Are There Still Spiritual Judges Today?

Jan Oosthuizen

Judgement • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Philippians 2:5–11

The Judges

A Judge

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When we hear the word judge, we mostly think of judicial, legal verdicts and immanent penalty. Although this is certainly the case, the Bible has a more general broader estimation of judges.

In life we are all judges. We make regular judgements concerning the friends we choose, the right partners we marry or go in business with, the judication process of appointing new staff, forming political opinions, the purchases or investments me make, the beliefs we base our life on. Life is a series of judgements, decisions, conclusions based either on facts, or gut-feeling, group-pressure, impulse, emotion or research. We all seek the truth! We all seek the right judgement of our life. (Gen 16:5; 18:25) Most of all, in relational conflict we deeply desire someone who could judge and reconcile the feud.

THE EVIDENCE PROVES - WE JUDGE POORLY

Wrong gut feeling:

Story: Malcolm Gladwell – how thin slicing, gutfeel is trained.[1]

Wrong decisions

I also remember a most interesting TED talk, we reviewed in BibleSchool class on Being Wrong by Kathryn Schulz. https://youtu.be/QleRgTBMX88 [2]

The best of us is wrong too

Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 514, a Boeing 727 inbound from Columbus, Ohio, that was scheduled to land at Washington National Airport. The crew had flown a normally functioning Boeing 727 aircraft into a hill at an altitude of 1669 feet, just short of the hill’s peak of 1764 feet. The 85 passengers and seven crew members died in a horrific fiery crash 29 miles northwest of Dulles International Airport. Human error and Pilot's misunderstanding each other was the cause of this accident.[3]

Wrong self-awareness

"Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments" Justin Kruger and David Dunning Cornell University

Elon Musk https://youtu.be/NU7W7qe2R0A "Constantly seek criticism" [4]

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes

We live in an age where the following statement has never been more accurate and relevant; "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" Judges 21:25 We have more information available than ever yet people appear to be entirely ignorant of their lifestyle decisions, and it's consequences. Our alienation from God and Truth has set us onto a course of deep darkness.

THE GRAVE DANGER IS: WHAT IF I WAS WRONG ABOUT ETERNAL LIFE???

All wrong decisions and judgements will cost you something, but not being ready for eternal life will cost you’re your eternal life!

We have all kinds of measuring tools we use to sustain life: we have a unified musical note/frequency standard, we have standard time, standard measurements, standard temperature and atmospheric pressure standards; yet we fear a standard for how we should live life! We trust doctors to use all kinds of measurements to make a prognosis, but we rebel and are offended when the word judges us, sinful and in error. We use all kinds of smart measurement watches to measure heart rate, pace and speed to improve fitness, yet we feel so quickly condemned when corrected, admonished, rebuked or disciplined in character.

Solomon sought wisdom, and discernment to make the right judgements, and His Kingdom flourished. As we are drawing closer to the end, and the final judgement it has never been more important to become judges after God’s heart. “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)

The criteria for the appointment of the role of chief justice in the nation is determined by his or her influence and respected voice among the people and peers, impartiality, administrative integrity and efficiency, intellectual brilliance, long-levity of policies that stimulate inclusive equitable fair economic growth.

WHAT ARE GOD’S CRITERIA AND EXPECTATION OF HIS FAMILY OF JUDGES IN THE EARTH?

God has a prescribed design, blueprint, form, frame for our lives!

We want accurate measurements (Bureau of Weights & Measures).

God commanded Israel concerning measurements (Deut. 25:15).

God-given measurements include:

1. Noah’s ark, Gen. 6:15.

2. Tabernacle, Exo. 25:9, 40.

3. Solomon’s Temple, 1 Chron 28:10-12, 19.

4. Ezekiel’s Temple (vision of God’s kingdom), Ezek. 40:2-4; 43:6-12.

5. The church, Isa. 2:2-3 (Eph. 2:19-22).

God has a standard measurement for your LIFE!

Jesus is God’s Standard, measurement for attaining Eternal LIFE!

DO YOUR LIFE MEASURE UP TO JESUS???

Our Death in Christ and His resurrection in us is eternal life.

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Rom 6:8 2Tim 2:11, 12; Rom 5:17, 21; Rom 5:17; Eph 2:5

· Phil 3:16 RULE (kanon) – Used of a measuring rod, a carpenter’s line or measuring tape; “any rule or standard” (Thayer, 324).

· Rom. 6:17 FORM (topos) – “an example...the pattern in conformity to which a thing must be made: Acts 7:44” (Thayer, 632).

· 2 Tim. 1:13 PATTERN (hupotuposis) – “the pattern placed before one to be held fast and copied, model” (Thayer, 645).

MAIN SCRIPTURE READING:

Let this mind (φρονέω phronéō: mind. To think, have a mindset, be minded. The activity represented by this word involves the will, affections, and conscience.) be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form (μορφή morphḗ: Form, shape, inward essence.) of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal (ἴσος ísos. Equal, alike in quantity, quality, dignity) with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance (σχῆμα schḗma; Fashion, external form, appearance) as a man, He humbled (ταπεινόω tapeinóō: humble. bring low) Himself and became obedient (ὑπήκοος hupḗkoos: to submit to, obey) to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:5-21)

I believe the incarnation of Jesus, hold the secret to right living and righteous judgement!

For justice to be true, the judge has to model His standard! Without the example the judgement has no power. “and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Cor 10:6)

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Doing inward self-analysis is fruitless and futile.

Paul says that he does not even judge himself. (1 Corinthians 4:3)

Judgment has to be external and objective to be found balanced and true.

You do not know what is in people’s hearts (Bill Johnson) Beware of presumptions!

Our own hearts are very deceptive. (Jeremiah 17:9)

I believe the Spirit is working and accomplishing a JESUS CHRIST standard within us. (Col 1:27) As we continue to surrender and abandon all of self, He is awakening us to His righteousness, His right living!

By removing the moral ethical failure of the schemes of sin in us as we morph continually into His image! (2 Cor 4:18) As we are beholding HIM!!! As we are filled with Him! As we get our mind renewed according to the word, we receive His mind. (Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 1:16)

Jesus physically modelled this MIND – MORPH secret to us in the open!

A judge two primary instruments to achieve sound justice is the written law and the spirit if the law.

Jesus learned His judgments from the Father. Do not trust your own judgment, seek His judgment.

· 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. (John 5:30)

· Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)

· You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. (John 8:15-16)

· The more we Study the Word, the better we can judge. The Word is a discerner. (Hebrews 4:12)

· He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. (Prov 18:13)

· Do not judge a matter by the first testimony, cross-examine and then make a conclusion. The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. (Proverbs 18:17)

The ear that hears the rebukes of life

Will abide among the wise.

He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,

But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom,

And before honor is humility. (Prov 15:31-32)

[1] Gladwell, M., 2019. Blink. New York: Back Bay Books.

[2] Schulz, K., 2011. Being Wrong. London: Portobello.

[3] Helmreich Robert L. On error management: lessons from aviation BMJ 2000.

[4] Kruger, J. and Dunning, D., 1999. Unskilled And Unaware Of It. Estados Unidos: American Psychological Association.

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