The Judge Is at the Door

Has time passed without us really realizing? Brethren, as we approach trumpets, which symbolizes Jesus Christ's second coming, we today recognize that time is short, brethren—really short. We read in 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 3, that a time of sudden destruction is going to come. The day of Christ's coming and for us to stand before Christ is around the corner. I don't think it's many years—no man knows a day or an hour—but I think it's particularly short. Things in this country can snap completely differently than what we are thinking today.

In Luke 21, 36, I read here, watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. Watch therefore, pray that you may be counted worthy, but particularly to stand before the Son of Man. There is a question that each of us needs to ask very, very seriously. And the question is, how much have high really changed?

The question is not how long I've been in the Church. The question is not how much truth I know. The question is not how many sermons I have heard. The question is not how many feasts of tabernacles I've attended. But the question is, how much have I really changed? So my purpose today is to ask this question, have we really changed? Because the judge is standing at the door. We can be in God's Church for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years and become very familiar with God's truth.

We know the doctrines. We can recognize error. We can become very good at seeing when someone else is wrong. But have we become more like Jesus Christ? Have we? Are we more merciful? Are we more patient? Are we more forgiving? Are we less critical? Are we less easily offended? Are we less suspicious of people's motives? Are we more willing to overlook an offense? Are we more willing to forgive? Are we more willing to recognize our own faults? Brethren, time of itself does not produce spiritual growth.

We can pass years and years, and the same attitudes may or could remain within us. And that should concern you and I because we do not have unlimited time, particularly as we know, as symbolized by trumpets, the day is coming soon. In James 5 verse 9, James 5 verse 9, we read, Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.

Behold, the judge is standing at the door. Notice the context. Do not grumble against one another. Why? Because the judge is standing at the door. And that is what I want us to think about today. This is not a time to be concentrating primarily on what is wrong with everybody else. The question should be, what does Jesus Christ see when he judges me? That's the question we need to ask. One of the great themes of the Sermon on the Mount is the righteousness of the Kingdom of God, Matthew 6, 33.

Christ repeatedly shows that God's righteousness goes far beyond merely complying with the outward letter of the law. You know, in Matthew 5, 21 through 48, it says, You have heard that it was said, but I say to you. Time and time again, he uses that expression, you have heard what was said, but I say to you. Christ goes to the heart, to the heart in the Sermon on the Mount. Why? Because murder begins with hatred. Adultery begins with lust. Religious activity can become hypocrisy. Giving can be done to be seen by man.

Prayer can be done to impress people. Fasting can become a display of righteousness. And Christ is showing the difference between God's righteousness and human self-righteousness. Right in the middle of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, Matthew 5, we see in verse 6. Matthew 5, verse 6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. We are supposed to hunger and thirst for God's righteousness. Not our righteousness, not proving that we are right, not demonstrating that somebody else is wrong.

But we need to become righteous as God defines righteousness. And then, Christ, after discussing giving, he is in the sermon on the Mount, after discussing prayer, after discussing fasting, after discussing materialism, after discussing anxiety, and then concluding that section by saying, seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, then he moves on to chapter 7.

And we read in verse 1, Judge not that you be not judged, for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, you will be measured back to you. That should be our attention. Because the subject is no longer, how am I looking at the other person?

But the subject is now, how will God look at me? But remember, we in the Church are already under judgment. Sometimes we think of judgment as something far in the future. But God's people, for us, judgment is taking place now. In 1 Peter 4 verse 17, 1 Peter 4 verse 17, we read, for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God, and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Notice, the time has come. Doesn't say the time will eventually come. The time has come. Judgment begins with us. God is examining you and I today, now. He sees how we respond to correction. He sees how we treat our husband, or how we treat our wife.

He sees how we speak about another member. He sees whether we hold grudges. He sees whether we forgive. He sees whether we quietly resent someone. He sees whether we attribute motives to people, and when we don't actually know their motives. In other words, he sees whether we are becoming more like Christ. So when Christ says, judge not that you not be judged, these words are very serious to you and I, because you and I are right now standing under God's judgment. Not in the future. Not in the second resurrection, now.

