actually the judge andwe're a lawyer pleading with the judge.37600:26:26.490 --> 00:26:30.329You know, ultimately the choice isin her hands, right, she could37700:26:30.329 --> 00:26:36.839choose, as the judge, toslap down the gavel and say guilty,37800:26:37.119 --> 00:26:40.680death sent it. She can dothat. We want to appeal to her37900:26:40.799 --> 00:26:45.119as a counselor as a lawyer onbehalf of that baby, to open our38000:26:45.160 --> 00:26:48.789mouth for that child and to speakon behalf of that baby and convince her38100:26:48.029 --> 00:26:52.150that baby does not deserve to die. Right, right, and it's so,38200:26:52.269 --> 00:26:55.829but it requires a judgment. Itdoes, and my translation says,38300:26:55.829 --> 00:26:59.029defend the rights, yeah, thepoor needy. There's this sort of an38400:26:59.029 --> 00:27:02.819idea. Or Yeah, exactly exactlywhere, and judge. Of course,38500:27:02.859 --> 00:27:06.779judgment to say yeah, you know, I judicial term. We are absolutely38600:27:06.859 --> 00:27:08.180and it, but we have lotsof clues about how to do that in38700:27:08.259 --> 00:27:11.980a way that is God honoring.Yeah, and of course, keep in38800:27:11.059 --> 00:27:15.569mind this is not like, youknow, in verse in Chapter Thirty One38900:27:15.609 --> 00:27:18.130here didn't start out saying, yeah, this is a suggestion for you.39000:27:18.170 --> 00:27:22.730You might want to follow this.This seems to be kind of a really39100:27:22.809 --> 00:27:26.329in your face command. It's adeclarative wing. See you speak. The39200:27:26.450 --> 00:27:30.920you is is implied to speak forthose who conso working without option. If39300:27:30.920 --> 00:27:33.880we'RE gonna the book of Wisdom,if we're going to walk in wisdom,39400:27:33.880 --> 00:27:36.839if we're going to try to pleasethe Lord and do what we're called to39500:27:36.880 --> 00:27:38.480do and be what we're called tobe as children of God, that we39600:27:38.559 --> 00:27:41.359have to open our mouth for thespeaks, as Ye have didn't always means39700:27:41.440 --> 00:27:47.069just being aside wall counselor right orwhatever. God can call you all kinds39800:27:47.109 --> 00:27:49.309of ministries to speak for those whocan't speak for themselves. But in particular39900:27:49.750 --> 00:27:53.190we're called to speak for the unborn. Yeah, and and that whole idea40000:27:53.230 --> 00:28:00.339of speak, speak it. It'snot just your actions. You hear all40100:28:00.380 --> 00:28:03.059the time from the pro choice people. Well, you don't have to have40200:28:03.140 --> 00:28:06.339an abortion, you don't go getthe abortion, you don't believe that abortion,40300:28:06.420 --> 00:28:10.900don't don't go have one. Butwe are told to move a step40400:28:11.099 --> 00:28:17.609further. We are to speak.We are not given the the allowance to40500:28:17.690 --> 00:28:19.609be silent. What about? Whatabout, I think this might be in40600:28:19.650 --> 00:28:23.730the scripture, to where it says, you know, proclaim the Gospel,40700:28:23.730 --> 00:28:27.200preach the Gospel always and, whennecessary, use words. Ever heard that40800:28:27.319 --> 00:28:32.599is like that's a first one,am I one of my favorite. I40900:28:32.680 --> 00:28:36.480mean, I've heard that quoted tosee John Wesley said that, Whitfield said41000:28:36.519 --> 00:28:38.480that, I think, saying Augustinemight have said that. You know,41100:28:38.519 --> 00:28:42.750everybody attributes that because it's such agreat humble phrase. Problem is it's not41200:28:42.950 --> 00:28:47.789biblical. Now, preach the Gospelalways and we necessary, use words.41300:28:48.390 --> 00:28:49.950Preach the Gospel always, and whatwe say is, when necessary, use41400:28:49.990 --> 00:28:53.910a megaphone, right, right.Pressing the Gospel actually requires you to open41500:28:53.990 --> 00:28:59.500your mouth. Words. The Gospelis words, not just, you know,41600:28:59.859 --> 