Looking Down Both Barrels.

"Judge not that you be not judged".

Unfortunately, in our self-blinded ignorance, sin-infected mankind continues to judge God the Father, His Word and themselves, comparing themselves with the vain and shortsighted judgment that is born out of Adam. Simply put, humanity's self-perpetuating iniquity is born out of the seed of sin, contained within Adam's generational seed. In our thinking, we are all like our first human father, Adam, looking to place the blame for our own failures on someone else, a scapegoat, rather than ourselves.  It is so easy for the nature of sin to divert our problems and deficiencies upon other persons or even God, and excuse our own actions. In our own prideful minds, we have the tendency to rationalize into our dire problem, some other extenuating circumstances, thus enabling us to find ourselves as not guilty, or certainly minimize our fault in the chaotic matter.  Without the light of God's Word, self-examination is lacking, and our sin escapes blame or detection.  Essentially, we are all right in our own eyes of self-preserving justification, and we judge only from our own closed-ended and shortsighted perspective. We are all held prisoners by our own human judgments, and imprison others to the same shackles of our own unrighteousness. In our short sightedness, we fail to see and understand the haunting consequences of our judgments that will inevitably pursue and overtake us and also damage others in its wake.  The following is a general synopsis of thought concerning the kinds of sin induced judgment, which are rooted in the heart of man, and then compared with God's righteous judgment.  The thoughts are there for you to judge.

Looking down the barrels of double-mindedness, it seems that we the redeemed are quick to judge in another Christian brother or sister, the very same problems and symptoms of sin that exist in each of us.  We are still people of the flesh, having the tendency to compare the flesh of others, with the ingrained prejudices that are derived from our own sinful nature.  As an example, the carnal Christian, having some knowledge of the original Ten Commandments, has the tendency to subordinate the individual laws to his or her own order of importance.  In so doing, the person devises their own confused standards of conduct, comparing and then justifying themselves with their perception of the under-performance of others. Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One Who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?  ^{(James 4 verse 11 thru  12 .N.A.S.B.).}

Typically, in our judgmental superiority, we like to feel good about ourselves, even at the expense of others. The wisdom of James, the brother of Jesus (Yeshua), attempts to put this comfort in perverted thinking to rest, as he writes in his letter: For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He Who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ^{(James 2 verse 10 thru  11. NKJV.)} You can see the seriousness with how God looks at the nature of sin's independent control within mankind, for it exhibits its manifest symptoms of death.  With Adam's treason against God, the law of sin and death, infected the flesh of all of mankind, long before God's Ten Commandments of condemnation, were given to reveal sin's corruption in the flesh and soul of mankind.  So then, with or without God's Holy Laws in Commandments, then the independent and self serving Law of Sin and Death, will continue to work its death and destruction to the souls of mankind. Sinners that judge other sinners, only condemn themselves, for they condemn others with the same things that they do, as like sinners. 

There is only one recourse for all sinners that are condemned to death by the rebelliousness of sin in their flesh, and that is to turn to the Holy One of God, Jesus/Yeshua haMashiach, the Incarnate Son of Adam, Who was innocent of all sin.  Yahweh God, True to His mercy, brought the fullness of His Judgment upon His Holy One, condemning the rebelliousness of the sin of all of mankind into the Flesh of the Man Christ Jesus.  The sin of mankind, made Jesus Christ to be sin, and the violence of sin killed the innocent One.  Jesus/Yeshua had made Himself a Presentation Offering to God, and in the Almighty's acceptance of the Chagigah of Jesus/Yeshua, His Justice was satisfied.  The innocent Christ was vindicated by El Shaddai (the Almighty), and Jesus/Yeshua arose victoriously over sin and death, to vanquish the Satanic instigators of the insurrection against God.

To bring further clarity to myopic eyes, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the highest of unadulterated judgment, gives a definitive understanding to the spiritual nature of the entity of sin, with its imposing law of death.  The Judge of the Universe associates murder, with the anger directed in judgment unjustly towards a brother. Hear again what the Master says: "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. 'But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother, will be subject to that same judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca', is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. ^{(Matthew 5 verse 21 thru  23.)} In every instance of human anger, the love of God that the Holy Spirit brings to the heart, is set aside, and another spirit that is of evil is at work in the thoughts of that person.

