I'm going to talk today about JUDGMENTS. Judgments in the Scriptures and particularly judgments of men.
Yahweh has given us this earth that we can subdue and take dominion over and He has given to man a certain amount of responsibility to judge and rule over this planet (that He created for us) in righteousness.
We're going to talk today about that because I think it's very important and I think it's a major issue in the body of Messiah today. Sometimes we have a tendancy to not judge correctly and not judge at the appropriate time for different things.
We want to see what Scripture says about judgments and about whether or not we are permitted to judge certain situations. Where our jurisdictions actually are and whether we are allowed to judge each other to a certain degree. Whether we are allowed to judge someone else that's maybe not a brother and whether we should be judging ourselves. And what specifically are we permitted to judge.
All of us have met the person that we might be calling judgmental. The person that comes along and we meet him and he's always breathing the fire and brimstone. Then he might be called a judgmental person. But what does Scripture say about this?
Now I want to speak from my own perspective here. I've noticed over the years since I've been doing this. Since 1997 I've been doing the on-line text meetings and 1995 we started the web site. I've met a number of people and the only thing they know about me is what they hear or read or now see on the broadcast or the studies that are written on the web site.
And they think that all I ever think about is Scripture all day long, every day. I would like to. It's in my heart. It's in the back of my mind. I think they maybe have a false impression. That maybe there is an assumption there, that I'm either perfect or close to it or that this all gives me, because I've overcome all these things, that that gives me the credibility to be able to read the Word of Yahweh to you on the internet.
And so the same with our family. Sometimes people think because I have some studies on the home that that automatically means that we are just this perfect, happy little family and we don't have any problems at all. NOT! Not the truth at all.
So we all have challenges. We all have positive things about our character and we all have negative things about our character and we're trying to overcome the things that are negative. All of us. Me, you, my children, everybody who is trying to please our Heavenly Father and walk in the way of love.
What I'm doing when I get behind this microphone and now the camera, is sharing with you what I see in the Word of Yahweh. And it may convict me just as much as it convicts you, and so I don't want anyone to meet me and think I'm pearing down my nose at them from my high perch. That's not my goal. My goal is to walk with you. We are brethren and the Messiah is our Rabbi. He is our Master and He is ultimately our teacher.
And so I can't change what the Word of Yahweh says about sin. It's very strong. But also, as much as Scripture warns us about sin, it also comforts us and gives us hope in the abundance of Yahweh's mercy, and so we can't forget that either.
We don't want to get to this point where we lose hope, and we think that there's no way we are ever going to be pleasing to Him. But at the same time we don't want to go off in the other direction and think that He is Grace, Grace, Grace, Grace. No matter what we do. We want to have a Biblical understanding.
Don't think that if you're to meet me one day that I'm going to be standing over you and judging your actions and seeing if they're in accordance with what I teach, because to be honest, while I wish it was not true, there have been times where I fail to live up to what I teach also.
I have my inadequacies. I'm a man with weaknesses and challenges just like everybody else and so the words I share here convict me. So never put me or any man on a pedestal because you'll eventually see something I do or hear about something and then maybe be caused to stumble and that's my fear.
I'll let you know right now, EliYah of eliyah.com aka Tom Martincic is not perfect and not even close. The one we want to keep our eyes on is the one who is ruling from on high, the perfect one, Yahushua Ha Mashiakh.
Now if you have received Yahushua the Messiah and you genuinely, you want to do His will: I don't care if you are the most perfect Torah keeper in the entire United States or entire world.
Or if you just happened to stumble upon the Bible and read it and you recognized your need for a savior and you turned away from what you UNDERSTOOD to be wrong and you received (you may even be calling Him Jesus at the time). I don't think He's standing up there saying "oop, can't save you because you used the wrong name, It's impossible for Me to save you. NO. He's looking at our hearts and He can get beyond that.
So the man who just turned his life over in repentance to the savior of men, (maybe you have the wrong name or something). In my mind if he died tomorrow, he's every bit as saved as the Torah observant brother whose been keeping these things for 35 years.
We each have different levels of rewards and blessings and spiritual treasures that we've stored up in the age to come, but like Yahushua told the theif on the cross that first was mocking Him, He said "Assuredly I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise."
Lk. 23:43 - And Yahushua said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
So I believe that.
Jurisdiction
I think that alot of trouble comes upon the body of Messiah when men assume that another brother is under their jurisdiction of judgment in certain areas. But Yahushua actually said something very interesting the book of Luke 12:13-14
Lk. 12:13-14 - Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"
That's very interesting because you would think if anyone had the right to say he's the judge, it would be Yahushua Himself. But He said "who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you."
For now, Yahweh is giving man the opportunity to have dominion over the earth. He's giving man a choice as to whether he is going to rule in the fear of Elohim, or if he's going to walk in the image of his enemy, whom we know as Satan, the devil.
Another verse
Jn. 3:17-18 - "For Elohim did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of Elohim.
So Yahushua did not come into the world to condemn the world. He came to save it. Romans 13:1-2 says...
Rom. 13:1-2 - Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from Elohim, and the authorities that exist are appointed by Elohim.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of Elohim, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
And so the authorities that are currently here are under obviously the jurisdiction of Yahweh, but if they choose not to do that, that's their choice. Yahweh is giving man a chance to rule on this earth and to see what happens as a result.
So the authorities that are here; it says 'Yahweh raises up Kings and tears them down.'
Dan. 2:21 - And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
Prov 21:1 - The king's heart is in the hand of Yahweh, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
So He turns the heart of the leaders and directs it wherever He desires it to go. So Yahweh permits evil to take place and ultimately all things are under His jurisdiction. But He is giving man a chance and a free will to choose right or choose wrong.
