Why We Cannot Judge Others
Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord …
Jesus said: except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.1 Many church leaders judge others in the name of Christ just as the scribes and Pharisees did over immorality and what people eat or drink and whether they are obedient with regard to tithes and offerings and other commandments.
Consequently, Jesus taught, Judgment Day will surprise religious people as well as those they have judged to be ungodly. Many who do wonderful works in his name will be cast out while others who didn't know they had done anything for him are accepted into God's kingdom.2 The kingdom of God, in others words, will look just like it did when Jesus ministered to the multitudes: a humble savior surrounded by common fishermen and, yes, even harlots. The Lord truly was a friend of sinners. Outside will be many who have devoted their lives to being religious, who judged others but, in the end, found themselves judged. Inside will be people out of all social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds - both bad and good - who simply loved others and judged no one. By doing so, they loved God and escaped condemnation.
When the Apostle John began to close out the Book of Revelation, he wrote: He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.3 In God's eyes, it is our judging of others that is sin - and the world's judgmental religions are what we must overcome. It is those who judge others, therefore, that God sees as the true abusers of themselves with mankind, adulterers, fornicators and idolaters.4 They have perverted the way of life, forsaken Christ their Bridegroom in unbelief, and worshipped other gods. Many become zealous of religion and judge others as sinners. It matters not what religion they follow, for by judging others they only set themselves up to be judged by God as guilty of everything for which they have judged in others.5
References
1 Mt 5:20
2 Mt 7:21-23; 21:31-44; 22:1-14; Is 49:20-23; 66:1-5
3 Rev 21:7-8
4 Romans, Chapters 1, 2; Matthew, Chapter 7; Rev 21:8, 27
5 Mt 7:2
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