Judgment and the Holy Spirit

It is wise to always keep in remembrance something that God spoke to the ancient prophet and judge, Samuel: "for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (I Sam. 16:7). It is equally as wise to keep in mind in all things that the flip side of that statement is just as true, that being simply that Man doesn't see things the way God sees them. That can be a good thing if good is what you are doing, and likewise it is a bad thing if self centered motivation is you mode of doing things. Jesus warned against judging people and things according to the outward appearance as well: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (Jn. 7:24). Righteous judgment is seeing things the way God sees them and calling it what it is. And that can ONLY be done by spiritual discernment and revelation of the holy Ghost: "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God... But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ" (I Cor. 2:11,14-16).

I can assure you of one thing my friend, that being the following assertion of the apostle Paul: "Because [God] hath appointed a day, in the which HE will judge the world in RIGHTEOUSNESS by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). Therefore we should judge ourselves and others with godly fear, for the same apostle Paul assured us of the following: "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God" (I Cor. 4:5). And I can only give a loud and hearty "AMEN" to what he said just prior to that powerful statement of absolute truth: "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing [against] myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord" (I Cor. 4:3,4). So all that remains is one of, if not THE most sobering and powerful statement in the entire Bible on this integral topic of truth and reality: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Eccl. 12:13,14). Yes my friend, call it like it is, or don't call it at all; whether it be about yourself, someone else, or a circumstance or situation. That is the safe route. God bless.