Yahushua said in John chapter 8:15-16
Jn. 8:15-16 - "You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
16 "And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.
So very interesting, Yahushua said He doesn't judge anybody and He said He did not come to bring judgment. He came to bring salvation. Now the day will come, and it's coming very soon (I hope we're ready for it) when Yahushua will indeed judge the world. In John 5:26
Jn. 5:26-27 - "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
27 "and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
And He's talking about a future judgment, because He says
Jn. 5:28-30 - "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29 "and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
30 "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
So at that time, Yahushua will hear from the Father and He will judge the world based on the righteous judgment of Yahweh.
So, if Yahushua recognized that His area of jurisdiction was not there and He did not come to judge, then the one who dwells in us will do the same works that He did when He was on the earth.
So It's not time yet for judgment. Although some (I think) wish it was. I think I do, but in some ways I'm glad it's not yet. I have more overcoming to do. I have more things I'm hoping to accomplish before I take my last breath on the earth.
At the same time I see the wickedness in the world and sometimes wish that it would come to an end and Yahushua would just come and take care of this mess that we've found ourselves in.
Now exactly WHAT IS JUDGMENT?
In the Hebrew, judgment comes from the Hebrew word SHAPHAT and also another word DIYN which have very similar meanings. Shaphat means, the primitive root means;
8199 shaphat shaw-fat' a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively)
So the day's going to come when Yahweh will pass sentence on every human being who has ever lived and He will judge the earth. But the time for that has not yet come. When He does come, of course there will be alot of judging going on.
Isa 40:4 - Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth;
And that's all well and good and very important that Yahweh makes straight and lowers the mountains and lifts up the valleys and every wrong is going to be recompensed and every good work will be rewarded and that's the day we're looking for and that's where our eyes are on.
Also in Luke chapter 11:31-32. It says
Lk. 11:31-32 - "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
32 "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
So very interesting, the one who judges is by default, superior to the one who is being judged. Very important to keep that in mind. Another verse is in Romans 2:27. It says
Rom. 2:27 - And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?
And so the one who is doing right will judge the one who is doing wrong. It's just an inherent thing that the one who judges is the one who is in the right. So Yahweh is the ultimate judge. He's always in the right. That's why He will judge the entire earth.
We will be cleansed also of all the wrongs that we have done through and by Yahushua Ha Mashiakh and we will take part in that judgment.
Knowing this, the ones who have a tendancy to go around and judge people alot almost always have major issues with pride. And that pride, because if you can judge another person for whatever, you're saying by default that you're not doing that.
So some people who tend to have a weakness in this area, and I'm not putting them down either. I'm just saying "this is a weakness. Pride is very elusive and there's so many different ways it ends up manifesting itself in our walk and in our talk.
So this is one area. Take somebody who has maybe been beat down most of their life, and so they often react one of two ways. They either crawl inside themselves and just feel totally worthless or (because they've been cornered) they fight. They fight back. So you either get the anger or you get the tears.
Now one of the ways this anger manifests itself is in judging others, because they're afraid of being rejected. They have to be the top dog wherever they go. They'll use the Scriptures as a tool against others so that they may seem to be above them and so that they will not feel rejected.
Because if you exalt yourself (in their mind) and they don't maybe even realize this, then they feel like they are not worthless and they make sure everybody knows that they're not. And they do so through being judgmental toward others and the root of that is rejection and fear of rejection.
A case sort of similar to this is seen in the Book of Romans in chapter 14. We have a weak brother who doesn't feel like he should eat anything in the marketplace because it 'may have' been offered to an idol at one and maybe he would be tempted by that. So when he eats that particular food he thinks of the idol.
So in Romans chapter 14:3-4 there's a group of people who were saying to that person, "well, if your really..." (this is my impression) "if your really serving Yahweh then you shouldn't have those thoughts of the idol in your heart. You should be strong like we are.
So Paul was addressing this issue in Romans 14:3-4 and I'm going to read that now. It says...
Rom. 14:3-4 - Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for Elohim has received him.
4 Who are you to judge another's servant? ..(THERE WE ARE, ABOUT JUDGMENT).. To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Elohim is able to make him stand.
See how he took the non-judgmental road here, Paul did toward this brother who was weaker. In this situation, the person who had idolatry in his background, he couldn't help but think of this idol whenever there was food in the marketplace. Maybe there was this meat. That was a real trap for those involved in the idolatry.
So others were passing judgment on the weak brother and treating him with contempt because he was so weak in his faith. Meanwhile, Paul actually points out that "you're not walking in love." The stronger brother is not walking in love. We'll read the next verse here Romans 14:10
Rom. 14:10-13 - But why do you judge your brother? ..(THERE'S THE WORD JUDGMENT).. Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah.
11 For it is written: "As I live, says Yahweh, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to Elohim."
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to Elohim.
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.
So the ones who were actually in sin were the ones who were showing contempt for the weak brother. Paul said they were not walking in love, and that's one of the most important commands. Is it not? The second most important command is that we love our fellow man.
They weren't walking in love because they were treating him in a way that would cause him to stumble, forcing things that were temptations for him. They treated him with contempt because it was a temptation for him. He said in verse 15...
Rom. 14:15 - Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Messiah died.
So, as is often the case brethren, same problem in the first century assembly. A fairly advanced, fairly mature assembly there in Roma at the time. The ones who were judging and showing contempt were actually the ones who were in sin.
Because they were no longer walking in love. Because they were causing temptation to rise up in the heart of the weaker person and causing him to stumble.
We are called to build up the body of Messiah and do whatever we can do to strengthen it. But they were destroying the body of Messiah by their judgments and contempt toward the weaker brother, and how it's "his problem if he's tempted by what we're doing" and so they would eat it right there in front of him and thereby cause him to be weakened.
