“Judge NOT!”
Message extract from January 1972
Click to listen to the message.
It´s written that pride comes before a fall. One places oneself as a judge over all kinds of things and all kinds of people. There´s something that´s called Godly fear, a fear of God, a fear of displeasing God, a fear of being in opposition to Him. What can we fear more than that? It´s the worst of anything. And yet even of that people aren’t afraid. There´s very little Godly fear, dear friends.
But it is yet comparatively good amongst us and that’s a result of there being as much Godly fear as there is. But there are many dear brothers and sisters who to a great degree lack Godly fear. The word says what it means. To fear, to be afraid of getting God against you, or being at odds with God without loving His word. Fear of displeasing him in any way whatsoever.
And the worst way – primary worst way, that is to have high thoughts about yourself. That is called pride, and it´s called arrogance and conceit and to be wise in oneself. Something that you think, you delude yourself with that is not true. It´s the exact opposite of what is true.
Paul wrote that “By the grace of God I am what I am.” Yes, that´s exactly the same as because of a lack of God´s grace I am no more than what I am, unfortunately. It hasn’t come to more than what it has because of a lack of God´s grace – and God gives grace to the humble – so therefore a lack of humility. We can all take that to heart.
It´s not possible that it´s so good with any one of us that it couldn’t be better. At any rate there´s a little lack of humility in the very best circumstances, and in most circumstances there´s a tremendous lack of humility. The most common that is to criticize and to judge and there are many friends who do that.
There are a number who have it like this, they are so “humble” that they don’t begin to judge the older brothers, but you could almost say that they make up for it with everyone else. The ones they think they can judge. But what´s written? It´s not written. “Don’t judge too much!” It’s not written, “Don’t judge too quickly!” It’s written, “Judge not!” N. O. T. – not!