00:29:03.059good deeds or just living a youknow, a good life beside your41700:29:03.059 --> 00:29:06.619neighbor. That you should do that, of course, but we need to41800:29:06.700 --> 00:29:08.259open our mouth, we need tospeak, we need to proclaim the Gospel.41900:29:08.259 --> 00:29:11.490We need to speak for the unborn. Yeah, not just you know.42000:29:11.569 --> 00:29:15.130Certainly prayer is is is vital.We need to be a people of42100:29:15.289 --> 00:29:18.849prayer. But we're in front ofan abortion center. We need to be42200:29:18.930 --> 00:29:22.769praying and speaking. Now. There'scertainly their ministries like love life, whose42300:29:22.809 --> 00:29:26.880focus is to pray and we seethem a sort of our our air support42400:29:26.079 --> 00:29:30.880in this battle, you know,in prayer. But we're getting folks from42500:29:30.880 --> 00:29:33.400them who are coming out and sayingI got to take it beyond prayer and42600:29:33.480 --> 00:29:34.640I need to open my mouth.Yeah, and a lot of the really42700:29:34.680 --> 00:29:41.230beat they're really called Romans. Tennine says proclaim with your mouth that Jesus42800:29:41.230 --> 00:29:45.869is Lord. Yeah, and that'sthat's where the whole salvation message begins.42900:29:45.990 --> 00:29:49.470Proclaim with your mouth. You there. You are called to a verbal action.43000:29:49.549 --> 00:29:53.420If you believe something, if somethingis the most important thing on the43100:29:53.539 --> 00:29:57.299earth, which is accepting Jesus asyour Lord and Savior, you're to proclaim43200:29:57.339 --> 00:30:00.539it with your mouth. You're justspeak it, and I think that entails.43300:30:00.579 --> 00:30:03.779I think there's reasons for that.One is a witness. One is43400:30:03.940 --> 00:30:10.170courage. That it the courage ofyour conviction, if your your spiritual conviction,43500:30:10.250 --> 00:30:14.289because the word speaks these truths.If you have that in you,43600:30:14.809 --> 00:30:18.009then you will not be silent.Isn't Jeremiah? That says I could not43700:30:18.250 --> 00:30:21.680remain silent. It was like afire, burning fire, shut up and43800:30:21.839 --> 00:30:25.400shut up in my bones. Hecould not remain silent. He didn't want43900:30:25.400 --> 00:30:27.240it. He didn't want any moresuffering. He was tired of the suffering.44000:30:27.319 --> 00:30:30.599He had a he led such ahorrible life, Poor Jeremiah. Yeah,44100:30:30.720 --> 00:30:36.430but but he could not remain silentand he's really a role model for44200:30:36.630 --> 00:30:40.150me. I absolutely you know,let's jump ahead. Let's jump into that44300:30:40.230 --> 00:30:42.509Romans chapter two. Okay, that'san important one. Yeah, this and44400:30:42.549 --> 00:30:48.910guys go on Google, going yourBible App and search the word judgment and44500:30:48.029 --> 00:30:55.180you're going to find consistently God doesnot condemn us making judgments, but he44600:30:55.259 --> 00:31:00.700does condemn hypocritical judgment and judging withwith dishonest weights and measures. Yeah,44700:31:02.220 --> 00:31:07.250but Paul Deals really forthright lie inchapter two of Romans. Yeah, and44800:31:07.450 --> 00:31:11.569it is again. It's about hypocriticaljudgment. And you said you wanted to44900:31:11.609 --> 00:31:14.450sort of prod me a little bitabout this the scripture. So well,45000:31:14.609 --> 00:31:17.369do that. Well, yeah,well, you know, I was reading45100:31:17.410 --> 00:31:22.000it and, truth be told,I took the easy verses, the supporting45200:31:22.119 --> 00:31:25.880what I truly believe scripture says,which is that we we should judge.45300:31:26.039 --> 00:31:30.440But I do have to say Romansto kind of gave me again pause and45400:31:30.680 --> 00:31:33.710and when you read those first threeverses, I'll let you read those.45500:31:36.029 --> 00:31:37.990Okay. Well, I'm a I'mat a different I'm at Luke right now,45600:31:38.069 --> 00:31:41.910but I can