Stephanos Ministries

Judge not that you be judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged and with what meas-ure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why do you behold the mote that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own.  Matthew 7:1-4, KJV

Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults--unless, of course, you want the same treatment.  That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.  Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. – Matthew 7:1-5, The Message

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment. – John 7:24, KJV

Don't be nitpickers; use your head--and heart!--to discern what is right, to test what is authentically right. - John 7:24, The Message

In our modern culture, even a rabid God-hater will have mastered one Bible verse.  It’s hanging on the lips of unbelievers and the secular media, ready to dispense at the first sign of behavioral scrutiny: “judge not lest you be judged.” It’s quite a convenient and selective choice. Regrettably, the same ethic has (by a large majority) saturated the visible expression of Western Christendom. Today the worst sin any one can commit, in or out of the Church, is judgmentalism. Any attempt, however mild and gracious, to apply objective truth to behavior or practice is greeted with howls of judgmentalism.

Emotionalism and utilitarian pragmatism are the rudder and keel of much contemporary Christendom. They are the anvil and hammer that will beat into silence, any attempt to exercise evaluative judgments. If it “feels good,” and “gets results,” the doctrine, issue, or behavior is automatically deemed above scrutiny, or it’s covered with a flimsy, out of context, poorly exegeted, and self-justifying proof text. Someone once said that politics is the last refuge of scoundrels. In my universe, it’s proof texting, not politics.

Anyone who dares to mildly ask a question (for now, let’s forget about attempts to warn, rebuke, reprove, or correct) will be labeled as fault-finding, having a critical spirit, having a religious spirit, being a legalist, not open to the Spirit, accuser of the brethren, uncaring, insensitive, divisive, disloyal, negative, demonic, unloving, heresy hunter, Pharisee, Jezebel, and worse.

The same Lord who tells us not to judge, tells us to judge, albeit with specific criteria. What are we to do? Judge or not judge?  How?  Space constraints prohibit me from explaining how significant the context of the Jewish legal system and culture at the time of Christ is to correct understanding and application of the verses above. The criticality is commonly missed.  Yet without this critical element, herein are some thoughts for consideration.

Definitions

We’re not particularly helped by English translations. Judgment, condemnation, and discernment are all derived from the same Greek root word. In our culture, judgment and condemnation are negative (espe-cially condemnation). Discernment isn’t used much in every-day speech. The word translated as “accuser” in Rev. 12:10 is strongly negative. However, it comes from a Greek word that has worked its way into our language as the neutral and mild word for “categorize.” So, right from the start we are dealing with some language barriers. Without turning this newsletter into Greek 101 class, we have to start with definitions.

•    Accuser – someone with a complaint, especially a legal complaint/lawsuit/case.
•    Discern/discernment – to separate thoroughly, to discriminate.
•    Judge/judgment - to distinguish, decide for or against—especially in legal matters, to call some-thing mentally into question.
•    Condemn/condemnation – same Greek root as judgment, but in our language, more negative, and is has the connotation of passing final sentence. Pyschologically it has come to connote ideas of “deeming utterly worthless,” a failure and the superiority of the one condemning. This latter con-notation is not the biblical meaning.

Jesus and Paul used the terms judgment or condemnation in a strongly legal sense. A criminal may be judged innocent (a favorable judgment) or judged guilty (condemned-a negative judgment). The act of judging is not inherently negative.

The judgment we’re forbidden is the judgment that issues final sentence in a legal/criminal sense. We cannot accuse one another before the bar of God’s justice, as none of us has a legal case to stand on. This is especially true of judgments made in a spirit of contempt and superiority. First century Judaism/Pharisaism (which is the context of Matthew 7) was particularly prone to these weaknesses. It’s human nature to excuse our selves and condemn others. We want to be evaluated by our intentions (we mean well) but we judge others by their behavior (they did such and such). To issue final sentence on some-one limits the scope of God’s redemptive reach. When we do so, we set ourselves up as the arbiter of final standing.

There’s only One who’s so qualified as the final arbiter, only One who knows all contingencies, only One who has entered into humanity’s suffering, only One who knows motive of the heart. We’re forbidden from entering into the forensic judgment that belongs only to the Judge of the whole earth.

Mercy rejoicing over judgment (James 2:13) is speaking of final sentencing, not an alleged ban on the exercise of all evaluative faculties. God’s mercy and grace triumph over our deserved judgment daily and at the end of our lives. Space prohibits a digression into the delegated authority of the Church and her representatives in administrative judgment prior to the Lord’s execution of final judgment.  (Matt. 16:19, John 20:23, etc.) It’s a legitimate concept, but sobering and easily abused.

The exercise of evaluative faculties, based on God’s Word and our union with His Spirit, as new creation beings, is commanded in John 7:24 and Hebrews 5:14. Hebrews 5:14 says that the strong meat of spiritual things are promised, not to those who have mystical out of body experiences, but to those whose “organs of perception” (KJV–senses) are exercised concerning good and evil as if in a gymnasium. That’s a strong image and a strong command.

