by David Brenneman
"In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God." 1 Corinthians 4:2-5.
In the lives of everyone there is a judge, the Judge, Jesus Christ.
No one has the right or I should say, the level of righteousness, on their own to determine who is or isn't worthy of the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
We aren't that good, even as Believers in Christ, to decide who is or isn't worthy.
Evaluations and Judgments in the New Testament aren't the same thing. We are to evaluate the fruits of others to determine whether or not they are truly saved. We are not to enter into condemnation against others to decide that they aren't worthy of coming to Christ themselves. That being said there's going to be many millions of people who are not going to accept the message of salvation through Jesus Christ alone in this world.
It's not on us or any Believers to decide who should or shouldn't hear of the gospel of Christ Jesus. Yet many do just that. They cut off the goodness of God because of situations.
What if those who lead you to Christ had succeeded in doing that to you?
Do you also not realize that by omission we often say that people aren't worthy as well? By our omitting living out Christ in our lives in public.
Paul called out Peter publicly because of his own hypocrisy.
Peter responded correctly to this and repented of it.
We can often think we're doing the right things in dealing with people when in fact we're casting them aside or misleading them as to what a Christ-follower is to be like.
It's wholly part of what I believe that the Spirit means by teaching us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus.
We cannot trust ourselves but absolutely should trust the Word of God as taught by the Spirit of God.
It's famously known in the New Testament that the Berean Church wouldn't take what anyone said at face value, they would go search the Scriptures to see if what was said held up to that standard.
I know that I can't trust me in fully grasping the right or wrong way to go in my life on my own. Psalm 23 tells us that our Shepherd leads us through the valley of the shadow of death. He leads.
He leads us in our daily lives and He puts people before us whom we will often wonder why in the world He ever would put them there.
Here's the thing.
We are workers in His fields. It's His harvest that's at hand to be workers in.
Those in fields are either watering, planting seeds, pruning, cultivating, nurturing or gathering up from the fields.
You know not what your being Christ to someone will do to their life.
It's extremely certain what you being a self-centered, self-righteous, person will do to their life.
Do you firmly believe in the promise of His coming back to bring the Church into His Heaven? Do you not realize that it's contingent upon that last person who's to be saved gets saved prior to the Great Tribulation? The times of the Gentiles as the Bible says, began with a person receiving Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and will end in the same way. It's not an event that marks the return of Christ but a person coming to Him to be saved. While indeed there will be those saved during the Great Tribulation there still remains the truth that there is an individual who marks the end of this present time.
As such, it's on us to be obedient in our calling in Christ Jesus to be about the Father’s business as Jesus was when He was here. To not brush aside our calling or to decide who isn't qualified to come to Christ for salvation.
Jesus didn't cut people off from His Father’s plan to save mankind. Mankind chooses to reject it or accept it. People aren't too dirty in sin that the blood of Jesus Christ can't cleanse them from all unrighteousness. Everyone's sin today was future to the cross of Jesus Christ. All of our sins.
All of our motives will be disclosed when we give an account of our lives before Jesus.
Excuses won't matter because He will always already know the truth. He is Truth.
Just be Jesus to those around you and let the Spirit of God do the work of God in the hearts of those you encounter. You might not see the fruits of your efforts but you will have obeyed Jesus.
The Great Commission is for all of us who are saved in Christ Jesus.
Be the light of Jesus Christ in your corner of the world and watch what God does with you.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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