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DID YOU KNOW (6)…THAT YOU CHOOSE THE MEASURE OF YOUR GAIN OR LOSS

Christian Life, ,

DID YOU KNOW (6)

…THAT YOU CHOOSE THE MEASURE OF YOUR GAIN OR LOSS

Human beings have this crazy idea that it is okay to have two standards of judgment, one for ourselves which is lenient and another for other people which is based on the standard we set for ourselves but is very strict. We let ourselves off on the basis that we are “only human” or that we are not responsible; it is someone else’s fault that we said or did this or that or that we are this way, that is, we are angry, miserable, frustrated or whatever. We judge others because they did not measure up to the standard we set for ourselves.

The Apostle Paul understood human nature.

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself because you who pass judgment do the same things (Rom.2:1).

Now we have to ask: How fair is that?

God is absolutely just and fair. He has a simple solution for our foolish injustice. He has determined that we set the measure of justice we receive from Him by the way we treat others. Jesus put it like this:

Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matt. 7:1-2).

If we think that we have the right to set the standard and to judge others for their wrongdoing, we must not forget that we are automatically passing judgment on ourselves as well, and that the punishment we inflict on others will come straight back to us.  

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman’s house. He made it for Mordacai who spoke up to help the king. The king said, “Hang him on it!” So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordacai. Then the king’s fury subsided (Esth. 7:8b-10).

God’s just measure applies in othersituations as well. I found a significant one at the end of Jesus’ story about the sower and the seed, and His explanation of the parable to His disciples. They asked Him why He taught in parables. He gave them a curious answer.

He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside, everything is said in parables so that,

‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (Mark 4:11-12).   

Why would Jesus not want them to believe? He was quoting from Isa 6:9-10. God commissioned Isaiah to go and preach to His people to harden their hearts because they had already chosen to ignore His word and disobey His instructions. Isaiah would continue to give them God’s instructions until their disobedience made them ripe for judgment. They had already chosen their course and its outcome. Isaiah’s message would harden their hearts until they were carried into captivity. Through their suffering, some would finally return to the Lord. 

By teaching the people in parables, Jesus was doing what Isaiah had done in the past. Only those who had a heart to believe and receive His Word would gain understanding from His teaching.

However, there was an equally serious warning for those who chose to listen to Him.

“Consider carefully what you hear,” He continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you – and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him (Mark 4:24-25).

Did you get the gist of Jesus’ words? What we choose to do with God’s Word will determine whether we gain more than what we have now or lose what little we have. We can never remain neutral to the Word of God. Every time we choose to ignore what we have read or heard, we lose more of our ability to understand and respond. If we keep ignoring what God wants of us, we will eventually be so immune to His Word that we will be unable to hear or understand it.

There is also another side to the measure we choose to use. God responds to our generosity with a deluge of blessing. That’s the kind of God He is. He uses the strict measure of our choices to dispense consequences, but He give back to us in immeasurable bounty when we act out of love towards those in need. Consider this promise:

Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:38).

This verse does not only relate to material things; it relates also to the measure of love, time, care and forgiveness we extend to others. The more we pour ourselves into the lives of others, the more God pours His love and grace into us. How much better to use a huge measure of love and kindness in our attitude and interaction with others than to judge or condemn because we can never out-give God.   

Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

“WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM!”

Bible Study, ,

“WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM!”

“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else for, at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realising that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed.” Romans 2:1-5.

So, who is Paul talking to now? Again, he highlighted people’s behaviour, not their clan or category. His words can apply to anyone in any religious group who acts like this.

The first group of people he indicted was the group who refused to acknowledge the true God. Instead, they created gods for themselves who would sanction their evil behaviour because their gods were just like them regardless of what they looked like. They were religious alright, but their “religion” was invented to suit them.

The second group was equally religious, but this lot, (obviously the Jews), claimed to worship God. The problem this time was not so much who they worshipped but what they thought and said about the idolaters. “We are not like them. We don’t worship idols. We worship the one true God.” They had had their experience of idolatry. It cost them their land, their temple and the indignity and suffering of exile in Babylon for almost two generations. They were fiercely loyal to their God, to a fault.

However, they were so contemptuous of non-Jews that they would have nothing to do with them. They regarded them in the same category as dogs simply because they were not Jews. Jesus came in for a great deal of criticism because He refused to bow to their arrogant attitudes. He interacted with anyone who had a need and anyone who came to Him.

“But, wait a minute,” said Paul. “You who are so contemptuous of idol-worshippers and sexually promiscuous people, what is your behaviour like behind closed doors?” They were quick to point fingers at others, but three fingers were pointing back at them. Even if they were not worshipping idols in public, they were guilty of a far worse form of idolatry – they worshipped themselves. They had set themselves up as the standard for right and wrong. They measured themselves against themselves and found themselves not guilty and everyone else guilty.

Once again, just like the idol worshippers whom they so despise, people who practise religion, that is, any belief system that attempts to reach the deity by self-effort, be it God or any god invented by human imagination, are equally guilty of failing to acknowledge God or give thanks to Him. Instead, they acknowledge themselves and set up their own system of so-called worship, using rules and ritual to reach their god.

Even believers in Jesus can be guilty of this form of idolatry. This was the issue Paul battled in his letter to the Galatians upon which Romans is based. The Judaisers were adding their bit to the good news about Jesus. His sacrificial death was not enough to save Gentiles, so they said. Gentiles needed to be circumcised to gain entry to Judaism first. Jesus plus! They thought they knew better than God.

“Jesus plus” is still being peddled today; Jesus plus the baptism of the Holy Spirit; Jesus plus tongues; Jesus plus baptism; Jesus plus good works; Jesus plus self-inflicted punishment; Jesus plus discipline, etc. None of these extras add to the efficacy of His death to rescue and redeem guilty sinners.

The problem with those who treat offenders with contempt and judge them by their standards is that their heart attitude is far more heinous in God’s eyes than the things they judge in others. It was pride that brought Lucifer down. Pride excludes people from grace. Pride blinds our eyes to the goodness of God, the very thing that should bring us to repentance.

Strangely enough, accusation and condemnation do not bring us to repentance. They only drive us into guilt or defensiveness. It is the kindness and mercy of God towards us that makes us change our mind about Him and draws us to Him. There is only wrath for us until we realise just how good God really is.

Acknowledgement

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.