Judge not & Judge
N.B. This is a shorter sermon due to a longer Q&A session afterwards (not include as does not record well)
- Looking at Complementary and Paradoxical Truths
- The wrath and love of God
- Human depravity and made in the image of God
- Sovereignty and human responsibility
- Truth is always about balance
- Example of a face
- Beauty is to do with proportion
- Truth has to be in the right proportion
- The Bible tells us to test all things - we are to be discerning
- "Judge with righteous judgment" - John
- "Judge not, lest you be judge" - Matt 7:1-6
- Let love grow in all knowledge and discernment - Philippians
- Example - If I am to help an alcoholic I am to be discerning
- We are to test what is spoken from the pulpit
- We are to be like the Bereans - to search the Scripture
- We are to check with the word of God
- "Test all things and hold fast to that which is good"
- The Bible warns against false teaching
- Does what we hear contradict fundamental theology
- Discern between major truth - the gospel
- Discern in areas of conscience - where we are free to decide
- "Judge with righteous judgment"
- Spoken to Jewish leaders as Jesus healed on the Sabbath
- But the Jews circumcised on the Sabbath day
- Why would you say that Jesus healing on the Sabbath is inappropriate?
- Judge not according to appearance
- Examples of mis-judgement
- Example of the disciples
- Example of the tower of Silome
- Matt 7:1-6
- Jesus is not saying do not use your critical faculties and come to opinions
- Beware if you have a sensorious spirit
- If you judge harshly, you will be judged harshly - v2-5
- Before you point the finger, look to your own heart first
- Check your heart and see if anything is amiss in your life
- Matt 7:15-20
- "Beware of false prophets"
- Look at the lives - what are they like, do they live for money, are they sexually pure and holy
- Judge not but at the same time says judge and use critical reasoning