Judgment

I was thinking today about judgment. Lately I've been in several situations where the topic is judgment or where I have been judged. We've even had our yearly "Judgment Night" presentation going on at our church this week. I've been called a fanatic, I have been told that I spend too much time at church, or doing church things, and I hear other comments as well. The closer I get to God, the farther away my non-christian friends and family seem to get. Funny how that works. A lot of people act like I have some kind of "Christian" disease that they don't want to catch.

Before I started getting to know Christ, I was always partying and doing all those things that people do and think are fun. (Now I realize that they weren't fun at all, just a way to escape sadness, and something that made others accept me.) I still thought I was a Christian because I was saved and baptized as a teenager. I always thought; "I'm not going to church, where every one is going to judge me." "I don't need to go to church to spend time with God." "I'm a good person and God understands why I don't go to church." "You don't have to go to church to be a Christian." (You don't but it sure helps, especially when you still have a lot of learning to do) I tell you, I had all kinds of excuses. And I'll also tell you, I believed them! To me they weren't excuses. They were the facts. Even though I said those things, as if I did have some kind of relationship with God, and I really thought that I did, but I honestly didn't.

I prayed...when I needed something.
I opened my bible...when I was looking for something to try to justify that what I was doing was right.
I never sang to God.
I helped other people...when it benefited myself.
I never sat quietly in His presence.
I never worshiped Him.
I never did a thing for Him.

But I expected Him to be there in crisis. I expected Him to get me through troubled times. I expected Him to bless me and work for me, but I never wanted to do any work for Him. I never did thank Him for all the things, however undeserved, that he did for me. How typical of humans. How typical of me.

Sadly, a lot of people I know are still believing like I did. They say, "I believe in God." They say, "I'm glad He sent Jesus to die for me so I can go to heaven." (believing that they will.) They say, "I try to keep the ten commandments and I do a pretty good job of it." And they also say; "I just don't go to church because I don't like to be judged." What they are thinking the whole time is that they don't want 'church people' to judge them for the sins that they do commit because they think that all 'church people' are about is judging what 'non-church people' do. In some unfortunate cases this may be true, but in most it is not. What they don't know is that the church is for sinners. We are all sinners. We were born sinners. The best that we can do is to ask God for forgiveness and to ask Him to help us not to sin anymore, and then make an effort from the heart. Does that mean that we won't ever sin again? Unfortunately not. We will sin, and if we truly repent God will forgive us, and He will help us not to keep on committing the same sins over and over again. Church can be a great place. A place to make friends that will help you on your journey with Christ. A place to learn things about God that you never knew. A place to stand in God's presence. God commands us to turn from sin. When true Christians speak out against sin, often that is perceived as judging. It's not a judgment against any single person, but a judgment against sin. Christians hate sin and want God's best for everybody. They are praying that their loved ones turn their faces from sin and toward God. If a Christian says something to you about your sin, it's likely because they are concerned about your well being and hope that you will seek solace in God instead of in sin. If they are judging you in a hypocritical way, please consider that Christians aren't perfect and God is still working on every one, refining them to perfection.

The bible is another great place to go to learn about God. It's the best place to go to get to know about and to hear from God. I believe that God directed me toward my church. If it wasn't important to go to church, then he wouldn't have kept pushing me to go (even though I thought it was a chore and had no desire to go.) I even went to several before I found one where I actually felt God's presence. Since I was obedient to his request that I find a good church, he rewarded me. He does that often with me now, in many ways, regarding many things. Not all churches are good, not all churches are bad. Go and judge for yourself. If you still don't feel like you should go to church, at least worship at home, welcome God into your home and into your life, study your bible (don't just read it), make Christian friends, invite Jesus into your heart and your life and share Him with others. One last thing, don't forget prayer. Prayer is simply having a conversation with God. You just talk to Him and when you take the time to listen, He responds back (He really does.)

And I have to be honest with you. You will be judged, no matter how you live your life. If you sin, people will judge you. If you do good, people will judge you. If you sneeze, people will judge you. It doesn't matter what other people think, it matters what God thinks, and one day we will all have an appointment for our ultimate judgment. And on that day, we will not have the choice of whether we want to attend or not.

Bible scripture for this topic:

Church:
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Relationship:
Mark 12:30 (NIV) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

John 14:23-24 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

Judging Others:
Matthew 7:1-3 (NIV) 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. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Luke 6:37-38 (NIV) "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

1 Corinthians 4:14 (KJV)"I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you."

Proverbs 28:5 (KJV) "Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things."

Matthew 12:36 (NIV) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.