We’re to be like our older brother, Jesus, who as Messiah exercised His discriminative faculties. His evaluations were just not based on the natural order, which include the application of acquired knowledge and the exercise of the mere powers of the intellect. He did not judge with the sight of the eyes or the hearing of the ears. (Isaiah 11:1 ff; John 8, e.g.) He judged (made discriminative evaluations) especially for the oppressed or disenfranchised based on what He heard from His Father in relationship (John 5:30). That’s a clue for us. Any virtue expressed outside of intimacy and relationship with the Lord is just death on a silver platter.

Application: Grace and Truth

What makes this matter so difficult is in our application.  We’re not perfect as was our Lord. Skepticism, perfectionism, and rationalism are not kingdom virtues. It’s so easy to let our biases, tastes, preferences, and sometimes, plain old irritations motivate us to unrighteous judgment. Any fool can tell when some-thing may not be right. Being an incarnate remedy to what is wrong is another matter. Even in handling the Scriptures, we can do so from a spirit of death (2 Cor. 3:6). We can be correct in precept and wrong in spirit-the curse of fundamentalism of all kinds.

Many are quick with truth and short on love. Others are long on love and short on truth. Grace and truth are embodied in our Lord and should be in us. The problem is it can be so inherently subjective as to what is gracious and what isn’t. Many life giving things may appear to be ungracious to people of scrupulous sensibilities and fragile psychology.

By their fruits you shall know them, is fundamentally judgmental (evaluative/discriminating - Matt.7: 20). Generation of vipers (Better translated: you illegitimate children of snakes-Mt. 12:34) is a categorizing, discriminative, judgment, as are “white washed tombs”(Mt. 23:27) and “you are of your father the devil” (John 8:44). When Jesus was calling people these names, He wasn’t failing the grace test. So whatever being gracious means, it can’t be defined by our cultural sensitivities of what it means to hurt my feelings.  Truth will have a way of doing that. Even gently delivered truth . . . and some not so gently delivered.

However, in John 1:14-17 there are twice as many references to grace as there are to truth. That should be a hint for us.     As important as truth is, our apprehension of it will always be incomplete, and subject to imperceptible biases and preferences that we think only the other guy’s ministry has. No matter how “amazingly revelated” we consider ourselves (or our favorite ministry) to be, we all are now, and will be, wrong in our understanding of Scripture in some way, in some degree, at some time. Hence, the primacy of grace, and our need of one another.

I distrust anyone (including myself) who thinks they’ve got “it” or found “it” (whatever “it” may be).  Only the Lord has “it.” I’m a lifelong learner. Folks who think they’ve “got it” have nothing to learn and my existence is irrelevant to them. They don’t relate to me as someone worthy of being known in personhood. I’m just a fresh download target for their perceived revelation of “it.” For them, I’m not a human being or a brother. I’m a project in need of remediation, a potential convert to the ranks of the enlightened, from their perspective.

In our interpersonal relationships, those of us with a teaching-preaching gift need to learn where the “off” switch is and keep it there frequently.  The wisest person is often the one who has the least to say (Prov. 17:28). When His cross has made deep furrows in your soul, it’s amazing how little one is compelled to speak.  St. Ambrose said that whoever cannot be silent should never speak, because he will have nothing to say. The person who likely deserves a hearing the most is the one who requires it the least.

It’s more important to be apprehended by Him who is Truth than to stand for, and preach, what we think is true. I believe in holding to Him tightly, and holding my understanding of Him loosely. The former is a sure foundation, the latter is open to frequent adjustment.

There’s probably not a person reading this who, at one time or another, has not been abused or seriously hurt by inept, ungracious, and demeaning judgments from Christians. I’m sorry for the pain. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused. However, all ineptness aside (including my own) the exercise of our evaluative faculties, empowered by the Spirit as a function of the new creation as discernment, is a normal, spiritual, legitimate, and protective function for all believers.

Method

How should legitimate judgment be exercised? We need to separate doctrines and practices from personal behavior and sin issues.

Jesus and Paul clearly evaluated doctrines and “isms” and made determinations about them without any direct contact with the individuals responsible for them. This includes going public with “counter” points of view. Matthew 18 does not apply to the free exercise of our evaluative faculties applied to “stuff.” This can be difficult if one’s identity is wrapped up in ones teachings and practices. An individual can “feel” personally “attacked,” when his or her “stuff” is evaluated. This is unfortunate. The “person” and his or her “stuff” are two separate matters.

Ideally, the relational sphere of covenantal love should be the context for the exercise of interpersonal behavioral evaluations. However, the effect of modern telecommunications complicates matters. If an individual or ministry decides to use technology and media to promote themselves and their ministry to the world, they have de facto, enlarged their influential sphere to the whole world. The whole world is entitled to evaluate the ministry, its message, and practices in both content and spirit.  