Brethren, we need God's righteousness and mercy. Paul makes this very clear in Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4.

Let's look at in verse 3. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And then in verse 7 and 8, it says, Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.

Brethren, why? Why can you and I stand before God? You see, because blessed is he to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. Is it because we've never sinned? No. Is it because we are better than the person sitting beside us? No. We can stand before God because God has forgiven us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Our standing before God depends upon his mercy.

And that should make us merciful. A person who deeply understands how much has been forgiven should become much slower to condemn somebody else.

That is why Christ says immediately after the model prayer in Matthew 6, immediately after the model prayer, in Matthew 6, verse 14 and 15, For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This does not mean we earn God's forgiveness by forgiving others.

Forgiveness is possible because of Christ's sacrifice and God's grace.

But God will not allow us to continually receive his mercy while deliberately refusing to extend mercy to others.

We say, Father, forgive me. And God says, have you forgiven your brother? Oh, but he was wrong. God says, perhaps he was. Oh, but she hurt me. Perhaps she did.

But God understands perfectly and he will tell us, and he still tells us, forgive. Why? Why, brethren? Because forgiveness is part of the character God is developing within us. Forgiven people must become forgiving people.

So, what does judge not actually mean?

We need to be careful here. Christ does not mean that Christians should abandon discernment and wisdom. In Hebrews 5 verse 14, we read, but solid food belongs to those who are of full age that is mature. That is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

And also, the Bible also distinguishes, or highlights, or establishes legitimate judgment and authority. For instance, in the Autonomy 1 16, Moses instructed the judges, judge righteousness. Judge righteously. And so, there's a difference between these three. Number one, discernment. Determining something that's right from wrong. Number two, authorize judgment, making decisions within responsibilities that God has given those people. And three, condemnation. Assuming God's position towards another person's heart and ultimately standing before him. And that's where we enter dangerous territory. In James chapter 4 verse 11 and 12, James chapter 4 verse 11 and 12, Do not speak evil of one another, brethren, but he who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you're no longer a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

There is one ultimate lawgiver. There is one ultimate judge.

And that's not me. And that's not you. Why? Because we don't know people's hearts. We don't know people's hearts. And this is where we can get ourselves into spiritual difficulty. You see, someone does something and we don't merely evaluate the action. What do we do? We begin constructing a motive.

Well, he did that because, or she did that because. I know exactly where what he's trying to do.

Or she doesn't care. He's arrogant. She's jealous. He's trying to undermine me.

How do we know? How do we know? We may know what somebody did. We may know what somebody said. But usually you don't know, I don't know, everything what that happened inside that person's mind. Only God does. So the construction of a motive begins by us becoming suspicious. And suspicion can become the first step towards accusation. Suspicion becomes a conclusion. And a conclusion becomes a judgment.

And eventually we can become so convinced that we think we know the other person's heart. But we don't. But God does. But we don't. And yeah, Paul gives us a warning in Romans 2, verse 1. In Romans 2, verse 1.

Therefore you are inexcusable, our man, whoever you are, who judge. For in whatever you judge, another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge, you who judge practice the same things.

When we judge other people, we could be condemning ourselves because we too are sinners.

It's easy to notice pride in another person. It's harder to recognize our own pride. It's easy to notice when someone is being criticized or critical. It's hard to recognize when we ourselves are being critical. We may say, oh, he's judgmental. But in saying that, perhaps we ourselves are judging him. We may say she's not loving. But what attitude are we showing towards her? And that's why, brethren, we need to keep turning the question back to ourselves.

Instead of noticing pride, ask, am I proud? Instead of thinking that somebody's being critical, ask, am I being critical?

Instead of saying, well, he's so judgmental, am I being judgmental? Instead of saying, he's not loving, am I not loving?

Therefore, who is qualified to judge the heart?

