Was Jesus Unjudging?

Was Jesus Unjudging?

A guy contacted me this week through Seek and Save the Lost, chastising me for being judgmental and hateful. He continued, letting me know his strong opinions which included the opinion that Jesus was unjudging. So I ask you: was Jesus unjudging? Was Jesus non-judgmental? 

Unlike the guy that contacted me through the ministry offering his strong opinions, let’s look at what the Bible actually says and whether Jesus is unjudging or not. In Matthew 23:14 Jesus says:  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.

Woe to you. That sounds like a pretty strong warning to me. Hypocrites! That sounds a little judgmental, don’t you think? You shall receive the greater damnation? Damnation? That doesn’t sound loving at all. Just this one little verse in Matthew appears to show that Jesus did judge with righteous judgment and He also warned of damnation, in other words eternal punishment.

Jesus Drove Them Out Of The Temple

Are there more verses like this? I’m glad you asked. Let’s continue on. And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

And when he had made a scourge of small cords (a whip), he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up (John 2:13-17). Folks, the Bible says Jesus made a whip and drove the money changers out of the temple. I don’t think that means He quietly made a whip and politely asked them to leave. No, He drove them out. He was swinging the whip around with righteous anger. If they didn’t run, they were going to get hit. Sounds to me like Jesus judged those who were abusing the temple.

Is It Lawful To Do Good On The Sabbath Days?

Please listen to Mark 3:1-6: And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he said unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

And he said unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

Oh my, here it says Jesus looked around at them with anger. Now this wasn’t anger like you or I have while driving our car and someone cuts us off in traffic. No, this was righteous anger. Side note: sinful anger (like we are guilty of) is when we are angry over something that was done to us or someone close to us. Righteous anger like Jesus had was when people were sinning against God. Righteous anger is not a sin (Jesus never sinned), but Jesus was clearly upset with the religious leaders. Jesus judged their actions as being against God.

Wipe Off The Dust From You

I don’t know how many more examples there are in the Bible, but let’s look at another example of Jesus judging. When Jesus sent the seventy disciples out two by two to preach the Gospel and heal the sick, He told them: And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaves on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell (Luke 10:8-15).

Thrust Down To Hell

Folks, these are some very strong words from Jesus Christ the Lord. He said woe to you. Beware. Be forewarned. You are in danger, grave danger. Since the people in these cities would not repent and trust Jesus, they are going to receive greater condemnation on Judgment Day. He told them it will be more tolerable for Sodom than those cities. God completely wiped out Sodom with fire and brimstone. Jesus also said that Capernaum will be thrust down to Hell. Again, these are very strong words. There is no other way to interpret these than to understand that Jesus was very much judging people when He walked this earth 2,000 years ago.

Jesus also said unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3). Again, this is a very strong warning. Jesus was saying repent! In fact, His very first message was the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15).  So Jesus called people to repent and God still calls people to repent today. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men, in that he has raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

Repentance Is Not An Option

God commands us to repent. It’s not an option. It’s not a suggestion. God commands it. We’ve all sinned against God. Each and every one of us have rebelled against God. We’ve said no to God and His way and gone down our own path. There is none righteous, no not one. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. So He commands that we repent and trust Jesus.

Oh folks, do not be deceived like the young man that contacted me earlier this week. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. This young man signed his email The Gay Christian. He was point blank telling me that his sin of choice is the sexual sin of homosexuality.

But listen to this list of unrighteous people that the apostle Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (and this is not an exhaustive list of sins, just a list of prevalent sins that us sinful creatures commit): Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

I Don’t Hate Gays

The young man that contacted me claimed that I hate gays. Nothing could be further from the truth. I don’t hate homosexuals. Nor do I hate fornicators, adulterers, idolaters, drunkards or thieves. I warn all unrepentant sinners alike to flee from the wrath to come (Romans 2:5). You see, I’m no better than anyone else. In fact, I tell a lot of people that I was a worse sinner than they are. I committed all the sins listed in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 except for the ones pertaining to homosexuality. I broke all the rest.

But please don’t miss that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If you are truly a follower of Jesus and you’ve been born-again, you cannot continue long term in this list of sins. You can be a former adulterer or former fornicator (like myself), but you can’t continue in these sins. When you are truly saved, God convicts you through the power of the Holy Spirit. A blatant sinning Christian is a most miserable person. You can’t live in peace with almighty God when you are openly, rebelling against Him.

Without repentance, there is no salvation. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10). If you are sinning freely and your conscience isn’t bothering you, then you are most likely still lost and on the broad road to destruction. If you are an adulterous Christian, or a drunkard Christian or a homosexual Christian, you are missing what Paul was saying. He said do not be deceived. The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Have You Repented From Your Sins And Put Your Trust In Jesus?

Again, you can be a former anyone of these sins and be a true follower of Jesus. If you have repented from your sins and put your trust in Jesus, then you’ve turned your back on these sins and turned your face to Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 6:11 by saying: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Such were some of you. Were! But now you are washed in the shed blood of Jesus. You have been cleansed from your sins. God has forgiven your sins through the precious shed blood of His only begotten Son. You are justified by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross when you repented and put your faith in Jesus. You are now being sanctified. God is making you more like Christ. Jesus will meet you wherever you are tonight, but He loves you too much to leave you in the gutter of your sins.

Only Jesus saves, but bless God, He does save. Jesus saved 2,000 years ago and He’s still saving souls today. Oh if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, recognize your sinfulness and God’s Holiness. Admit your sins. Confess and forsake your sins. Cry out for God to save you. Repent and surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus Christ the Lord.

Names Written In The Book Of Life

Folks, Jesus did judge and He will judge in the end. Please listen to Revelation 20:11-15: And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

The Lord Jesus Is Going To Judge Again

Jesus did judge and He is going to judge again. Don’t foolishly represent yourself on Judgment Day. Jesus will either be your Advocate – if He is your Lord and Savior in this life or He will be your judge. None of us measure up to God’s perfect standard. If you die with Christ, if you die in your sins, you will be found guilty on Judgment Day.

But Jesus is the perfect one. He is the only Savior of mankind. Come to Jesus tonight. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus. Oh, do this tonight and be saved. When you truly repent and put your trust in Jesus, God remembers your sins no more. Be forgiven. Be made whole. Repent and believe the Gospel. Do this tonight. Don’t put it off. Today is the day of salvation. Be saved today.

(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on March 9, 2018)