There are times when God doesn't want you wasting your kind words of truth with closed sinners in an effort to help them. Might sound crazy, but why force a Message upon those lost individuals who absolutely refuse to hear it? There is a time to add words into the mix, yes accurate words when we do.. and then again, God also wants us to preach loud wordless all the time. He wants you and me to live the life, to be His faithful witness all the time.
Yes, it's important for each of us to hear God's Word and be led of the Spirit every day.. in being a witness and also verbally giving a witness out for Christ.
In a context of "judging," Jesus Christ told His followers, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces" (Matt. 7:6). Sheep, so to speak, feed on their master's pasture or perhaps on milk, not on each other or on dirty refuse. Spiritual dogs if you will are attracted to really filthy and gross things on the ground. They like what smells rotten. They like to feed on what shouldn't be fed upon. They like to bite people or other dogs. As it is with spiritual swine who will walk on what's priceless, holy things are of no value to em.
"Though persecuting malice raged, yet the Gospel shone with resplendent brightness; and, firm as an impregnable rock, withstood the attacks of its boisterous enemies with success." ~ John Foxe
Now with this stuff in mind, I'm sure that you have heard the nonbeliever's favorite verse before, right? I think there have been some occasions where you've heard it, yeah, if you've ever taken some time to share the Good News and your love for Christ with other people in need of Him. Sure, the verse is Matthew 7:1 that says: "Judge not, lest you be judged." In the nonbeliever's mind, quoting this verse is a way of defending what he or she loves doing so that you as a real Christian don't bother him or her with the truth that convicts. Some don't want to be confused etc.. by the facts. They don't want to take responsibility for their wrong-doin's or have to change. Or.. maybe the one who quotes this verse might want to ward off any smug, holier-than-thou, arrogant type of carnal believer who tends to be a finger-pointer and very accusatory. Have you met people like that?
Question: Ever have someone in a crowd hatefully go off on you making a public scene, simply because they over-heard you share some basic truth of God's love with a friend? I sure have before and I don't witness as often as I wish I would. Hey gang, you know what they say: If you throw a brick into a pack of dogs, typically the one who barks the loudest is the one that got hit! (Not that any of us want to throw stuff at animals ever, but you know what I mean here). Perhaps the person that went ballistic-berserk towards you is the one that got hit by the Spirit's conviction..so to speak.
OK, maybe there's a better analogy to use, dunno, but when the Holy Spirit is working on someone to lovingly bring them to repentance and faith, because they have been prayed for, or witnessed to before.. well, the spiritual battle that is going on for his or her soul can get pretty fierce. It can get more intense the closer they get to making a decision for Jesus. And Mr Lu-Cifer really doesn't want to loose any of his own that he has in his slimy grasp, and he will all-out fight for them so that they can stay in unseen chains and one day be with him forever in Hell.
"Come on, Kurt! Give me a stinking break! Have you been watching too much Si-fi lately?" No, for real. Why would I pull your leg? That's why we trust and obey Jesus and fight the good fight of faith, but not be angry at or strive with people. People are worth fighting for..on our knees. There is a lot at stake and sometimes a lot going on around us in the unseen world if you will. I'm not saying I see winged bat-like creatures breathing out fire or flying saucers. No way! But using discernment doesn't have to get weird and religious. I don't have to get all sensational about it. Unbelievers have great value - each one of them just like you do. And if you don't fight for em so to speak, someone else will.
Question: Ever have someone in a crowd hatefully go off on you making a public scene, simply because they over-heard you share some basic truth of God's love with a friend? I sure have before and I don't witness as often as I wish I would. Hey gang, you know what they say: If you throw a brick into a pack of dogs, typically the one who barks the loudest is the one that got hit! (Not that any of us want to throw stuff at animals ever, but you know what I mean here). Perhaps the person that went ballistic-berserk towards you is the one that got hit by the Spirit's conviction..so to speak.
OK, maybe there's a better analogy to use, dunno, but when the Holy Spirit is working on someone to lovingly bring them to repentance and faith, because they have been prayed for, or witnessed to before.. well, the spiritual battle that is going on for his or her soul can get pretty fierce. It can get more intense the closer they get to making a decision for Jesus. And Mr Lu-Cifer really doesn't want to loose any of his own that he has in his slimy grasp, and he will all-out fight for them so that they can stay in unseen chains and one day be with him forever in Hell.