In 1 Corinthians chapter 4, 1 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 3 through 5, we read, but with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself, for I know of nothing against myself, yet I'm not justified by this. But he who judges me is the Lord. Therefore, judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes, who will bring both to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts, then each one's praise will come from God. Each one's praise comes from God. Note that Paul said that he not even himself fully trusted his own self-evaluation. He says, who judges me in verse 4 is the Lord. And then in verse 5 he says, therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes. Why? Because it's Christ who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts.

Can we do that? No, but Christ can. We do not fully know the motives of the heart. Christ does. We do not know all the circumstances, but Christ does. We do not know in a person's entire history, but Christ does. And when Christ judges, his judgment will be perfectly righteous. In Romans 12 verse 19, Romans 12 verse 19, He says, Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I'll repay, says the Lord.

God knows exactly how and when to deal with every situation. God's judgment is not distorted by ego. God's judgment is not distorted by resentment. God's judgment is not distorted by incomplete information. God's judgment is not distorted by favoritism. God's judgment is perfectly righteous.

And you and I will stand before that judge. In Romans 14 verse 10, Romans 14 verse 10, we read, But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we all shall all, for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. We all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Doesn't remind you of Luke 21, 36, that I read at the beginning, meaning that watch and pray that you may be counted worthy to stand before Christ. Could it be, besides just being resurrected and being there, could it be that we're going to be standing before His judgment seat and we'll be rewarded accordingly? But notice, yeah, in Romans 14, 10, it talks about two attitudes, judging and contempt.

We can look at someone and consider that person's spiritual inferior.

I will never do that.

How can he be like that? She should know better. We're making somebody else's spiritual inferior. But Paul immediately reminds us, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And Christ explains this in John 5, verse 22. John 5, verse 22.

For the Father judges no one, but He has committed all judgment to the Son.

Jesus Christ is our Savior. Yes. Jesus Christ is our high priest. Yes. Jesus Christ is our elder brother. Yes.

But Jesus Christ is also our judge.

Romans 14, verse 12. Romans 14, verse 12.

Romans 14, verse 12.

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

Notice what it does not say.

It does not say you'll give account of your brother. But it says, each of us shall give account of himself. And so Paul continues in verse 13, therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.

The focus changes, brethren. Have you noticed? The focus is not what's wrong with my brother, but the focus is, am I helping my brother? Or am I making his spiritual walk more difficult?

You know, when we think about it, we got to realize that we all are imperfect. Christ warns us in Matthew 18 verse 6. Matthew 18 verse 6.

Matthew 18 verse 6. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a mule's stone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Christ warns us in this verse about me and about you. Am I, or we, causing one of the little ones to stumble? And he uses a very serious illustration of a mule's stone being hung around my neck or your neck.

And then he follows that in verse 7 by saying, 18 verse 7, Woe to the world because of offenses, for offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offenses come.

You and I are imperfect human beings.

Therefore, we need to expect imperfections. Someone will occasionally say something wrong or badly. There'll be misunderstandings. There'll be personality differences. People are different. There'll be weaknesses.

There'll be other people, other brethren, just like you and I, on the other side, are still growing. We're still growing. Now, this does not mean that we're closing our eyes to sin. It does not mean calling evil good. It does not mean abandoning discernment and wisdom.

It means we cannot demand perfection from other people, while we ourselves are imperfect. And that leads directly to Christ's illustration in Matthew 7, 3 through 5. Matthew 7, 3 through 5.

And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but to not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck from your eye and look a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite. First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you'll see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Imagine the picture. Just think about this. You go to an ophthalmologist, and the ophthalmologist has an enormous plank in front of his eyes, and is now attempting a delicate surgery on his patient's eye.

Christ says, hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye, and then you'll be able to see clearly to help your brother.

Note, Christ does not say the speck does not exist. The brother may genuinely have a problem. He may genuinely need help.

But Christ says, first, examine yourself.

Perhaps our own problem is bigger than the problem we're trying to correct.

