If, as I stated last time that, “righteous judgment does not come by one’s handle on the Scriptures or by one’s sense of right and wrong,” what does that mean for us? Are we to simply accept that we will never be able to judge the way Jesus expects us to? Maybe this is why so many believers regard the prospect of life under grace as being too ethereal, too introspective, too difficult. And maybe that’s what keeps Christians searching for an easier approach to the Christian life. In other words, if we’re supposed to judge with righteous judgment, just tell us how to do it! Yeah, right?

Then again, before you imagine that simple straight-forward rules could make judgment any easier, you might want to consider how those who were given a mulititude of detailed instructions on how to do it failed miserably. Yeah, but that was under law, and God was a lot meaner and less forgiving back then, wasn’t He? I can tell you that for a long time, that’s how I saw it. However, despite many long-held beliefs to the contrary, the basis upon which God evaluates men has never actually changed.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NASB

For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart? But what about all the stuff that made God appear as a fickle monster looking for every opportunity to pounce upon those who faltered according to all His ridiculous rules? But I say that if we have been judging all things (including God) according to the perspective of a world that is at odds with itself, our judgments have been skewed, as they always have been, by outward appearance. Behind the outward appearance, although we may have seen a sinister and hateful monster, the heart of God is, and has always been, love.

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 2 Corinthians 5:16 NASB

Do you realize that the kind of judgment we have been called to is the very same as found in the One who does not judge by outward appearance but by looking at the heart?

Once again, more to come …