by Venerable Dr I. U. Ibeme Webs !es" #!!$"%%&&&.s'r b(.')m% *e)+) , #!!$"%%$r s'a-. la./!e.ne!

UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN EQUITY

Many, who lack spiritual insight misuse and misinterpret JUDGE NOT as permission !or anomy and incorrigi"le licentiousness# This is su"tle "ut !ar$reaching deception especially in the e%istentialist world o! today# &hat are the "i"lical principles !or 'udging what is right or wrong( 1. JUDGING TO TEST/PROVE all things and all spirits for ma ing !hoi!"s of right and #rong $%SED ON IN&%''I$'E $I$'I(%' PRE(EPTS is not th" sam" as JUDGING TO (ONDE)N/JUSTI&* som"on" into "t"rnal d"stin+ of doom or ,oon $%SED ON OUR &%''I$'E OPINIONS. %!tions and !hoi!"s ar" not to ," r"pla!"d ,+ P"rsons and d"stini"s. EVER*ONE -I'' $E JUDGED $* T.E ST%ND%RDS O& GOD/S -ORD .O-EVER -E JUDGE OR &%I' TO JUDGE0 ,1t th" on" #ho 1s"s God/s -ord to 21dg" on"s"lf 3int"ntions/a!tions0 !hoi!"s/d"!isions0 appro4als/disappro4als5 #ill not ," !ond"mn"d. SO -.EN *OUR JUDGE *OURS %ND OT.ER PEOP'E/S (ONDU(TS -IT. GOD/S -ORD0 *OU DO T.E) %ND *OURSE'& GOOD. 1Corinthians 11:31-32 (31) For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 2Timothy 3:16-17 (1 ) !ll "cri#ture is given b$ ins#iration of %od, and is #rofitable for doctrine, for re#roof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (1&) that the man of %od ma$ be #roficient, having been thoroughl$ e'ui##ed for ever$ good wor(. 6. That #" do not 21dg" p"opl"7s d"stini"s $* OUR O-N &I(8'E %ND .U)%N IDE%S s""ms to ," !ommonl+ mista "n to m"an that #" sho1ld not 21dg" p"opl"7s mann"rs0 morals0 do!trin"s0 d"!isions0 "t! $* T.E ST%ND%RDS O& T.E S(RIPTURES. -h"n +o1 m"as1r" iss1"s #ith God7s -ord0 +o1 ar" ,"ing dilig"nt and o,"di"nt to TEST EVER* SPIRIT and PROVE %'' T.INGS to as!"rtain #hat is godl+/right from satani!/#rong in ord"r TO &O''O- %ND TE%(. %S E9%)P'E. 1Thessalonians 5:21-22 (21) )rove all things* hold fast that which is good. (22) !bstain from all a##earance of evil. 1John 4:1-3 (1) Beloved, believe not ever$ s#irit, but test the s#irits whether the$ are of %od+ because man$ false #ro#hets are gone out into the world.