With maturity, every person in the family of man will come to the understanding of their own eventuality with physical death.   But mankind, including the complacent Christian, may not be aware or understand the spiritual issues of life and death, that are at work within the spirit of their own thinking.  Within the spirit of anger, death is certainly working, for it is the spirit of murder in collusion with the same demonic spirit, from the Garden, that seeks to work iniquity and confusion in the whole world, and also within the church body. If our judgment of our brother is with malice, then our own malicious judgment will eventually return upon our own heads.  We don't like to admit and confess our own faults, but undoubtedly, we are all guilty of being that judgmental person of the flesh.  To our detriment and the Body of Jesus Christ, we unwittingly condemn and separate ourselves from Christ and His body, through our own presumed judgmental superiority.  This form of judgment, is always born out of the will and controlling entity of sin, exhibiting its influence in the nature of flesh, within our own justifying idolatry of self.  Who among us is not guilty?

The Jews, during Paul's time, supposed that God would show favored partiality in His judgment with His chosen people as measured or compared to the gentile heathens.  Paul initially was addressing the Jews, in Romans 1 and 2, who were failing to understand the righteousness of God, and that His righteous anger is kindled against all who practice unrighteousness, and all unrighteousness is centered in the perverted eyes of self.  ^{(See Proverbs 21 verse 2.)}  The Grace that God gives to the chosen, holds great expectations; For to whom much is given, much is expected.   If the Jews, who were privileged with the receiving of the law, and the knowing of God's good will, were doing the same things as the gentiles, who were without the knowledge of the law, then the judgment of our righteous God will be impartial to the Jews, even as it is to the gentiles. Therefore you have no excuse, every one of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge ^(censure) another; you condemn yourself; for you who judge, practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God, rightly falls upon those who practice such things.  ^{(Romans 2 verse 1 thru  2. (N.A.S.B.).} Certainly, the Jew's actions of ungodliness were withholding God's Truth to the world, and their own biased judgment fell upon them.

Even the church has a general failure to spiritually understand and convey to the people of the pews, that the righteous purpose of the Law of Commandments, in whole or part, is for the censure of sin, ending in death for all of guilty mankind.  Through God's just Laws, all of mankind are found guilty of sin, for all have been shown to have failed the just requirements of perfect obedience.  However, in the great Commandment of God, the Perfect Love of one, predisposes one's perfect obedience.  If abiding faith in God's Word and His mercy in Christ Jesus, predominates in the spiritually mature church, then humility with repentance, followed with godly Love, will speak much louder in each of us, and also to the world.  However, it is our own ungodly controlling judgments of condemnation that separates and divides the Body of Jesus Christ, and also alienates the world from the Truth of God's Perfect Love in Jesus Christ.

And the Lord said at the Pascal Supper: A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another. ^{(John 13 verse 34 thru  35.)} When we understand that there is the total perfection of Love within the Spirit of God, then man's judgment, creating separation of hearts, has no place in the holy Body of Jesus Christ.  For when that which is perfect (love) is come, then we will be abiding in faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is sacrificial love. ^{(See 1st Corinthians 13 verse 10 and verse 13.)} So again, when the Holy Spirit's words of expectant grace flows freely within the community of faith, then the unrighteous judgment of the flesh, within the members, ceases in the Holy Body of Jesus Christ, and then all things are made possible through Him that Loves us.

When confronting the crowd, who were accusing a certain woman of adultery, Jesus said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” ^{(John 8 verse 1 thru  11.)}  When all the accusers had left, the Lord said to the woman: Where are those your accusers?  Has no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. Then Jesus said unto her: Neither do I condemn thee: Go, and sin no more.  The Scriptures witness that  the Son of Man did not come into this world to judge, condemn, censure mankind, but to save mankind from their sin and death. ^{(See John 3 verse 17.)} To the Pharisees, who were there at that same time, and were trying to find fault in the gracious words of Jesus Christ, the Lord said to them:  You judge according to the flesh: I judge not any man.  And if I do judge, My judgment is true: because I AM not alone, but it is I and the Father that sent Me.  ^{(See John 8 verse 13 thru 18.)}  If the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, is not desirous to judge any man, then what is it that qualifies sinful mankind to be a superior judge of his fellow man.

We understand that in Israel the judgment of the just law required death of the offender by stoning. But who among us sinners would in judgment condemn ourselves by having our selves stoned, for our very own crimes against God and man?  But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself,  that you will escape the judgment of God? ^{(Romans 2 verse 3.)}  Although we may not realize it, we apparently are very good at condemning ourselves before God, and our fellow man, with our own unrighteous condemnation of others. Or despise thou the riches of God's goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance?