Those who use media cannot have it both ways. They cannot use the mass media for promotion and then insist that critique of their ministry and message only occur privately by a small circle of hand picked associates and friends. The sphere of influence is the sphere of evaluation. If someone desires a global sphere of influence, then the same individual or group must accept the scrutiny and evaluation that may come from the global community, justly or unjustly. Should anyone in the global community exercise discriminative evaluative faculties in regard to a presence in the global media, they’re not violating the principles of Mt. 18 – (go privately, etc.).  

What if a person bringing an evaluative judgment is wrong in content, spirit, tone, or method of delivery—or all of these? It’s a human and religious response to negate the content of a message be-cause of flaws in the messenger and his/her methods.  Imperfect persons and processes are not legitimate excuses to categorically ignore what is being said. “They didn’t do it right” (follow appropriate procedures and protocol) is often used to avoid the merit of content. Bad methods may, but do not automatically negate an accurate message, though they are never an acceptable state of affairs and they cause great harm.

I’ve learned the hard way that God often has something to say to me through people who dislike me or who perhaps are my enemies. Our “non-friends” are less likely to be influenced by our feelings. They can be more apt to tell us brutal truths about our behavior than our friends might because of a desire to preserve the friendship and avoid uncomfortable interpersonal dealings. I can’t cavalierly dismiss the voice of my critics. This does not mean that I automatically receive every comment that comes from critics and enemies. I am more likely to listen to those whom I know have my genuine best interests at heart, not my personal destruction, or those who simply want to be “right” at my expense.

Someone once said each of us needs three key people in our lives to have a full expression of the life of Christ. Why three? To provide a full spectrum of possible perspectives.  Please don’t take what follows rigidly or idealistically. It’s meant as general wisdom, not a binding rule. We’re all broth-ers/sisters before the Lord. We all can receive from, and minister to, any one, at any time, by the Spirit.  Here they are, the key word being relational:

•    A Paul: a relational “superior”  - (father) to receive from.
•    A Barnabas: a relational “peer”  - (brother) to share with.
•    A Timothy: a relational “subordinate” - (disciple) to impart to.

It can take a lifetime of effort for these relationships to emerge in a healthy and mature way especially a fathering one. Also, if the only relationship you have is with subordinates, you’re in a spiritually unhealthy place.

My point is, pursue each of these relationships. It’s worth the effort, however discouraging the pursuit can be at times.  And, you might as well accept it: you’re going to be hurt and disappointed in the process. We must all pass the disillusionment and disappointment test. Passing it is a measure of our spiritual fortitude and courage. If you believe in the value of a treasure, you will dig for it even if it’s buried in a field of manure. If the reality and smell of kingdom manure is going to discourage you, don’t expect to receive much in Jesus’ earthly kingdom. The treasure is always in earthen vessels. You have to dig for it.

In my opinion, if at the end of one’s life you have 3-5 trustworthy “my life for yours” sort of people who in some degree fulfill these relationships for you, you are blessed indeed.

When I receive a judgment or evaluation through imperfect method (we’re all imperfect people-some imperfections are just more noticeable than others) I present the content of the comments to those in my life who relate to me in each of the three categories. Each is likely to bring a representatively unique perspective, hopefully reflecting a unified wisdom. A subordinate may let insecurity or a desire to please influence his or her comments. A peer may tend to see things the same as I do and may not tell me the necessary thing. We process the universe so similarly that objectivity might lack. A father hopefully would have broad enough perspective and interpersonal security in relationship with Christ and others that he or she can tell me potentially uncomfortable truth. All three together are highly likely to represent the fullness of the mind of Christ for me.

Conclusion

Here’s a summary of some practical suggestions for the exercise of discernment:

•    We do not judge according to appearance and with natural faculties. Jesus only judged by what he heard from His Father (Isa. 11:1, John 7:24, John 5:30).
•    Identification. Jesus was granted authority to judge (forensic and otherwise) because of His identification with humanity as the Son of Man (John 5:27). Identification with one another in brother-hood and weakness will temper quick judgments and make us slow to speak and quick to listen. No one is constitutionally superior to another. We are what we are by the grace of God (1Cor. 10:12, Gal. 6:1).
•    Discernment is a function of the New Creation (2 Cor. 5:17, 1 Cor. 12). Reactionary judgments from either extreme of the human religious spectrum-legalism or license-are not part of the new creation order.
•    Grace and truth - aim for them (John 1:14).
•    Get diverse input.  The Father was with Jesus in judgment, thus validating His judgments: two witnesses (John 5:30, John 8:16).
•    Sow in mercy, reap the same (Matt. 5:7).
•    Motive. Discernment is intended to protect the harmony and well-being of the community, not score an individual point (1 Cor. 12:7, 12-27).
•    Try to develop the three broad relational categories in your life and rely on them for evaluations about you, and discernment through you.

    Ultimately, the Cross appropriated and applied in the power of His resurrection life, is the answer for any need associated with practical Christian living. The practical exercise of discernment in a media age is no exception.  In our next newsletter I will try to apply some of these thoughts to a practical case study: the manifestation of spiritual gifts and supernatural phenomenon – 1 Cor. 14.