WEDNESDAY, MAY 17
1 Corinthians 4:3-5
Romans 14:1-23

"Therefore judge nothing
before the time…"

BE NOT JUDGMENTAL

When Paul wrote that the Corinthian Christians should "judge nothing before the time" (1 Cor 4:5), he was not teaching them not to judge at all. A believer must exercise spiritual discernment and "judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). He must reject that which is evil and embrace that which is good. He must not have any association with falsehood, nor fellowship with those who are enemies of Christ.

What Paul was concerned about was not spiritual discernment in judging, but a judgmental spirit and holier-than-thou attitude which was present in some of the Corinthian believers (recall the Christ party in 1 Corinthians 1:12). Such an attitude must be addressed, or it will stumble the brethren.

Jesus exposed the judgmental spirit as hypocrisy in the Sermon on the Mount. "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (Matt 7:1-5).

A Christian must be wary of ungodly suspicion of the intentions of others. Let the Lord judge the thoughts and intentions of the hearts of men. Believers must aim to build one another up in the faith. "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" (Rom 14:19). Instead of being critical of others, why not help them in their walk with God? Seek not to destroy but rather to build up.

THOUGHT: The LORD is the perfect Judge.
PRAYER: Lord, rid me of all hypocrisy in my life.