It is always said that no man has the right to judge another. In the case of the law of the land, it too does not have the right to judge a man unless there is ample evidence. Even with the evidence present, no law of a land is perfect to always provide perfect judgment. For even the evidence present may not be sufficient or true. I believe it is fair to say that if there is any righteous judgment on the earth that is or was given by men it is because of the gracious interference of the God of heaven and earth. For even the Law of Moses could not provide perfect justice to man, since it failed regarding man’s conscious, it became weak and useless. As far as the body (or flesh) is concerned it provided perfect judgment, because of the God who gave it for that purpose. Whether it is any law, if it fails to provide true judgment at every opportunity, it is weak and useless. On the other hand, it is always said and believed that God always makes righteous judgment concerning any matter, since He is perfect and holy. For some it has always been difficult to accept this, since they do not desire to believe in God. To the many that believe in God, it sometimes becomes difficult to completely accept or understand the righteous judgments of God, but do not out rightly say it, since they fear the consequences. Still, there is a different kind of believers that admits the judgments of God as righteous, but do not understand or take to heart His judgments toward them.
Believers and unbelievers, if possible, must understand that there exists a difference between the Creator and the created. If man is able to exercise authority over animals and the rest and yet, he did not create them, then he should know he has authority only because he was vested with more power over the rest. Many, for the lack of belief in the true God, have failed to understand from where and for what reason this power was given to man. Again, a thing invented by a man is rightfully his, because of his ability to create it and the control he possesses over it. Now, would it be too much of a burden for believers, when urged, to understand the power and wisdom of God? We have always heard the saying ‘God knows all things and sees all things.’ However, one thing still to be grasped by Christians is how well He knows and how clearly He sees. He searches not as humans do and knows not as humans do. When He finds it, He finds it that men may marvel and when He knows, He knows it that they may be made foolish. And thus He said, “The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus; with a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart and on the horns of their altars” (Jer. 17:1).
Can a man erase the inscription made on a tablet with an iron stylus? Will a diamond point be powerless to cut through the toughest of things and make a clear engraving? Man’s heart is the toughest of things that ever lived on this earth, because of the evil it contains. What has been engraved on that tablet to see can never be erased by any man and will be accounted for before God. Each sin that Christians commit or committed is printed on their hearts. Herein rests the power and wisdom of God that He is able to see and know the things inscribed on our hearts. This makes man a mere worm before Him. When believers enter the church to worship God each week and they carry along a heart engraved with sin, their worship, preaching, singing and giving are all sinful. It is as if their sin is engraved with a diamond point on the horns of the altars. Hence, entering the church no longer became a place to repent, let alone praising God, but a place of mere attendance and routine. O, what a shame! And how terrible it is to be in such a worthless state! Truly, the churches of God and of Christ are in a dangerous state.
No man has to judge another, but the word of God reveals each sin of every man to be judged righteously. Though one may assume his sin is hidden from men, know that his sin in his heart is revealing him to the world, because of the changes caused in his life by the consequences of sin. For as long as the Lord lives there is nothing hidden that will stay hidden. The things we believe, speak and the works we do will all be known and accounted for; they will have consequences. If our sin has been engraved on our hearts as if by a diamond point, our teachings of Christ and of God have been futile. Listen to the cry of the man of God. “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?” (Ps. 30:9). It has come because of the Spirit of God in him. O, the intent by which a man ought to praise God! Dear Christian, check yourself to see if you, though, claiming to be a believer of God have perhaps been under the cloak of those who do not desire to believe in Him. If the things you heard in the past now become hindrance toward believing God and His word, your sin remains and your worship of God is as good as an unbeliever. When you do not accept Christ, His teachings, His works, His Spirit and His ability to be the same yesterday, today and forever, because of the things you possess in this world, you are no better than those who do not accept or understand completely the righteous judgments of God.