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(2) B$ this $ou (now the "#irit of %od+ ,ver$ s#irit that confesses that -esus .hrist is come in the flesh is of %od+ (3) !nd ever$ s#irit that confesses not that -esus .hrist is come in the flesh is not of %od+ and this is that s#irit of antichrist, of which $ou have heard that it should come* and even now alread$ is it in the world. :. -h"n (hrist said ;J1dg" not<0 ." m"ant that #h"n +o1 #rit"=off or appro4"= of som"on" ,+ +o1r o#n opinion 3oth"r than God/s -ord do"s5 +o1 ar" #asting +o1r tim" and adding to things that #ill ," 1s"d to 21dg" +o1 in addition to $i,li!al Standards. Th"r"for" it is not a ,an on dis!r"tional ass"ssm"nt as sinf1l0 ,1t a r"mind"r of th" n""d to appl+ sam" dis!r"tion to o1rs"l4"s too. (hrist/s point is that ;ONE -.O (O)ES INTO E>UIT* )UST (O)E -IT. ('E%N .%NDS< and ;ONE -.O SEE8S E>UIT* )UST DO E>UIT*<. Matthew 7:1-2 (1) -udge not, that $e be not judged. (2) For with what judgment $e judge, $e shall be judged+ and with what measure $e mete, it shall be measured to $ou again. John 7:24 (2/) -udge not according to the a##earance, but judge righteous judgment. Rom 14:13 (13) Let us not therefore judge one another an$ more+ but judge this rather, that no man #ut a stumbling bloc( or an occasion to fall in his brother0s wa$. ?. (hristians O-E T.E DUT* and ha4" ,""n GIVEN T.E SPIRITU%' -ISDO) and "4"n T.E %UT.ORIT* to 21dg" and !hoos" as #"ll as to t"a!h oth"rs IN T.E (.UR(. to 21dg" and !hoos" aft"r ,i,li!al patt"rn and not aft"r #orldl+ standards. John 20:21-23 (21) 1hen said -esus to them again, 2)eace be unto $ou+ as m$ Father has sent me, even so send 3 $ou.4 (22) !nd when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, 25eceive $ou the 6ol$ "#irit+ (23) 7hosoever8s sins $ou remit, the$ are remitted unto them* and whosoever8s sins $ou retain, the$ are retained.4 1Corinthians 10:15 (19) 3 s#ea( as to wise men* judge what 3 sa$. 1Corinthians 6:1-5 (1) :are an$ of $ou, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints; (2) :o $e not (now that the saints shall judge the world; and if the world shall be judged b$ $ou, are $e unworth$ to judge the smallest matters;
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(3) <now $e not that we shall judge angels; how much more things that #ertain to this life; (/) 3f then $e have judgments of things #ertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. (9) 3 s#ea( to $our shame. 3s it so, that there is not a wise man among $ou; no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren; 1Corinthians 5:9-13 (=) 3 wrote to $ou in m$ e#istle not to associate with fornicators. (1>) ?et 3 certainl$ did not mean with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or swindlers, or idolaters, since then $ou would need to go out of the world@ (11) But now 3 write to $ou not to associate with an$one named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous #erson, or an idolater, or abusive #erson, or a drun(ard, or a swindlerAAnot even to eat with such a #erson. (12) For what have 3 to do with judging those also who are outside; :o $ou not judge those who are inside; (13) But those who are outside %od will judge. 1herefore B#ut awa$ from $ourselves the evil #erson.B @. $i,li!al Spirit1alit+ is onl+ possi,l" for a h"art that is #illing to ON'* 21dg" "4"r+thing ,+ its agr""m"nt/disagr""m"nt #ith th" pr"!"pts of God7s -ord as r"4"al"d in th" S!ript1r"s. E9TR%=$I$'I(%' 3PERSON%' %ND S(RUPU'OUS0 (%RN%' %ND .E%T.EN5 -OR'DVIE-S0 PRE(EPTS %ND PRIN(IP'ES %RE O& NO JUDGING V%'UE %ND SO %RE IN(ONSE>UENTI%' &OR T.E SPIRITU%'. 1Corinthians 2:9-16 (=) But as it is written, ,$e has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which %od has #re#ared for them that love him. (1>) But %od has revealed them unto us b$ his "#irit+ for the "#irit searches all things, $ea, the dee# things of %od. (11) For what man (nows the things of a man, eCce#t the s#irit of man which is in him; even so the things of %od (nows no man, but the "#irit of %od. (12) Dow we have received, not the s#irit of the world, but the "#irit who is of %od* that we might (now the things that are freel$ given to us of %od. (13) 7hich things also we s#ea(, not in the words which man0s wisdom teaches, but which the 6ol$ "#irit teaches* com#aring s#iritual things with s#iritual. (1/) But the natural man receives not the things of the "#irit of %od+ for the$ are foolishness unto him+ neither can he (now them, because the$ are s#irituall$ discerned. (19) But he that is s#iritual judges all things, $et he himself is judged of no man. (1 ) For who has (nown the mind of the Lord, that he ma$ instruct him; But we have the mind of .hrist.
Updated October 3, 2012 Copyright PriscAquila Publishing, Maiduguri, igeria! PriscAquila Christian "esource Centre # http$%%priscaquila!&te!net # http$%%'''!scribd!co(%i)eogo