The Royal Law: A Higher Morality
Simply by treating others as we want to be treated...
By not judging others, we become as Christ, both morally and spiritually, and
thereby fulfill all that God requires of us.1 As Jesus illustrated, people are not received
into his kingdom based on their obedience to religious laws and ordinances. Instead,
they are accepted because of the compassion they have demonstrated toward the least
among them.2 This higher morality often requires setting aside religious traditions and
practices as Jesus did when healing people on the Sabbath.3
Because of their compassion toward one another, God has completely forgiven
many of those whom religious leaders have judged as sinners.4 Yet, those who judged
them will not enter the kingdom of God. Jesus, in fact, told the Pharisees that
publicans and harlots would enter before they would.5 Though blind themselves, those
who judge the sins of others are confident that they are a guide of the blind, a light of
them which are in darkness.6 They cannot understand that God only judges by the
letter of law those who judge others.7
The kingdom of God, therefore, will appear just as it did when Jesus
ministered in Israel. He will not be accompanied by judgmental religious leaders.
Instead, he will be surrounded by many whom religious people have judged as
idolaters, fornicators, and drunkards. The Good Shepherd who loves the sheep and
judges them not is truly a friend of sinners.8
References
1 Mt 5:7; 6:14-15; 7:2;18:21-35; 22:37-40; Lu 6: 27-38; 10: 25-28; Rom 13:8-10
2 Mt 25:31-46
3 Lu 14:1-6
4 Lu 7:44-47
5 Mt 21:31
6 Rom 2:19
7 Mt 7:2
8 Mt 11:19
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