certainly turn to Romans. Hang on. Okay, so45700:31:42.109 --> 00:31:51.579Romans too. All right, andthese are will do just the first three45800:31:51.740 --> 00:31:56.700verses. But you know, readingeverything Romans to all the way through to45900:31:56.740 --> 00:32:00.970the end of the chapter, Ithink is very will help, very helpful.46000:32:00.970 --> 00:32:06.009But let's just read the first three. You therefore have no excuse,46100:32:06.569 --> 00:32:12.529you who passed judgment on someone elsefor a for at whatever point you judge46200:32:12.569 --> 00:32:17.240another, you are condemning yourself,because you, who pass judgment, do46300:32:17.480 --> 00:32:23.079the same things. Now we knowthat God's judgment against those who do such46400:32:23.240 --> 00:32:28.960things is based on truth. Sowhen you, a mere human being,46500:32:29.640 --> 00:32:34.829pass judgment on them and yet dothe same things, do you think you46600:32:35.029 --> 00:32:40.109will escape God's judgments? Yeah,and you ultimately, when the Scripture says,46700:32:40.150 --> 00:32:43.509and you know Paul again in FirstConthians, chapter eleven, when he46800:32:43.549 --> 00:32:46.779talks about judge yourself and you knownot be judged. What he's talking about.46900:32:46.819 --> 00:32:51.180Judge yourself and you'll not be judgedof God. Like making an assessment47000:32:51.220 --> 00:32:54.019of your personal behavior, rectify thatbehavior by the grace of God. You47100:32:54.140 --> 00:32:58.339acknowledge that your sin, your sinful. You Need God's help to overcome that47200:32:58.500 --> 00:33:00.369sin. And then you're not goingto receive the hammer down from God.47300:33:00.569 --> 00:33:06.250Right, right, because he's takingcare of your judgment through what Jesus did,47400:33:06.329 --> 00:33:08.569taking your judgment, your punishment onthe cross when you have surrendered your47500:33:08.650 --> 00:33:13.480sin. Yeah, if to yeah, and seem so often the this passage47600:33:13.599 --> 00:33:15.519is taken out of context, justthe portion that I wrote down, and47700:33:15.799 --> 00:33:21.000in and of itself that portion ishard to deal with. Foreign passing judgment47800:33:21.160 --> 00:33:23.880on another, you condemn yourself.Yeah, and then they stop there.47900:33:24.799 --> 00:33:30.150But as we read on we understand. Well, he's not just saying any48000:33:30.430 --> 00:33:35.630kind of judgment, will condemn yourself. He's saying a specific yeah, a48100:33:35.670 --> 00:33:37.630judgment right. Yeah, well,he's talking about again, a hypocritical judge.48200:33:37.630 --> 00:33:43.220Yea. You know the overarching themeof the book of Romans. It48300:33:43.420 --> 00:33:45.819comes right out of Romans, ChapterOne, Verse Sixteen. For I'm not48400:33:45.900 --> 00:33:49.500ashamed of the Gospel of Christ,for it is the power of God to48500:33:49.579 --> 00:33:52.299salvation for everyone who believes, forthe Jew first and also for the Greek.48600:33:52.819 --> 00:33:57.730So Paul is addressing and you know, get theological and get too much48700:33:57.769 --> 00:34:01.410into the breakdown of what this bookmeans, but it's talking about you and48800:34:01.450 --> 00:34:06.690gentile relationships in light of the newcovenant. All through Romans he's addressing Jews48900:34:06.730 --> 00:34:09.159at one point, then he addressesgentiles and he addresses Jews and he addresses49000:34:09.199 --> 00:34:13.960gentiles. And here he's addressing,I believe, Jews, but because they're49100:34:14.000 --> 00:34:17.239judging these gentiles for their their paganpractices and they're pagan worship and even they're49200:34:17.239 --> 00:34:21.360pagan background that they came out ofsome of those who are believers. Right,49300:34:21.800 --> 00:34:23.989and in Paul saying, listen,do you do the same stuff?49400:34:24.349 --> 00:34:29.670Like you're judging them and you're doingthe same stuff. You're judging them