Even after having all the things of the world the desire to praise God and declare His faithfulness was ever present in David. After all, a rich man can enter heaven by a work of God, though a camel may go through the eye of a needle. What I am saying is this: you may have all the things in this world, but unless you set them aside or discount them you will never have the opportunity to completely know the righteous judgments of God. Your education, the pride, the glory and honor from men, the riches, and the honored positions must all be set aside. If not, the only part that you are without is God and this will be to your detriment. “Then he said to him, ‘Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?’” (2 Kings 5:26). When you do not possess the complete knowledge of the righteous judgments of God, it is not the time to have or desire the things of this world. It is grieving to see the churches being unaware of this in these last times. As long as they do not come to the feet of Christ and learn, they will continue to gather the treasure that perishes. For the sake of this treasure they will continue to teach that which does not belong to Christ. They will practice that which dissects the glory, power, wisdom and intent of God by referring them to the times of unawareness. Do they not have the word to know God completely? Yes. So did Gehazi, who had both the Law and the prophet ordained by God. What did they profit him? Had he possessed the complete knowledge of the righteous judgments of God, he would have known what to desire and in what manner. Hence, he turned a leper for life. Even so are the churches that have God’s word and yet, do not take to the heart His righteous judgments. It will profit them nothing – their preachers, teachers, elders and the members.
Dear brethren, understand the importance of the word of God in our midst and the effect it produces. “The sons of Israel inquired of the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days” (Jud. 20:27). In the times of judges, they were able to inquire the Lord for one reason only, the presence of the Ark of the Covenant of God in their midst i.e. God Himself was in their midst. This God effected for them victories, showered blessings, taught discipline and gave protection from the enemies. They had everything, because they first feared and revered God. If God was in their midst through the Ark of the Covenant, He is in our midst through the word, which is Christ our Lord. So, inquire the Lord God to grasp His righteous judgments and He will respond to you through His Son. Do not be resolved to understand Him through your education, riches or by the positions you occupy in the church. Emptying yourself to seek the God present in the word by searching the word is the key to overcome sin and its power that engraves God’s wrath on our hearts. Each time we seek God, He will respond, not only because He did so in the past, but even more for His Son. And, if there is anything else, the effect will be beyond imagination. “And the fishermen will lament, and all those who cast a line into the Nile will mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters will pine away” (Isa. 19:8).
Friends, this is real. He who has a clear eye will alone enter the gates of heaven. A fisherman’s life is always depended on the catch he makes; and when there is no catch, his life, work and hope will all become futile. It is the God of heaven and earth who gives and takes away. Even from the one who does not have He takes away what he has and gives it to the one who already has. For such a judgment to take place His righteousness must be beyond measure i.e. perfect and, I believe, it is so. Why are we preaching and teaching Christ or working under the label of Christianity? Is it not for the day and time when we would finally possess eternal joy? And if our work does not bring glory to God, this joy will evade us and though we spread our arms as the spreading of the nets, it will result in mourning. Here is an advice from the angels of the Lord: “and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living One among the dead?’” (Luke 24:5).
Dear brethren, whom are we actually seeking – the Christ that died or the Christ that rose and is living? For if we are seeking the Christ that died only, then our acceptance of Christ, His teachings, His works and His ability to be the same yesterday, today and forever have also been dead and whatever some have been saying from the word about His teachings, the Spirit and His works are all true! On the contrary, if we are seeking “the living One,” then the meaning of “the living One” surpasses all the knowledge of men. To understand Him necessitates the wisdom and the power of God. Anyone can seek from the Scripture the Christ that died around two thousand years ago. Still, it takes men of God to seek from the word the Christ living in our midst. If this is the Christ that you have been seeking, then He must be to you the same as the one who came in the flesh and died and rose from the dead. Now, your beliefs, speech and works are all according to the word that came from heaven and not from the knowledge of men. If there is anything else, your sin is clearly written on your heart to be seen.
“When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea” (Acts 27:38). We did spend enough time in this world to fill ourselves not only with the essentials, but with many other things. At least, now, let us lighten ourselves by setting aside the perishable things and come to understand the righteous judgments of God. For in doing so, we will save our lives and the lives of those who follow us.