"Therefore let us not judge one another anymore."
Romans 14:13
A man came to see his pastor. He said, "That man you baptized a couple of months ago was seen in another city at a trade show. He was drunk. I hate to be the one to tell you." The pastor said, "Yes, I already knew. You see, that man came to me embarrassed, and confessed everything that happened. I explained to him, that when we sin as Christians, we may confess our sins to God to receive forgiveness and cleansing. He prayed with me. God forgave him. I hope you can." Sometime, we may be fast to judge others, and slow to judge ourselves. The truth is that God has not called us to judge anyone but ourselves. God certainly knows how to judge us in truth without any help. Our job is to help folks find mercy and forgiveness.
Setting ourselves up as the judge of others could be called "playing God." It's simply a very dangerous game to play. We don't know all the facts. God does. Even if we did know all things, we must remember the words of Jesus. "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone" (John 8:7). Well, that just disqualified me. What about you? Yes, it disqualifies all of us, for we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Could we leave the judging up to God?
God will judge us, if we don't judge ourselves. "For if we judge ourselves, we would not be judged" (1 Corinthians 11:31). God's first choice for us is not judgment. He desires to show us mercy, as we confess and repent. The choice is ours. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Let us resolve not to judge others, but to tell them how we were forgiven and cleansed. Judge not.
God, forgive us for judging others.