"Come on, Kurt! Give me a stinking break! Have you been watching too much Si-fi lately?" No, for real. Why would I pull your leg? That's why we trust and obey Jesus and fight the good fight of faith, but not be angry at or strive with people. People are worth fighting for..on our knees. There is a lot at stake and sometimes a lot going on around us in the unseen world if you will. I'm not saying I see winged bat-like creatures breathing out fire or flying saucers. No way! But using discernment doesn't have to get weird and religious. I don't have to get all sensational about it. Unbelievers have great value - each one of them just like you do. And if you don't fight for em so to speak, someone else will.
A good rendering or interpretation of Matthew 7:1 is that we, as born again believers, are not to cast the final Judgment. It's simply not our place to do that. We certainly can't see the inner heart and spiritual condition of a person. We are not called to attempt to judge a person's motives, for only God knows their motives. Yes, Jesus made it very clear, "Don't condemn, lest you be condemned." Only God can see and determine a person's eternal destination. He alone knows the future and it would be utterly prideful for any minister to say that they could to the same in this regard.
We can discern, notice behavior or in some cases view a record. We don't want to judge according to the flesh, but we can judge their message too. And some people that we come across, do love their dark sinful "party habits" and selfish pleasures more than they want imputed righteousness free from God, so they just get angry at us. They erroneously try to tell us that it is wrong not to keep your faith to yourself. Some already feel very angry at God, believing that He has let them down. It's a cruel world we live in and some want to blame Him without looking at their own wrongs. I've known people like this who had a relative die at a young age. I've also known some who were ill-treated by a pastor, a priest.. a so called believer claiming to be a representative for God.. who was allegedly mean or literally just weird.
We can discern, notice behavior or in some cases view a record. We don't want to judge according to the flesh, but we can judge their message too. And some people that we come across, do love their dark sinful "party habits" and selfish pleasures more than they want imputed righteousness free from God, so they just get angry at us. They erroneously try to tell us that it is wrong not to keep your faith to yourself. Some already feel very angry at God, believing that He has let them down. It's a cruel world we live in and some want to blame Him without looking at their own wrongs. I've known people like this who had a relative die at a young age. I've also known some who were ill-treated by a pastor, a priest.. a so called believer claiming to be a representative for God.. who was allegedly mean or literally just weird.
Yes, so many hungry believers today are aggressively going after the sensational and listen! That can make any Christian weird. If a sin-loving worldly unbeliever can get you, believer, to blow up in the flesh, or get distracted away from the main thing, or off into reacting and attacking back, then somehow that behavior of yours will make them feel better inside. A pure, joyous, childlike servant attitude in a forgiven person will convicts sinners of what they don't enjoy relationally ..being outside of a right relationship with God. They might feel that if you fly off the handle, blowing up emotionally, attitudinally, or with wrong words, that this kind of thing will justify them in their darkness.
Please decide not to react in the flesh, but to respond in the Spirit of love. By faith rest in the Lord and choose to be an overcomer full of God's Spirit and Word. Opt to be victorious today, not needing to prove a thing to anybody. The unseen spiritual battle is ultimately the Lord's.
The Bible says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (Jn. 3:16-21, nkjv).
Perhaps you are now ready to turn around to God.. to let go of your idols, sins and just come to Christ as you are so that He will change you. Do you want to change and get things right? Perhaps you already are a Christian? Just keep on trusting the Lord for boldness so that you will be and give a good witness out for Jesus Christ where He leads you.. no matter how many dogs or people will bark or bite you. I can't promise that you'll never get snapped at, but it will all be worth it later on when the Lord rewards you for obeying Him! When you feel like biting back, bite your tongue and seek the Lord.
Perhaps you are now ready to turn around to God.. to let go of your idols, sins and just come to Christ as you are so that He will change you. Do you want to change and get things right? Perhaps you already are a Christian? Just keep on trusting the Lord for boldness so that you will be and give a good witness out for Jesus Christ where He leads you.. no matter how many dogs or people will bark or bite you. I can't promise that you'll never get snapped at, but it will all be worth it later on when the Lord rewards you for obeying Him! When you feel like biting back, bite your tongue and seek the Lord.