Christ develops this principle in Luke 18 verse 9. Luke 18 verse 9. And also, he spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Brethren, you know this. This is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. He gave the parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. And here is the danger, brethren. Self-righteousness produces contempt for others. The Pharisee prayed in verse 11, Matthew, pardon, Luke 18 verse 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed to those with himself, God, I thank you that I'm not like the other man, extortionist and just, adulterous, or even as this tax collector.

The Pharisee was standing before God, but was looking at somebody else's sense.

The Pharisee was praying, but he was comparing his righteousness with another man's. On the other side, the tax collector could not even lift his eyes to heaven. Verse 13, and the tax collector standing afar off would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me as sinner.

And in verse 14, Christ says, I tell you, this man went down to his house, justified, rather than the other.

That should make you, and I think. The man who saw everybody else's sins could not see himself clearly.

The man who recognized his own sin received mercy.

Then, how should we help somebody else that is wrong?

Do we simply ignore somebody that is walking towards sin? No.

But in Galatians 6, verse 1, gives us the balance.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself lest you be tempted.

Notice. Restore.

In other words, bring back.

The objective is not to condemn the objective of his restoration.

And how? With meekness, with gentleness, not with superiority, not with arrogance, not fault-finding, but with the understanding, I too am weak. I too needs God's mercy. I too could be tempted.

So the true spiritual person takes no pleasure in discovering somebody else's sins. No, it's not pleasant. But he wants to help that person return to the path of life.

Brethren, I began with a question. How much have I really changed?

We have been in the church for years, some of us for decades.

We've heard hundreds, perhaps thousands, of sermons. We have kept hundreds of sabbaths.

We have served God's holy days year after year. We have prayed. We have fasted. We have studied God's Word. But have we changed? Are we more merciful than we were five years ago?

Are we more patient? Are we more forgiving? Are we less easily offended?

Are we less suspicious of the other person's motives?

Are we less inclined to criticize? Are we more gentle when somebody's struggling?

Are we becoming more like Jesus Christ?

Because time does not convert us. We can grow older in the church without necessarily growing spiritually.

And that should concern us. Why?

Because we do not have unlimited time.

Romans 13 verse 11. Romans 13 verse 11. And do this knowing the time, that now it is high time to wake out of sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Our salvation is nearer than when we were first called.

But so is our judgment.

Every day that passes brings us one day closer to standing before Christ.

And James says, as I read earlier, the judge is at the door.

And so as we approach the day of trumpets, we should make this very personal, because this is very meaningful to us. Why? Because trumpets remind us that Jesus Christ is coming back. That's wonderful news. The kingdom of God, peace on earth, lovely.

But his return is not merely a prophetic chart that I put up with events, and I do that.

Nothing wrong with doing that for us to understand. But his return is that you and I are going to meet him and stand to be judged before him.

The Christ whom you and I worship is also the one before whom we will stand. So the question is not, how is the other person doing? The question is, how am I doing?

Have I followed the lead of God's early spirit and changed the way I think about other people?

Have I changed how I react when I'm offended? Have I changed how I speak about someone who has disappointed me? Have I followed the lead of God's early spirit and changed my willingness to forgive?

Have I become more gentle? Have I become more patient? Have I become more merciful?

Have I become more like Jesus Christ? If not, I don't want you to be discouraged, but we should become concerned enough to act, to do something about it. Because there is still time, not much.

But note there is not unlimited time.

Brethren, the judge is at the door. Christ is coming. Our judgment is taking place now.

Therefore, rather than spending our remaining time measuring the faults of others, let us allow God to show us our own hearts.

Let us hunger and thirst for His righteousness, not establish our own.

Let us forgive because we desperately need forgiveness.

Let us show mercy because we desperately need mercy. Let us restore the weak with gentleness because we are weak.

And let us use the time that God is still giving us to truly change.

So that when Jesus Christ returns and we stand before His judgment seat, we will not just be the people who merely knew the truth, but we, God willing, will be the people who allowed the truth to change us.