So we should not want to do anything that would cause anyone to be tempted. We want to build up and not tear down.
The next verse here in 1Corinthians 4:5. It says..
1 Corinthians 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Master comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from Elohim.
So there's a time for judgment. There's a time for it. But the time is not now. We need to recognize not only whether something is in our jurisdiction, but also the proper time if it is.
Yahushua warned us:
In the book of Luke in chapter 6 verse 37. It says..
Lk. 6:37-38 - Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
and again in Matthew chapter 7. It says..
Matt. 7:1-2 - "Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
So we have to be very very careful my brothers. If we're holding a man to a standard that we cannot ourselves obtain and receive. Even if today at this moment we are walking it out, there's no telling what will happen tomorrow. We never know. One day we may find ourselves in the same situation and we may fail. We may do even worse. So let's be humble. Let's be humble people.
We've got to be very careful also about condemning or judging another person who maybe doesn't have the same level of understanding that we have. Let's look at them and say "well o.k. they don't have that understanding yet, but I'm not going to judge them. I'm just going to assume that they're walking out to the best of their ability, the understandings of Scripture that they have."
Because what if 'you' maybe don't have understanding in some other area, and then later you realize that 'you' weren't walking in the fullness of Yahweh either. And you judged Joe Smith down the road who didn't have your level of knowledge when maybe another Joe Smith somewhere else has more than you and he could be judging you.
So with what judgment we use toward others we will be judged. We're better off to judge nothing before the time. Judge nothing before the time. Just assume unless you have direct proof of some kind and most of the time people don't, even when you think you have it, you may not have it.
The safest thing to do is leave the judging to Yahweh. Let Him handle that part of it. Sometimes we need to realize that if we judge without mercy (in James chapter 2 verse 13) we may not receive mercy, because judgment is without mercy to the one who's shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment
Jas. 2:13 - For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Another place...
We end up judging the law:
Jas. 4:11-12 - Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. ..(BECAUSE THE LIVING TORAH IS DWELLING IN THAT BROTHER, YAHUSHUA HA MASHIAKH).. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
Very strong words about judgment, isn't there? Very strong words in the Scriptures and so we need to be very very very careful in this area because we're wanting on the Day of Judgment to be found on the right side of things, aren't we? We're wanting to be found by Yahweh to be saved and not condemned. So we need to be very very careful how we judge and when we judge or if we judge.
Sometimes we have these little judments in our hearts towards people and we might be grumbling under our breath or maybe even whispering something to somebody else about someone. So whenever that happens, I want you to remember in your heart. I strongly encourage you to remember in your heart. The DOOR. REMEMBER THE DOOR. Remember the door.
What is the door, you might ask?
Jas. 5:9 - Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest YOU be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
REMEMBER THE DOOR!!
So when we stand and we speak about another person, whether it's in our heart or whether it's to another brother somewhere, we need to remember, THE JUDGE is standing at the door. Be wise. Be wise.
(The real Judge is watching us, and judging us.)
Sometimes people get in the chat rooms, and under this cloak of anonymity, they assume. There is a certain amount of confidence that there are no repercussions for our behavior there, or on an internet discussion forum somewhere or some other internet sight that the people don't know who we are and so we don't think it's that big of a deal if we say this, that we wouldn't normally say.
It's not true. THE JUDGE is standing at the internet door too. He's listening.
So we don't grumble and we need to be aware of Yahweh's presence at all times. He's with us. Yahushua lives in us. What would He say during those times? What would He do during those times? We want to make sure that we're doing what He would do and not assume too much for ourselves.
Areas where judgment is permissible:
Now, having said these things, there actually are examples in Scripture where judgment is permissible. Now, initially it may seem that these other scriptures may contradict the former ones I shared which warned us not to judge.
But it's not the fact that a judgment is bring made that's a bad thing, it's the KIND of judgment that's being made. The former things were judgments of who is superior and who is inferior, of who is the greater and who is the lesser, who is going to enter into life and who is not.
(James made a judgment of how the assembly would treat Gentiles who were turning to Elohim)
There are some areas where we are called and even need to make some kind of judgment. In the Book of Acts chapter 15 verse 19 for instance, Paul went to the elders about a question of how to treat the gentiles, and Ya'acob (James) judged (to make a long story short) that we should not trouble those from among the gentiles who are turning to Elohim.
Acts 15:19 - "Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to Elohim,
To a certain extent, we see that the first century assembly was making judgments as to how their fellow man was to be treated in the assembly and whether or not he was to accepted in.
Of course he decided that he wasn't going to judge against them. He was going to have mercy on them and not require the entirety of Yahweh's law to be heaped onto them all at once. No one can bear that yoke. Nobody, and Peter pointed that out. None of us can. So that was his judgment. He had to make a judgment call there.
Another example in Leviticus chapter 19, Yahweh actually commands us to rebuke our neighbor. He says...
Lev. 19:17-18 - You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
18 `You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am Yahweh.
Part of loving our neighbor as ourself is that occasionally we have to reprove them, we have to correct them. If we see our brother doing something that is clearly not Biblical. If something is clearly wrong and we just let them continue on that path, that would not be very loving toward them to say nothing.
Another verse in Luke chapter 17 verse 3-4, it says...
Lk. 17:3-4 - "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying,`I repent,' you shall forgive him."
Another Scripture.
Jas. 5:19-20 - 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
So it's not necessarily a bad thing if it's done in the right way. There's the gentle, kind, and peaceful manner of the Messiah and then there's the "judgmental way," as though we are superior and they are inferior, as though we are on high and they are down low, as though we are perfect and they are the subjects underneath us needing correction.
Scripture says in Galatians chapter 6 verse 1 thru 3. It says...
