Sunday, January 22, 2006

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RELATING LIKE JESUS

Relationship Principle #3:
JUDGE OTHERS AND YOU WILL BE JUDGED!

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye. You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:1-5

Look at the Eyes!

· HYPOCRISY is looking at the speck in another’s eye, ignoring the log in your own.

· INTEGRITY is removing the log from your eye.

· MERCY is removing the speck from your brother’s eye.


Jesus’ PRINCIPLES OF JUDGMENT
3 truths about judgment that will keep your relationships healthy:

1. GOD will judge!
“For I, the Son of Mankind, shall come with My angels in the glory of My Father and judge each person according to his deeds.” Matthew 16:26 (TLB)

“The day will surely come when at God’s command Jesus Christ will judge the secret lives of everyone, their inmost thoughts and motives; this is all part of God’s great plan, which I proclaim.” Romans 2:16 (TLB)

For healthy relationships: leave judgment in GOD’s HANDS!

2. Now is not the TIME for final judgment.
“If anyone hears Me and doesn’t obey Me, I am not his judge – for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.” John 12:47 (TLB)

“But all who reject Me and My message will be judged at the Day of Judgment by the truths I have spoken.” John 12:48 (TLB)

For healthy relationships: await judgement until GOD’s TIME .


3. As you judge you will be judged… with your measure it will be measured!

Jesus’ advice in Luke is: (3 practical ways to practice mercy and not judgment)

1. Do not CONDEMN, and you will not be condemned.

2. FORGIVE and it will be forgiven.

3. GIVE, and it will be given to you – a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.


“Don’t grumble about each other, brothers. Are you yourselves above criticism? For see! The great Judge is coming. He is almost here. (Let Him do whatever criticizing must be done.)” James 5:9 (TLB)

For healthy relationships: Be honest about your FAULTS.


If this is true…

Then how could Jesus say “You hypocrites” to the Pharisees? Isn’t that judging??

“It isn’t our job to judge outsiders. But it certainly is our job to judge and deal strongly with those who are members of the church and who are sinning in these ways. God alone is the Judge of those on the outside. But you yourselves must deal with this man and put him out of your church. Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge?
and govern the world? So why can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?”

1 Corinthians 5:12-13, 6:2 (TLB)

“And remember that your heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when He judges. He will judge you with perfect justice for everything you do; so act in reverent fear of Him from now on until you get to heaven.” 1 Peter 1:17 (TLB)

“And as we live with Christ, our love grows more perfect and complete so we will not be ashamed and embarrassed at the Day of Judgment, but can face Him with confidence and joy because He loves us and we love Him too.” 1 John 4:17 (TLB)