The nature of sin that is innate to the flesh of all of humanity, does not leave anyone until their earthly demise, for even the redeemed in Christ Jesus, will continue to struggle with the desires of the flesh.  In the simplicity of Truth, the ones that say they are without sin, are all liars and the Truth is not in them.  Although the following verses in 1st John chapter 1, are not in chronological order, nevertheless they remain in spiritual order no matter the sequence, for they speak to us the essence of Truth succinctly:  ^6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not [practice] the Truth.  ^8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us.  ^10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.  ⁹ But If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.  ^7. For if we walk in the light, as He also is in the light, then we have fellowship one with another, because the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  And Jesus said to the religious: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone."

And Jesus lifting the cup gave thanks and said:  "Drink from it all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Covenant that is shed for many for the remission of sin."  And Paul later confirming a right understanding of the Cup of Blessing, says: "I speak as to wise men: The Cup of Blessing which we have blessed, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ?"  If the Holy Spirit indwells those that bless, then those that bless are in union with the Holy Spirit, and have judged through the Spirit of faith that the Cup of Blessing, contains the Blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of the sins of culpable flesh.  Now, of course, those that would rightly judge themselves, will not remain in the bonds of their iniquity, but in their daily walk, are denying the control of blatant sin, within the spirit of our thinking selves.  If the cross and self denial are necessary on a daily basis, then we should understand that the nature of self serving sin remains within the flesh of each individual, and sin does not leave the self of the individual of flesh.  If flesh and blood does not inherit the kingdom of God, ^{(See 1st Corinthians 15 verse 50.)} then why should we think that we are worshiping God, when our present sins of the flesh remain outstanding.  To truly worship God, in Spirit and Truth, it will always be necessary for the members of Christ's Body, to look forward to the exonerating and cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion.  The life of the flesh is in the blood, and the Righteous and Holy Life of Jesus Christ is in His Blood, and He gave His Life for the Life of the world.  The Holy Life that is in the Blood of Jesus Christ, was poured out of His Body for the sins of mankind, so that the sinner that drinks of that holy Blood by faith, is put to death, so that the new man in Christ Jesus is renewed in life by that same Holy Blood that gives Life.  Think about it!  No man comes to the Father, but by Me: I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life of men.  (Please reference Seeing the Sword of the Spirit.)

Now, another matter that is ready for the grave, is the insensitive censorship of ethnicity, and the natural outward appearances of other persons outside of our selves.  This unrighteous judgmental condition of sin, is murderous, and is condemned by the Law of God.  The Spirit of God reproves sin, and requires that an examination and judgment would begin within ourselves, so that we would not be condemned with the world.  It is apparent that the love and life of God is missing in lives, with superior opinions of themselves.  It should be understood that any ethnic slandering should never be tolerated in the ears of the spiritual hearer, who knows the grace of God that saves them from their own wretched body of death.  Without correction, this highly critical judgment, tied with malicious gossip, puts the judger and the hearer in the same position of slandering not only the person in point, but also slandering God, the Creator and ultimate Judge of the Universe.

But behold the wonder of it all; for it is the same Almighty God, Who dwells in a high and holy place, and through the holy Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, chooses to dwell in the redeemed temple of the new heart, born within the contrite believer of faith in Him, His Word and His great Salvation. ^{(See Isaiah 57 verse 15 thru  17.)} John, the beloved Apostle, speaks thusly, “If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom He has not seen.  And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.  Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father, loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God.” ^{(1st John 4 verse 19 thru  20 and 1st John 5 verse 1 thru  2.)}  And it would be understood: "This is how we know that we love God; by loving His children as well".

A Christian’s judgment, born out of vanity, can have a very hollow ring, coming forth from such a shallow and brazen heart.  For, "From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks": "The things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and those things [within the heart] defile a man. For from the heart comes forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies".  ^{(So it is written in Matthew 12 verse 34 and Matthew 15 verse 18 thru 19.)} Consequently, a person’s sincere love of God and of man, should come into question, with the evidence of sin’s manifestations, being revealed by what is spoken in unrighteous condemnation. Both Great Commandments of God are broken at once.  The first, in the love of God above all things, and the second, in the Love of our fellow man, as one might love their self.  The more we sin in our darkness against the Light that exists in God's Word, the more we sin against Love Himself.  I think we can say without condemnation, that the leading of the Holy Spirit is muffled in the condemning person, as evidenced by the lack of God's Love coming from one's mouth, revealing the actual condition of one's heart.  Also, the experience of life, would say that the self-discipline of the daily cross, and the willingness to crucify self-will, is wanting in Christendom, thus limiting sin’s idolatrous influence over the flesh.  The sins of the flesh do not disappear with the coming of faith, but are in need of daily excising from self, so as not to diminish the testimony of our faith in following Christ Jesus.  The destructive nature of sin, is ever present within the mind of man, even until the day of his demise, for why else would the Lord say to His followers:  If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  The soul maybe redeemed, but the nature of sinful flesh remains with us until death, and all the while it will be seeking its own mind of self justification.