Gal. 6:1-3 - Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Messiah.
3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
You know what, we're nothing. All of us. We're nothing. We are NOTHING except by the grace of Yahweh through Yahushua our Master.
So when we come to a brother who is overtaken in some kind of trespass then we need to come to them in that understanding, in gentleness, in peaceableness and love. Because really, were it not for the grace of Messiah we would be nothing. We all have times of weakness
Many times I've seen and learned through my own experiences, the dangers of pridefully judging another person. Even a thought in the heart of contempt for another person who is involved in some kind of entanglement of sin may displease Yahweh and cause Him to test you in the same manner as the other person is tested and see how great you really are.
It says there, we go back to Galatians 6. It says...
Gal. 6:1 - Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
We may find ourselves in the same spiritual condition they are in. We may be found doing even worse than they are. We may even have more trouble than they are having. We may even find ourselves in a deeper pit than what they dug themselves into.
Put away pride. Don't use these opportunities as opportunities for the flesh but use them as opportunities for the Spirit and let the Spirit filled men do the restoring in the coming to the brother. Rebuke is never to be done in a "holier than thou" manner. It's supposed to be done in a spirit of gentleness "considering yourself lest you also be tempted!"
Yahushua could do it. He IS holier than thou. But the truth we're not necesarily holier than anybody else. Let Yahweh decide that at the end. We may be deceiving ourselves when we think we're holier than the other person and in reality we're not. Save that for the end. That's not our jurisdiction. That's not our area of responsibility.
We need to be very careful because If pride is involved, don't be surprised if you find yourself in the same exact temptation some weeks, some months later and sometimes years to come. Sometimes it will occur even decades later as your judgment of superiority comes up as a memorial before the throne of Yahweh, and you find yourself in the same predicament.
Don't think it cannot happen because no temptation has ever overcome anyone except what is common to man.
1Co 10:13a - There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
So let's be humble my brothers. Let's be humble. Because the way is narrow enough as it is. It's already super super narrow. We don't need to make it even narrower for ourselves and even more difficult by looking down at another person when they struggle.
Never should it be done in a judgmental way. But always in a Spirit filled, loving gentle way.
You'll be far more likely to actually turn that brother back and restore them and strengthen their inner man by coming underneath them. Lifting them up, bearing them up in the humility of the Messiah, acknowledging that we all have overcoming to do, and doing what you can to be the person to bear his burden with him.
You're far more likely to restore that man and turn him from the error of his way by having that attitude when you come to him. And saying "brother, I've got my overcoming to do too. I see this, I'm not really sure, maybe you have a clarification. Maybe something I didn't seek properly," or whatever it might be.
But we need to come underneath them. And you will win them a whole lot faster, than you would if you were scowling from your high perch and speaking harsh words.
Now those of us who have been blessed to understand the rightful role of the Torah in our lives, (we are very blessed) the Hebrew roots of our faith, the importance of proclaiming the name of Yahweh and honoring His Holy Day, we should be in awe.
We should just be in total awe that Yahweh would choose to reveal these things to us, and be thankful, and not get this idea "well because of MY righteousness therefore Yahweh showed me.. NO! It's because of the righteousness of Messiah, because of His love for you that He showed you these things.
That makes me feel thankful, humbled, that Yahweh would take a wretched man like myself apart from His grace, and just show us some of these awesome things, and save us and deliver us.
And I'm not trying to say that I know everything yet. But what I grasp and hold dear, that is according to the Word of Yahweh, to my best understanding, it's something we can all thank Yahweh for. We need to maintain that attitude no matter how many years we walk this thing out. No matter how many ways that we've been shown that this is the right way, we need to maintain that attitude.
There is a real danger in becoming prideful with our revelations, thinking that "well I know all these things and this other guy doesn't, and I'm going to show him a thing or two. No, you're not going to show him anything. You're just going to share the Word and Yahweh is the one who will show him in His time, not yours.
(Remember, knowledge puffs up but love edifies)
Scripture says in 1Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 1. It says "knowledge puffs up." Isn't that the truth.
1 Co. 8:1b - Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
So when we come to our brother with some knowledge, if we're puffed up, we're not edifying. If we're puffed up, we're not walking in love.
If the things we have learned are merely a collection of knowledge that we follow, we're going to become puffed up. This knowledge that we have, this knowledge can cause us if we're not careful (now here's a warning) it can puff us up to make us think that we know something, but in the very next verse....
1 Co. 8:2 - And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
You get that? We don't know anything yet, and if you think you know anything, you're puffed up. You get that? That's some serious words. 'If you think you know anything, you know not yet as you ought to know.' You've already missed the boat, you're puffed up. We can't be there.
1 Co. 8:3 - But if anyone loves Elohim, this one is known by Him.
It's a whole lot better to be known by Elohim, than to know anything. It's a whole lot better that Yahweh knows who you are than you knowing about Him. It's one thing to know about Him, it's another thing to be known by Him. We have to get that straight in our mind right off the bat. It's not what we know, it's who knows us.
So we want to be humble and not let this knowledge that we've gained in Hebrew roots or anything else we may have learned to cause us to be prideful. It's a real danger.
The "puffed up" state of a man will cause him to be judgmental toward others. This knowledge is then used as an outlet for this bitterness in his heart that he's felt from past rejection. Rather than bearing the rejection that he has been receiving in his lifetime, he becomes bitter and he tries to exalt himself so he won't be rejected.
And so he loves knowledge. He may study day and night and you might think the man is really spiritual. But he has bitterness in his heart that is actually driving the whole thing.
(We don't know. We don't know who it is. We just want to make sure it's not us, right? We don't want that to be us. I'm not pointing the finger at anyone. I can't even think of a person right now who this is. I don't want it to be me. But this is an observation of a danger that exists out there that we have to be aware of.)