they're49500:34:29.710 --> 00:34:32.710wrong. You have the commands andbecause you have the commands, you think49600:34:32.829 --> 00:34:37.309that they're wrong for breaking the commands, when you yourself break the commands.49700:34:37.630 --> 00:34:42.139So it's basically like again what Jesussaid, judge not lest you be judged49800:34:42.179 --> 00:34:44.659from the same measure. These tojudge will be measured back to you.49900:34:45.059 --> 00:34:47.219Yeah, you're going to be yourGod when you stand before God. If50000:34:47.219 --> 00:34:51.099you have a standard and you're notwilling to keep or able to keep your50100:34:51.139 --> 00:34:54.409own standard, then don't try toput that standard on other people. Yeah,50200:34:54.889 --> 00:34:59.289and that's what Paul's dealing with herein this particular passage. I believe,50300:34:59.329 --> 00:35:02.530the big takeaway don't be a hypocrite. Yeah, that's why I mean50400:35:02.690 --> 00:35:08.840that Jesus probably had his harshest wordsregarding hypocrites. Yeah, and hypocrisy.50500:35:09.559 --> 00:35:15.880So, yeah, and so again, as ministers of the Gospel, as50600:35:16.320 --> 00:35:21.239you know, Side Wall Counselors,as folks in a pregnancy center, as50700:35:21.630 --> 00:35:23.909people, and whatever ministry, inparticular per life ministry, you involved in.50800:35:24.510 --> 00:35:28.989We need to make assessments of ourown behavior. We need to,50900:35:29.230 --> 00:35:34.389before the Lord, confess our sinsfor sake them, and and then we51000:35:34.550 --> 00:35:37.940go out and we bring the Gospel, which is the the word of God,51100:35:38.059 --> 00:35:40.980to those who are lost, theGospel that we've received, Jesus said,51200:35:42.219 --> 00:35:46.179freely. You have received, sofreely give. But we can't just51300:35:46.260 --> 00:35:51.889go out and cast out these hypocriticaljudgments about people because they're wrong and we're51400:35:51.969 --> 00:35:54.530right. Only reason why we're right. We're never right. God's right.51500:35:55.130 --> 00:35:58.730We just have agreed with him.And what we're trying to get people to51600:35:58.769 --> 00:36:02.289understand it's God's word is right.It's true. We're not fantastic people because51700:36:02.289 --> 00:36:06.639we've believed God's truth. It's onlyby His grace and His mercy that we've51800:36:06.679 --> 00:36:09.559come to know this truth. Wecome to broadcast the Gospel. Yes,51900:36:09.639 --> 00:36:15.519to make judgments of behavior, butdoes also make a judgment of what God's52000:36:15.519 --> 00:36:19.150Word says, that if we turnto him, he will wash and forgive52100:36:19.230 --> 00:36:22.789us from our sins and we couldbe made right with God. You know.52200:36:22.150 --> 00:36:27.750Yeah, and so you we're calledthe judge. We're not called to52300:36:27.829 --> 00:36:30.550be judgmental. I think that maybe one of the biggest type of ways52400:36:30.750 --> 00:36:36.179of right this particular power hypocrite.And so when someone says, well,52500:36:36.380 --> 00:36:42.460because many, many people in thepro life movement are post abordim yourselves and52600:36:42.539 --> 00:36:45.380that's that's what fuels a lot oftheir passion and the desire to please and52700:36:45.460 --> 00:36:50.849obey God. But there's this backgroundthat that we know. It was destructive52800:36:50.969 --> 00:36:55.210and horrific. And Yeah, and, and so I want to answer this52900:36:55.329 --> 00:37:00.409question because I know it's in people'sminds. Well, aren't you a hypocrit53000:37:00.530 --> 00:37:05.440it? You had an abortion andhere you are telling other people don't do53100:37:05.599 --> 00:37:07.480it. And I want to applythat same logic. Would they apply that53200:37:07.880 --> 00:37:14.559to Paul? Yeah, Paul MurderedChristians and Pete Jesus followers, and now53300:37:14.639 --> 00:37:19.670he's coming to people throughout, youknow, the known world at that