RIGHT JUDGMENT

[David Young]

RIGHT JUDGMENT

“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement.”

John 7:25

I am struck by the rendition of Philippians 4:5 in the e.s.v. It reads, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.” Good reasoning is a spiritual discipline. In the early centuries of Christianity the church grew rapidly partly because of our fearless compassion shown in the plagues that swept the cities of Europe and the east. Now when our world is being ripped apart with strong and dangerous delusions, I pray we may touch hearts around us with our reasonable words and lives.

Make no mistake about it. This is a matter for serious and urgent prayer. I intend to give you some biblical reasoning in relation to this subject, but any effort in this direction will require God’s people to pray as we have begun to pray for many things in our day.

• This needs to be a matter of prayer because the need for right judgment is so serious.

Our faithfulness to God depends on our godly perspective of the world around us. Many things that we see happening can be alarming. I referred to Philippians 4. The k.j.v. renders the word translated “reasonableness” in verse 5 as “moderation.” We are living in days of intransigent extremes and hateful perspectives. We can be reasonable because the Lord is near. The passage continues, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Our witness to the world will depend on our reasonableness being known to everyone around us. This must be a matter of earnest prayer.

• This needs to be a matter of prayer because right judgment is difficult.

The confusion around us, like many things we are seeing today, was foretold in Scripture. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 says, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false.’”

God is sending “strong delusion” as righteous wrath upon our world. We must pray lest we be swept up in these things. And like the compassion shown by the early church, which we will also need in full measure, our witness to the world must reflect wise discernment.

• This needs to be a matter of prayer because right judgment is spiritual.

In a warning that relates to this Jesus said in Matthew 24:24,

“For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”

Right judgement in our lives must be a matter of prayer because it is developed from a vervent relationship with Christ.

I will write more about this next week. I am praying for wisdom for you and for myself in these days.

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