So, when other people react negatively toward this judgmental attitude, the person will console himself in the thoughts; "Well, Yahweh has shown me this knowledge, and therefore I'm not rejected by Yahweh. All this bitterness and pride is cloaked behind religious zeal.
These other people don't receive what he's saying because it's puffed up knowledge, it's not given in the attitude of love. Now James (Ya'acob) actually writes about this in James chapter 3. He says...
Jas. 3:13-18 - Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
When we sow the Word of Yahweh in peace and in love, not from self seeking (that is exalting ourselves over our friend) but in peace and in love, that's when the fruit of righteousness will grow. Because the fruit of righteousness needs to be sown in peace by those who make peace.
Our goal is to make peace. Make peace between our fellow man and the Elohim that we serve and thereby making peace between all those who serve Yahweh because there is no peace for those who do not serve Yahweh.
When Yahushua spoke to certain disciple whom we know as Kefa (Peter) in John chapter 21 and in verse 15, it says:
John 21:15-17 - So when they had eaten breakfast, Yahushua said to Shimon Peter, "Shimon, [son] of Yonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Master; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." 16 He said to him again a second time, "Shimon, [son] of Yonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Master; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
17 He said to him the third time, "Shimon, [son] of Yonah, do you love Me?" Kepha was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Master, You know all things; You know that I love You." Yahushua said to him, "Feed My sheep."
What is He talking about? We are the sheep of Yahushua's pasture. His sheep will hear His voice. A stranger's voice they will not hear.
I have sheep in our pasture, when they hear me call, they know that means food, so they come a running. I usually have a bucket of grain for them and so all I've gotta do is call for them and they come a running. Now if somebody else calls for them they might not recognize the person and just look at him and not pay any attention.
Sheep will follow because you have the food. I didn't understand the Spiritual application there but now I think I do. The reason why we follow the Shepherd is because we hear His voice. We hear His Word, the holy Scriptures and we want to do the Father's will. Yahushua said "My food is to do the Father's will."
John 4:34 - Yahushua said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
But first you have to hear His Word and then you do it. We hear the Words of our Shepherd, the good food. He makes us lie down in green pastures and still waters, which is what an ancient shepherd would do. He would lead the sheep to green pastures, the place where there's good food to eat and still waters for drink.
Psalms 23:2 - He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
Yahushua is saying "Feed My sheep." If we're going to feed the sheep of Yahweh it's got to be with the Scriptures. That's what it has to be with and not uninspired words of man's dung. We don't need that, do we?
His people are sheep. They're hungry for His Word. They need to be fed.
If I took my grain bucket and I just threw it at them, they would just run away from me. They'd be scared to death. This flying food coming at them and hitting them in the face. But if I lay the food down gently in a little pile they come over and they feed on it.
We don't want to be just throwing Scripture at people and harsh words and harsh attitudes and judgmental ways. We don't want to intimidate them into submission through force or through the rod of man or the wrath of man which never produces the righteousness of Yahweh. It only produces intimidation. Being intimidated by a man, not being guided into the fear of the living Elohim.
James 1:20 - for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of Elohim.
So we want to lead as Yahushua leads, and how does He lead? Isaiah 40:11 how does Yahushua lead His sheep. It's speaking of Him here I believe.
Isaiah 40:11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry [them] in His bosom, [And] gently lead those who are with young.
So If we are chosen to feed the sheep of Yahweh, how are we going to treat them? Are we going to gently lead or are we going to be judgmentaI and harsh with our words. A harsh word just stirs up anger but a gentle answer turns away anger.
Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
We want to provoke the Spirit that is in a man and not his flesh. So I encourage everyone who shares their faith out there (I know many of you do and we're going to talk more and more about this in the coming weeks) please, please have discretion, have understanding toward the person who's hearing it. Do not frighten off the sheep.
Scripture says In Proverbs 19 verse 11:
Prov 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
So we need to be longsuffering. Why? Because the one we serve has been longsuffering with us, and He is with all.
Psal 145:8 Yahweh is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. 9 Yahweh is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. 10 All Your works shall praise You, O Yahweh, And Your saints shall bless You.
So I want to ask a question. Are we like Yahushua? You know when we share the Word, we are going to get mistreated. Are we like Him? He took the beatings and the spittings of the enemy and the mockings of the enemy for our sake and then says "Father forgive them, they know not what they do."
Luke 23:34 - Then Yahushua said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.
Then we, do we receive just one little ounce of disrespect from a brother and then lash out like we've been slain? You know there is something amiss here. Are we forgetting "The weightier matters of the law?" Matthew 23:23 Yahushua said:
Matthew 23:23 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith (NOW HE'S NOT SAYING DON'T TITHE MINT, ANISE, AND CUMMIN. HE'S SAYING) these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
We've got to remember the weightier matters of the Torah. Hey, we're the people here encouraging people to follow the Torah. So we ought to have mercy and faith and all these things as in righteous judgment being the main thing that we do. Beause these are the weightier matters.
We have got to be in accordance with Torah as we proclaim Torah, the best that we can in our attitudes. Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1 through 3:
Ephesians 4:1 - I, therefore, the prisoner of Yahushua, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (HOW?) 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Beautiful!
So when we choose to correct, it does require a certain amount of judgment to do that. Not a condemning judgement. Not an I'm over you judgment. But well, 'they're not keeping the Sabbath,' they said so. So I judge that maybe, 'they're not keeping the Sabbath.' (LoL) So, that's O.K. to make that judgment.
That doesn't means that we assume that they're lost. They just may not have heard about it and why it's important.
Now there are some areas where judgment is not only permissible, but necessary!
