•5:20 PM
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” – James 1:8
Are you going to heaven?
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2 NIV).
This passage of scriptures would cause the average person to think, “If I am going to be judged by God in the same manner that I judge others, will I pass the test for a home in heaven?”
This would cause most people to pause and reflect, “Do I meet the standard of measurement that I place on others?”
It is going to be a terrible thing if when we stand before God in the judgment if we are not able to pass the test we designed for ourselves.
How often we listen to people placing restrictions on other people religiously based on “this is how I see it”, “this is what I think”, or “In my opinion” without any Bible base for their beliefs. Many have not learned that the only basis for judgment religiously has to be scriptural. Jesus instructed His disciples, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18 KJV).
The only way that God’s servants can be judged is by God Himself. “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4 NIV). Those of us who have obeyed the gospel of Christ are all the servants of God. Therefore if one of our brothers or sisters fall short we do not judge him or her; we help considering there may come a time when we will need help. Paul wrote, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2 NIV).
Is this what we practice?
Do not tamper with your salvation.
Look inward at self to see if your practice is justifiable.
If we are judged the way we judge, will we make it into heaven or do we conclude that God will overlook our misdeeds while He will condemn all others? Paul again writes, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Romans 2:1-4)
The self-righteous person will say, “I do not do the same thing they are doing.” Keep in mind it is God who judges a person’s righteousness or unrighteousness, “The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortionist, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to haven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God , be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:11-14 ESV).
If you are constantly passing judgment on another can you pass your own judgment test and stand justified before God?
Often what we judge as sin is based on personal preferences of what we like or dislike but has no Apostolic teaching whether it is right or wrong. The only judgment that God will allow us to dispense is “righteous judgment.” Jesus taught, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24 ASV).
A “rule of thumb” to use when teaching another is, “Did Jesus teach it?” “Did the Apostles bind or loose it?” If not, “By what authority do I?”
So I therefore repeat, based on your judgment of others are you confident that you are going to heaven? As I ask you, I am also taking an inward view of myself to see if God judges me the way I judge others, will I make it in?
- Roy Beaty, Minister (Sugar Land Church of Christ, Sugar Land, TX)
