Righteous Judgment

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”John 5:30 NKJV

Hello,

May your week be blessed.

As I studied my bible plan for the day, something caught my heart. I was reading the verse with the word judgment, again and again. So, I looked up the meaning in the Merriam-Webster dictionary and found the following definitions, amongst others:

1. An opinion or estimate
2. A formal utterance of an authoritative opinion
3. A formal decision given by a court

In John 5, we see Jesus making a judgment call, healing a man who had an illness for thirty-eight years. He made such calls throughout his life, raising the dead, healing the sick, beating people in the temple, taking a stand in the wilderness, feeding thousands at a time, teaching righteousness, dying. His opinions/utterances/decisions were always right, even to his death on the cross.

‘But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:’ John 1:12 

In Christ, we have the authority to execute judgment, as children of God. That would mean that our opinions, utterances, and decisions should also be right. How do we judge situations, ourselves, things, and people? Jesus said he made judgments as he heard, not seeking His will, but that of the Father’s.

Do we judge ourselves as we hear from God? Let’s start from there. Regardless of who or what you are, you are a child of God. You are a source of light in the darkness and life in the midst of death. Yes, situations in life, the enemy and even our flesh may contradict these truths, but they stand unchanging. The judgmental opinions we form about ourselves, and the people and things in our lives aid in righteousness or unrighteousness. Remember, not our will, but God’s. His opinions, utterances, decisions, and lest I forget, it’s His court as well. 

Jesus said that on his own, he couldn’t do anything. He understood that he was a vessel for the Father, and so are we. We can never judge rightly when we depend on our abilities, experiences, skills, and even ‘ancient wisdom’. We can never know the true picture of things, only God can. It only makes sense for us to go to the one who knows the end from the beginning. Do not be deceived, from our thoughts to our words and then to actions, everything will be judged by God. Is it not better we start now to ask God before we take action?

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV

So, as we wield the mallet on ourselves, situations, or on others, we may not have the full picture. May this truth continually drive us to God.

Till next time, be transformed!!!