In 1Corinthians 5:1-3 This is Paul writing to the Corinthians.
1 Co. 5:1-2 - It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles-- that a man has his father's wife!
2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.
So here we have blatant, obvious sin. A man is in bed with his father's wife. It's taking place in the assembly. A terrible thing. It's not wrong to do something about that, and it requires a certain amount of judgment. So when Paul heard it, he said he's "already judged the situation" as if he was there, when he got the reports, I'm sure from several eye witnesses. He said in verse 3:
1 Co. 5:3 - For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.
So those are the kinds of things, you've got to do something about that. He even said that you're puffed up because you don't do anything about it. So, some obvious things there.
So what kind of things can we point to and say, "yeah we need to do something about that ?" We can look here in 1Corinthians 5 verses 9 through 13. Paul says:
1 Co. 5:9-10 - I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.
10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
We're surounded by all kinds of immorality.
1 Co. 5:11-13 - But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner-- not even to eat with such a person.
12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? (THAT'S OUTSIDE THE BODY OF MESSIAH) Do you not judge those who are inside?
13 But those who are outside Elohim judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."
He's actually quoting the Torah there. (Deut. 17:7; Deut. 19:19; Deut. 22:21, 24; Deut. 24:7, Lev. 18:8)
Now notice that those who are being disfellowshiped here, are those who are completely unrepentant. Now I say that because the person is named a brother, and it says he is someone who 'IS' an idolator (that's his character, that's what he does) he 'IS' sexually immoral, he 'IS' an extortioner, etc. In other words, he's not repenting of these things. He's not living the repentant life.
And we're talking about things that are blantant sin, and this is who they are. They're wallowing in it. They've returned to the mire, returned to the vomit, and that's where they're living.
2Pet. 2:22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
So in those cases yes, sin should be dealt with. Now we all have weaknesses. If we took this to an extreme, we'd say "that brother over there, he committed that sin the other day and yeah he's repented, but you know he keeps doing it. He did it seven times a day the other day to me so out he goes."
No, Yahushua gave us some principles to follow here. In Matthew 18 verses 15 through 17 it says:
Matt. 18:15 - "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between YOU AND HIM ALONE. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
Did you get that? You and him alone. That's probably one of the most disobeyed scriptures, disobeyed commands that Yahushua ever gave. The command that if your brother sins against you, go to him alone. Just you and him. Nobody else.
No, you don't have to ask somebody else for counsel. No, you know what to do. Yahushua said to do it. Do it. You and him alone. I have to repeat it, because it's one of the most broken commands Yahushua gave, and it's sad.
What happens is you're not loving your brother and your not rebuking him like it says. Instead you're going to take vengence. You're going to be a talebearer and all these other things, as your outlet. But it says here, continuing to read. It says:
Matt. 18:16 - "But if he will not hear, (THEN) take with you one or two more, (NOT HALF THE FAMILY OF YAHWEH AND THE ASSEMBLY. NO, ONE OR TWO) that`by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'
You never know, you could be WRONG and someone else says "you know, I don't think your right about this brother," and so that's how it's supposed to be. Next verse:
Matt. 18:17 - "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the assembly. But if he refuses even to hear the assembly, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
O.K. 'then' judgment is permissible, because the man is not repentant before the assembly
Now Yahushua did not say to disbelieve the person's repentance. "Well they keep doing it, so they're not repenting." Well is there ever anything in your life that you kept doing, cause you were struggling with it, and you kept repenting but you did it again? With what judgment you judge, you will be judged. So be very careful about that.
Yahushua said in Luke chapter 17 and verse 4:
Lk. 17:4 - "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying,`I repent,' you shall forgive him."
I suspect you probably sin against Yahweh more than seven times a day. In fact I suspect that many people listening to this have probably sinned against Yahweh more than seven times today. Maybe you didn't know it. Maybe not today, maybe yesterday, maybe some other day. Probably half of it you didn't even realize.
But the point is, you are to forgive him. 70 times seven, Yahushua said, which means always. But what if a person is not really repentant? He says "oh I repent" and you look at him and you think, "that's just not real. I can just tell. It's not real. It's fake."
You know, I really believe Yahweh will intervene in some way. They'll probably get tired of their game for one and they'll either genuinely repent of their sin or they'll just stop caring as to whether they come to you to ask for forgiveness. Something's going to happen, because this is the way Yahweh told us to do it. So He's going to make something happen toward the direction that He wants to see it go.
The main thing that we need to look at with someone who's saying they're a believer, is NOT "well, do they believe everthing like I do? Do they have every conviction that I have, including the one I just learned LAST WEEK?
Is this the perfect assembly that I've found here? I've finally found the perfect assembly." And then one person sins, and "oh my goodness, they're not perfect." Well guess what, if you are perfect then you can go have assembly by yourself because nobody else could join you. Because there is no perfect assembly out there.
What we need to look at is not how perfect everybody is, or how in accordance with what we think everybody is and whether their following our own pet doctrines.
The main thing is: "Do they love the Word and do they want to do His will to the best that they understand His will to be?"
As I said before, the Torah observant man for 35 years is every bit as saved on the Day of Judgment as the sinner who just gave his life to the Savior. There's all kinds of things in between those two points. There's maybe a whole season of going to this church and then this other church, and this other church.
But their seeking for something. They're seeking righteousness. They're seeking truth and we've got to remember, they may not receive the same truth in the same order that we have. We may be trying to get them to see one thing and Yahweh's working in some other area completely. It's His workmanship, not ours.
Also, we need to be men who can rightly judge between brethren if there's some kind of legal conflict. We should not need to go before the unbelieving, the unbelievers. 1Corinthians 6:1 it says there:
1 Corinthians 6:1-8 - Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the assembly to judge?
5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
7 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?
