Judgment and Perseverance

Righteous judgment is probably the most neglected and omitted element of the Gospel in this modern time. Everybody wants to love, or at least they think they do; but nobody wants to call a spade a spade. Until we can call things evil that are evil, and until we can readily establish what is good and acceptable to God, and what is not; we really can't suffer much persecution at all. That in fact is WHY there is so little righteous judgment established among God's people today, because of the fear of men. Too many believers are just afraid to suffer the reproach of men, especially when it has to do with the people they are closest to. And so many people's excuse for failing to be at odds with men when it is time to be at odds, is that "we really need to love people in." Really? Then love this in: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (I Jn. 4:18). And love this in too while you're at it: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mk. 8:38). Yeah that's right. If we fail to reprove evil in our midst, and we are afraid to lose the respect of someone close to us, it is called being ashamed of Jesus. That is what a lack of righteous judgment is about in fact. So many wishy-washy people today want to hang on scriptures like, "Judge not that ye be not judged," and the like. Maybe they should read a little more of the Bible, like this: "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him" (Lk. 17:3). The problem is a lack of knowledge of the holiness of God, which holiness he requires of all who would inherit eternal life: "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (I Pet. 1:13-17).

Where there is a lack of understanding about God's holy calling, there is a lack of the fear of God, just like Peter illustrated to us there. The Bible says some really powerful and sobering things about the fear of the Lord, like this: "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate" (Prov. 13:8). The Bible also tells us who it is that does NOT fear God and hate evil: "The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good. He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil" (Psm. 36:1-4). Yes my friend, not having due fear of God, and not abhorring evil are traits of the wicked, not the righteous. The righteous purify their hearts from the fear of man, and they make certain that God's holy love is at the core of their being. God's holy love is in fact what DOES hate evil, because it simply will not have any part with it. The scriptures instruct us to walk in that same love and to be likewise: "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. 5:1-7,11). If we fail to reprove the evil around us then we are failing to give someone the opportunity to repent. Failing to give people the opportunity to repent when they are doing what is wrong, is simply NOT walking in love.

That passage of scripture is of no uncertain words my friend, and God is no uncertain God. Neither are those who love his righteousness, and refuse to compromise it with anybody, anywhere, anytime; such as David: "I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord" (Psm. 26:4-6). So David did not worship God or seek his face apart from having no compromise or fellowship with those who are not following after God in truth and in righteousness. So the question becomes, What 'vain persons' are we sitting with, and are we worshiping God in innocence like David did? Who are we letting off the hook and going along with because of who they are? If we're doing these things then we should not be surprised when our worship and our prayers become ineffective, because we haven't "washed [our] hands in innocence before compassing [God's] altar." Myself, I learned a long time ago that Jesus Christ the Lord is the only man alive that I can count on for infallible loyalty. He died an agonizing death so that you and I could be citizens of his Kingdom, and children and brethren of him; along with "joint heirs" with him of all things (Rom. 8:17; I Cor. 3:22,23). I would say that is worth our faithfulness to him, and our suffering the persecution and reproach of men for his sake. The scriptures certainly tell us that it is: "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us" (II Tim. 2:12). And again: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom. 8:16-18). So the bottom line is that Jesus and all that he has done for us, is worthy of our not allowing ourselves to go along with people and things that are not after God, for the pathetic sake of 'fitting in.' I'm going to be certain that I fit in with Jesus all the way, both now and when the time of my departure comes. Amen.