time53400:37:19.789 --> 00:37:22.989and saying you need to turn toJesus. Well, he would be the53500:37:22.110 --> 00:37:28.230biggest hypocrite at all if you couldn'tuse a past that was destructive towards the53600:37:28.349 --> 00:37:32.940very thing that you are now promoting. And so my destructive past is actually53700:37:34.820 --> 00:37:39.539gives me an understanding that someone thatdoesn't have that past may not have.53800:37:40.420 --> 00:37:45.769But the depth of destruction, yeah, that and so so. Not that53900:37:45.889 --> 00:37:50.650I want it, but I haveit. That is that is what I54000:37:50.849 --> 00:37:53.489have, and to to offer toothers is, yeah, don't do this.54100:37:53.769 --> 00:38:00.440I've been there and so much ofthe most effective arguments against terrible behaviors54200:38:00.719 --> 00:38:05.679are from those who have engaged inthem and been destroyed or nearly destroyed,54300:38:05.840 --> 00:38:08.199some of the biggest witnesses. Youknow, you have a friend WHO's next54400:38:08.239 --> 00:38:12.400drug addict, right, and heis, you know, a witness and54500:38:12.440 --> 00:38:15.670a testimony and God uses him tospeak to other people who, right,54600:38:15.789 --> 00:38:20.309are in drug addiction. Right.God rescued me from it, yeah,54700:38:20.349 --> 00:38:22.869and and he can rescue you fromit. Yeah, one of the pro54800:38:22.030 --> 00:38:27.460boards as asked me, one ofthe pro choice like in the abortion Clin54900:38:27.539 --> 00:38:29.820he asked me, I think itshared this one a previous podcast, but55000:38:29.900 --> 00:38:31.860it's not wrong for me to shareit again, right, and she said55100:38:31.900 --> 00:38:36.219in particular about you. Yeah,she said Vicki's had an abortion. Isn't55200:38:36.219 --> 00:38:37.860it hypocritical for her to come outhere and tell these women not to have55300:38:37.900 --> 00:38:40.489an abortion and she's had one herself. Yeah, and I said, you55400:38:40.570 --> 00:38:44.369know what, there's there's some woodsacross the street at the abortion clinic and55500:38:44.409 --> 00:38:46.530I said, imagine if I walkthrough those woods and there's a lot of55600:38:46.570 --> 00:38:49.570snakes in those woods, and thereactually are a lot of snakes. We55700:38:49.650 --> 00:38:52.369seem like their four coppers are ashere dangerous. And say I walk through55800:38:52.369 --> 00:38:55.760those woods right there and I gotbit by ten copper heads on my way55900:38:55.800 --> 00:38:59.840through those woods and by God's grace, I pulled myself out of there,56000:38:59.960 --> 00:39:02.719just drug myself out, called oneone and when to the hospital, got56100:39:02.760 --> 00:39:07.760all the Anti Venom. By God'smercy and grace, I'm alive. Get56200:39:07.840 --> 00:39:09.309back on my feet and I comeout here and I stand in front of56300:39:09.309 --> 00:39:13.389those woods and I scream with myhands waving back and forth, don't go56400:39:13.550 --> 00:39:16.269in those woods and try to convinceanyone that would come that way not to56500:39:16.389 --> 00:39:21.829go in those woods. That behypocritical or that be me actually loving people,56600:39:21.949 --> 00:39:23.619because I've been in those woods.Yeah, and it ain't a good56700:39:23.659 --> 00:39:27.420place to go. Right. You'vebeen in those woods. Right, you've56800:39:27.460 --> 00:39:31.099been in an abortion clinic. You'vegone through that, you you've you've experienced56900:39:31.179 --> 00:39:36.460the horror of what abortion can bringin a person's life. And you're just57000:39:36.579 --> 00:39:38.050sort of that person standing in frontof those woods and they had don't go57100:39:38.170 --> 00:39:42.409that way. You're that person standingat the edge of that brink that people57200:39:42.409 --> 00:39:45.090are falling off, for people areheaded toward. You fall off and,57300:39:45.170 --> 00:39:47.690my God's grace, you've you've gottenback up, yeah, from that