8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!
So it's better just to take wrong from somebody and just let it go, than it is to bring the heathen courts and the Judge's of this age into it. I hope that there are some wise men among us and we're not like the Corinthian assembly.
If you can't find a wise man to help litigate the situation, it's better to take the wrong than to go before Court's and two people face an unbelieving Judge where they blaspheme the name of Yahweh and the name of the Messiah.
And this even occurs sometimes with marriage counseling and different things. We don't need to go to the world for that. I hope that we can go and find a good elder somewhere with a good marriage.
I'm not one. I'm not an elder. I'm not even 50 years old and I don't claim to fulfill all the qualifications.
I'm just saying, there ought to be an elder among us somewhere who does fill the qualifications. They're hard to find (I'm sorry to say) that can judge among the brethern in wisdom, where everbody can see, "yeah, that's the right thing."
Now, if we're going to judge a situation, we have to follow certain principles of sound judgment. Otherwise we might become a false judge or false witness.
There is a serious need to address Yahweh's requirement for righteous judgment amongst the people of this age.
Scripture says in Exodus 20:16:
Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
An example of that is found in Deuteronomy 19:16-21
Deuteronomy 19:16-21 "If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, 17 "then both men in the controversy shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.
18 "And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, 19 "then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
20 "And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. 21 "Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
To be a false witness against our neighbor means basically to falsly accuse them of some kind of wrong doing.
In the Torah false witnesses were judged very harshly. So when we bear witness toward someone concerning something we need to make sure that we are absolutely accurate and completely true in everything that we say. Otherwise say nothing. Don't try to guess. Say nothing. We don't want to be a false witness.
If these principles were followed in the courts of today, there wouldn't be all this lying on the witness stand. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, actually could be reliable, and everything could be established. Now today, it's not the case, sad to say, but it's not the case.
Yahweh wants us to have true and accurate judgment in everything that we do. Now before anything can be done, Deuteronmy 19:15, it says when we judge matters:
Deut. 19:15 "One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
Yahweh's will is consitent. We can't judge a situation without two or three witnesses, and that's the reason why Matthew 18 says to bring with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word would be established.
Matt. 18:16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'
Another thing that's very important, is that we don't judge according to appearance. In the book of John 7:24, Yahushua said:
John 7:24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
Something can be looking a certain way, but then it's not. So often I've seen snap judgments, and quick accuations, and seen someones character get assasinated, based on suspicions and phony spiritual discernment. When really it's the enemy. The enemy is in there and he's whispering these little things in the ears of people, and mostly people who have issues with bitterness and have a need to exalt themselves.
Another thing we should be very careful about from Proverbs 18:13:
Prov. 18:13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
So don't be too quick to judge. In verse 17 the same chapter:
Prov. 18:17 - The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.
We need to be careful like the Judges of Israel, making careful inquiry. Diligent inquiry, before we make any kind of judgment at all against anyone. Be very careful.
We also need to be careful that our own bitternesses might be causing us to be harsher in our judgment toward someone than is necessary, or cause us to assume that wrongs have been committed without actual proof.
Or maybe we're biased toward one person because we like them better. Or we're bitter against another person and maybe have a strained relationship and we judge them differently.
Well Scripture says:
Deut. 16:19 - You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
Job 13:10-11 - He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality.
11 Will not His excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you?
Jas. 2:1-4 - My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Master Yahushua Messiah, the Master of glory, with partiality. (AND HE GIVES AN EXAMPLE)2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges (JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDES) with evil thoughts?
We cannot show partiality in the assembly and not treat someone differently based on anything. We treat everyone with love. We also need to be careful that we don't judge a person based on their past only. Maybe somebody committed this sin in the past and there's a new situation, it doesn't mean he's done it again, unless we have proof of that. You have to take each thing case by case. Every situation is different.
Don't feel pressured to make a judgment when there isn't enough evidence to make a real positive determination one way or the other. Just be humble and know that while we would like to see the situation dealt with, some things are hidden for now.
1Timothy 5:24 and 25 talks about that. It's talking about the picking out of elders and so on. It says:
1 Tim. 5:24-25 - Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.
25 Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.
So if Yahweh wants it to be judged, He will make it manifest clearly. When it's not clear, there are usually divisions among the brethren as a result of the judgment. Yahweh desires that we come to unity in all our judgments:
1 Co. 1:10 - Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Master Yahushua Messiah, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Oh, but what about the tares among the wheat? Aren't there tares we need to tear out? No! Yahushua said to let the tares grow with the wheat because He knows that when you start ripping out the tares, some of the wheat will be ripped out with it. Then the division that's created causes others to stumble. So in some of these cases the wheat will need to grow together with the tares until the end of the age and the harvest comes.
Matt. 13:29-30 - But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "
There were a lot of things going on in the Corinthian assembly. Divisions within the body of Messiah, selfishness in marital relationships, people dying and getting sick from abuse of the Passover meal (drunkenness), selfish use of spiritual gifts, false teachings about the good news and the resurrection.
There were major problems in this assembly. This assembly, this body of Messiah in Corinth was broke. Sounds like us. We're all a mess. The body is divided.
But you know, only in the matter of the man having his father's wife did Paul say that they needed to judge the person and disfellowship them. We're called to be longsuffering and patient with one another.
If we judge ourselves, then we won't have to judge each other. We'll just judge ourselves. If you look at 1Corinthians, it says about the situation:
1 Co. 11:29-32 - For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner (TALKING ABOUT THE PASSOVER MEAL) eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Master's body.
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Master, that we may not be condemned with the world.
So it's not a bad thing if we do get judged. We're being chastened by the Master Yahushua. And if we judge ourselves, that's O.K., we can judge ourselves, and determine what's right and what's wrong. Are we walking it? Are we living it? Are we repenting?