Perhaps, those with a natural gift of communication, need the gift of larger spiritual ears, so as to hear first with a converted heart, and then having a cleaner heart, overrule the power of the tongue. He that is spiritual  judges [as in examines] all things, yet he himself is judged [examined] of no man: ^{(In fuller context 1st Corinthians 2 verse 15.)} But the Lord says to the would be spiritual man or woman: Thou hypocrite, first remove the beam that is in thy own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. ^{(Luke 6 verse 40 thru  42.)}

Part of our double-minded dilemma, is that we certainly do not see ourselves clearly, as God sees us. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it"? ^{(Jeremiah 17 verse 8 thru 10.)}  Every way of a man is right in their own eyes, but God ponders or weighs the heart. ^{(Proverbs 16 verse 2 and chapter 21 verse 2.)} God knows the heart of man, and allows the natural circumstances and trials of our lives, to reprove us.  These inevitable trials, put us in the position of wondering, why we do the things we do, and why we say the things we say, and why does not God answer me and change the circumstances of my grave discomfort.  It is a very awkward position, this contorted position of why.  Essentially, it is because we are not in control, and we are not God.  We want to be in control, and to give the appearance of strength to others, and not expose our weaknesses to them.  Inevitably our strength of self-will is tried, and found to be wanting in the essential things of God.   When our weaknesses are exposed in the storms of life, typically in our minds, just like Adam, we immediately shift the blame to family members or friends, or to undesired circumstances of life.  You made me do it!  You made me angry!  It is your fault! If only this had not happened to me! You just don't understand, God made me this way, etcetera and so on.  Typically, our flesh cries out to flesh when we see ourselves as undeservingly abused in life's circumstances.  In the end, we are led to believe that God created us the way we are, and blame God for our problems.  No, the problem is that of sin, etched in the genetic tree of man, from whom all our ancestors came from, and we from them.  We are all products of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and we are the cause of all the ongoing, disastrous influences of this sinful world, where agape is lacking in the whole, and disobedience, to the Infinitive and Sovereign God of Love, is presently reigning.

We certainly are not dismissing the 'cause and effect' of the laws of the universe, for 'cause and effect', definitely plays a definitive role in the whole of our lives.   The whole world is in conflict with it selves, causing excruciating pain to all.  So most certainly, the 'cause and effect' of the law of sin, exposing us to death's onslaught, is in the life of every person, where it brings forth mitigating illnesses, and genetic flaws that have internal dynamics on our thoughts of self, and extending out to others about us. 

The whole point of our assertion is, that sin, within the self of every person, is the causative factor.  Sin, hidden within the flesh of humanity, has formed us into self serving creatures, who may appear to serve others, but only if the service, serves ourselves.  The entity of sin, with its strangling tentacle of death, has created its own damaging effects on each of us individually, and is being channeled through our uncontrolled emotions, with its engendered judgments affecting even our physical well being, and that of our children or potential offspring.  Now caught in the vicious cycle of sin's assault, the thoughts of other people, expressed with unkind words of judgment, can have continuing devastating affects upon our own hearts and spirits.  The consequences of sinful mankind's judgment, can eventuate with insidious havoc upon our relations with others, including a skewed perception of God; ^{(See Isaiah 59.)} That is unless we are equipped with the spiritual armament of God, and holding our Shield of Faith with God's Love within us, therefore quenching those fiery darts.  ^{(See Ephesians 6 verse 12 thru 17.)} Perhaps, in reflection to the light of God, those wrong choices made, even because of mitigating circumstances, may show us that we are in need of the constant grace of God in Christ Jesus, so as to be able to overcome the innate nature of sin within our selfish judgmental flesh. 

Obviously, we were naturally born into self, and self, under the control of the will of sin and death, separates us from God, Who alone gives life. The law of the singularity of sin and death, in all respects to 'cause and affect', is completely outside of the Law of God's Love, and brings a separation from God's Will.  In the final analysis of self judgment, we are all blind to our own faults and our own iniquities, for they are ingrained within the flesh of self, and sin's justification of itself, will not allow us to see that sin and death is in control, and we are out of control.  In not understanding ourselves, we also fail to see that the fruit of the Spirit of God's Grace is quenched, because of self-will.  O Adam, O Man, where is your strength if any one of these fruits from the Tree of LIFE is lacking: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control and Faith in God, with His redemptive New Covenant mercies in Christ Jesus, and His Life Giving Blood that He shed for the sins of the world.

Robert Glenn Pratten