Brink.57400:39:47.730 --> 00:39:51.849Yeah, and you're telling people don'tgo that way. Yeah, you're57500:39:51.849 --> 00:39:54.719not being judgmental. You're making ajudgment, an assessment of behavior. Yeah,57600:39:54.880 --> 00:39:59.719but you're not judging them in thesense that you you hate them,57700:39:59.760 --> 00:40:02.639you're angry with them, or you'rebeing hypocritical, right. It would actually57800:40:02.639 --> 00:40:07.429be to claim that you love peopleand not to try to keep them from57900:40:07.469 --> 00:40:12.909destructive behavior. Would actually be hippocrius. Yeah, and actually I am making58000:40:12.949 --> 00:40:17.309a judgment on myself. Yeah,and that judgment was that was evil and58100:40:17.710 --> 00:40:23.539wrong and horrific and barbaric, Imean every terrible adjective you could use.58200:40:23.980 --> 00:40:30.380And and so, through that Voiceof experience, you know, I can58300:40:30.420 --> 00:40:36.769speak knowledgeably about this is wrong.I know it's wrong. I lived it58400:40:37.889 --> 00:40:42.730and I know it's wrong because,ultimately, because the Bible tells me so.58500:40:43.090 --> 00:40:45.010Yeah, all right, well,if you're if you're cool with that.58600:40:45.489 --> 00:40:47.650Oh, you want to, youwant to wrap it up before I've58700:40:47.650 --> 00:40:52.679got three more. Okay, let'sokay, let's go for it this one.58800:40:52.119 --> 00:40:55.840How is it that you don't knowhow to interpret the present time?58900:40:55.960 --> 00:41:01.920Why don't you judge for yourselves,which is right? So again telling us59000:41:02.000 --> 00:41:06.550we have the power and should beable to judge. US This speaking the59100:41:06.550 --> 00:41:10.630ourselves, Jesus is telling us tojudge. That is actually that read letters59200:41:10.710 --> 00:41:15.190there better. This is Jesus andLuke twelve and fifty seven telling us to59300:41:15.269 --> 00:41:20.019judge. Then in Johndred and twentyfour, stop judging by mere appearances.59400:41:20.420 --> 00:41:25.539So he's telling us how not tojudge, but instead judge correctly. And59500:41:25.619 --> 00:41:30.019Geese as speaking in John Twenty Four. So we are to judge, judge59600:41:30.179 --> 00:41:36.769with righteous judgment. Passage. They'recorrect. How about this? First Corinthians59700:41:36.809 --> 00:41:40.010to fifteen. The person with thespirit makes judgments about all things. But59800:41:40.130 --> 00:41:45.809such a person is not subject,for merely to merely human judgments. For59900:41:45.929 --> 00:41:47.840who has known the mind of theLord is to instruct him. But we60000:41:49.320 --> 00:41:52.880have the mind of Christ reminding USWE HAVE THE MIND of Christ if we60100:41:53.039 --> 00:41:58.840are born again through the atoning sacrificeof Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in60200:41:58.880 --> 00:42:02.510dwells us. We have the mindof Christ and we can judge. We're60300:42:02.550 --> 00:42:07.550not judging by human judgments, we'rejudging by Biblical judgment, Right, by60400:42:07.590 --> 00:42:10.630Christ judgment. Yea, the Lordhas given us not only again, the60500:42:10.949 --> 00:42:15.179the right, but the charge tojudge, and the judgments that we make60600:42:15.260 --> 00:42:20.579are supposed to be for restoration,not to tear people down. Exactly.60700:42:20.619 --> 00:42:23.260Yeah, you don't think a lotof it is rooted in, you know,60800:42:23.340 --> 00:42:27.380as far as Christians not want tobe judgmental, not want to be60900:42:27.460 --> 00:42:30.730perceived as judge. Unfortunately, Ithink a lot of it's rooted in the61000:42:30.809 --> 00:42:35.170fear of Man, is rooted ina desire to look good in the ass61100:42:35.210 --> 00:42:37.730of the world and listen gas nomatter what. If you want to live61200:42:37.769 --> 00:42:42.130for God, if you're going tolive for the Lord, you're going to61300:42:42.289 --> 00:42:46.760be rejected by