We have to be very careful in our judgments of others. If the man's already judging himself don't add the whole weight of everything on him. He's already trying to overcome. That's what we're looking for, the heart that wants to overcome.
We also have to be careful that when we have to speak to another person, that we're not doing the same thing ourselves. In Romans chapter 2 veses 1 through 11 it says:
Rom. 2:1-2 - Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of Elohim is according to truth against those who practice such things.
So we need to be humble my brothers. Let's be humble and recognize our limitations. We have limitations. You know, at end of the age everything will be revealed, and THEN we can be sure that our judgments will be from Elohim. That's when we'll know.
Revelation 20: 4-6, it says:
Rev. 20:4 - And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Yahushua and for the word of Elohim, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Messiah for a thousand years.
Matt. 19:27-28 - Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?"
28 So Yahushua said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
So until that time my brothers, let's treat those who claim to be brothers, like brothers.
We know that Yahushua walked with Judas, a thief and betrayer who was stealing the money from the money box and Yahushua didn't do anything for his entire ministry. Judas was a betrayer and he was unclean. Yahushua just recognized that there was a tare among the wheat and did not treat him any differently.
That kind of boggles my mind a little bit when you realize, I think Yahushua was being patient with Judas. He knew what choices he would make. But even to the last minute, He said to Judas, "My FRIEND, why have you come?"
Let's be patient with a brother who is struggling with committing some kind of sin. For who among us is completely without sin? How can we pass judgment on our brother for some sin he's involved in and say, "Oh well I'm not going to be coming around that person because he has some sin in his life" when we have sin in our own life that we trying to battle against?
We are all seeking to overcome so brethren let's be cautious... because with what judgment we judge, we shall be judged. With what measure we use, it will be measured back to us. Therefore, let's bear with one another in love, as Yahushua teaches us.
Otherwise, if we don't really share in love, if we don't really walk in love. The things that we share with others, if people come into our fellowship or in our chat rooms or in our discussion forums. We can word things so beautifully, but if we don't have love, we're like a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
So lets allow our love to be the context for everything that we say. We should care about this person who joined in the chatroom whoever they may be, whether they come in and say "Jesus Lives" or if they're worshiping Buddha, we need to love. Because when we were worshiping the false Elohim, we were loved weren't we? And it was the love of Yahweh that brought us into the faith, because He loved us first.\
1John 4:19 - We love Him because He first loved us.
I assure you brethren, it's our love that will guide people into an even greater understanding of truth. Not just words, with a bunch of people fighting over who's right about what. But our love. So, lets be sensitive to that.
If we're getting involved in some kind of a discussion and it's not loving anymore, lets stop. Otherwise it's just people, one's with the gong and he's clanging the brass, the other one he's clashing the cymbals together and it's just ugly.
You're not going to convert people doing that. You're not going to convince somebody doing that. Maybe you'll convince somebone who's also got his gong and his cymbal. But we don't want to be that way. We want to be like Messiah
Gal. 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no Torah.
Yahushua said:
Jn. 13:34 - "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
That's our hallmark. That is the imprint that we are giving. That is the thing that we ought to say is the chief thing among us that we do. Because we're His disciples. And that is, that we love one another.
Jn. 13:35 - "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
That's going to come through in our attitudes. It's going to come through not in a judgmental attitude, but a patient attitude, a longsuffering attitude, a good and gentle attitude, a joyful attitude, a loving attitude.
Because His Spirit dwells in us, doing the works.
"Father, please let it be our love for one another that draws all men to you, in Yahushua's name."
And just as much as Yahushua keeps these Torah commands in us, so let it be that His love dwells in us and all His glory. Both in Yahweh and His Torah and in our love for one another, with mercy, MERCY TRIUMPHING over judgment.
Isn't that a beautiful thought, that mercy triumphs over judgment? That's a beautiful thought. Maybe because it comes from the Scriptures.
Jas. 2:13b - Mercy triumphs over judgment.
So, even as we desire mercy to triumph for us in the day of judgment, even as we have that desire that mercy would triumph over us in judgment as it says here in James 2:13:
Jas. 2:13 - For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
"May that mercy that we desire, triumph in our mercy toward each another. May the mercy triumph over judgment toward our family members."
Whether it be it our spouse, our sons, our daughters, our parents, brothers and sisters. May it triumph over judgment toward Christians we come in contact with... who happen to stumble onto the website that we're involved in at the time or Facebook account or whatever.
"May mercy triumph over judgment in abundance. And may mercy triumph over judgment with Christians," so that they will not see that they have to give up their merciful Messiah when they turn their hearts toward Yahweh's Torah.
That's the biggest stumbling block they have. They think they have to give up grace in order for them to keep Torah. And guess what, if we come in with this judgmental attitude toward them, they're going to become convinced that that's exactly what they have to do. BE LIKE YOU. Judgment.
No, our Savior is merciful. So "may mercy triumph over judgment," when we speak these things to our fellow Christians.
And "may mercy triumph toward the Jewish people," who after 2,000 years of receiving one judgment after another. They need to see Yahweh's mercy through Messiah. Through Messiah dwelling in us. Because the meekness, mercy, humility and gentleness of the Messiah is what they need to see. Not more judgment. They've had plenty of that.
"May mercy triumph over judgment toward our fellow man, our fellow Christians, our spouses, our family members, our brother Judah."
"May mercy triumph over judgment and may Yahweh bless you, and may Yahweh have mercy on us all as this ministry of reconciliation, the ministry of reconciliation triumphs over the ministry of condemnation. May the ministry of reconciliation triumph for each and every one of us on the day of judgment."
HalleluYah!!