society. You're nevergoing to be culturally quote relevant, and61400:42:46.920 --> 00:42:51.719that's not the goal anyway. Ourgoal is not to be culturally relevant.61500:42:52.239 --> 00:42:55.000Our goal is to be biblically relevant, to obey what God's word says,61600:42:55.400 --> 00:43:00.030because God's words unchanging. The culturechanges its opinions. Change doesn't mean we're61700:43:00.030 --> 00:43:02.630completely out of the loop. Itdoesn't mean that we just, you know,61800:43:04.070 --> 00:43:08.349are purposely culturally irrelevant, so tospeak. The Gospel is cultural,61900:43:08.630 --> 00:43:14.420culturally relevant. It's relevant to everyculture. Has Been for two thousand years62000:43:14.619 --> 00:43:17.940and changed hearts and minds and livesfor twozero years. If it was relevant62100:43:19.019 --> 00:43:22.980then, it's relevant now. Andin the word of God tells us we62200:43:22.019 --> 00:43:28.210should make judgments and based on thosejudgments, bringing the Gospel to help our62300:43:28.329 --> 00:43:31.889brother remove the speck. The Gospelis like a pair of tweezers to help62400:43:31.969 --> 00:43:37.730you get the speck out of yourbrother's eye. And so so we encourage62500:43:37.769 --> 00:43:39.969you guys, you know, notjust in prolife ministry, but wherever you62600:43:40.050 --> 00:43:45.519are work, you business, home, whatever, bring the Gospel. Be62700:43:45.719 --> 00:43:50.360An ambassador of Jesus, to bringthe gospel of the Kingdom to all of62800:43:50.400 --> 00:43:52.519those who are lost and watch Goddo his work. But you know,62900:43:52.599 --> 00:43:55.429do it make a judgment of yourselffirst, be in the word, being63000:43:55.550 --> 00:44:00.710prayer, be in church and andlet God do his work in your heart,63100:44:00.710 --> 00:44:04.030as he uses you to do awork at other people's hearts. We63200:44:04.070 --> 00:44:07.909appreciate all those who do listen andjust as we always encourage you just to63300:44:07.030 --> 00:44:10.539connect with us and connect with me. D Parks at cities for lifecom.63400:44:10.780 --> 00:44:16.099Cities The number for lifecom. Youcan connect with Vicky v COSSI ORG at63500:44:16.179 --> 00:44:21.179cities for lifecom, our website,Charlotte dot cities for Life Dot Org,63600:44:21.579 --> 00:44:25.889and then our website with sidewalk counselingit from a and and sort of training63700:44:27.210 --> 00:44:31.289and things. There's www dot sidewalks, the number for lifecom. You want63800:44:31.329 --> 00:44:37.090to hear from you guys. We'restarting to put out audio versions on Youtube,63900:44:37.170 --> 00:44:40.039not videos yet, even though we'redoing some video recording. Once we64000:44:40.159 --> 00:44:43.880start doing that, it'll it'll beout there, but for now we're just64100:44:43.920 --> 00:44:46.000putting the audio version out on youtubeso you can comment there. You can64200:44:46.480 --> 00:44:51.199share the stuff on social media,share with your friends, put a review64300:44:51.559 --> 00:44:54.829on Itunes of what you think aboutthe podcast. Shoot US over an email.64400:44:54.869 --> 00:45:00.030Let us know some suggestions you mighthave her podcast episodes, things that64500:45:00.150 --> 00:45:05.269you haven't heard really covered before onthis podcast or others. We'd like to64600:45:05.309 --> 00:45:07.579talk about those things guests. Maybeideas you have for guests? We'd love64700:45:07.619 --> 00:45:12.780to get some more folks on onhere. We have some guests coming up64800:45:12.820 --> 00:45:15.300in the next couple of weeks.It'll be really a blessing, I think,64900:45:15.059 --> 00:45:19.179but we appreciate those who listen andI hope that you're blessed as you65000:45:19.260 --> 00:45:27.409listen and we'll talk to you later. Use Milan, use me, give65100:45:27.610 --> 00:45:47.159me, give me. Know itwill cost me my life, but not65200:45:47.480 --> 00:45:50.670things too precious inside