Who can we judge? Part Two – Eph 2:1-3

1. Summary from last week:
 
1. Homosexuality is a manifestation of sin
2. But we "are" all sin
3. Our sin manifests itself in many different ways, but at the core, we "are" all sin and we all deserve death - because the wages of sin is death.
 
<Read 1Cor6:9-10>
 
So we must hate sin, but not hate the sinner…..
 
…...how?
 
1. When looking at sinners, we must look at it from God's eyes - (Zephaniah 3:17)
 
o Philip Yancey's Friend Mel White and their parents
 
2. When seeing sinners, we must always remember that I'm a sinner too (Romans 1:26-32)
 
o Philiip Yancey's answer "No, the question is how can he stay friends with a sinner like me?"
o Paul Washer -
 
o When we look at sinners we must view them with sympathy (Romans 2:9; Jeremiah 2:19)
 
o Being in sin itself is suffering, so all sinners are suffering deep inside.
 
Jesus came Only for sinners - those who truly know that they are sinners. Those who need a saviour. Jesus can't be the saviour for those who do not need a saviour - simple.
 
The very fact that you judge others for their sin implies that you don't think that you are such a sinner --> that is a VERY scary thing.
 
To those that judge others, God warns that you are racking up, storing up His wrath…
 
<READ Romans 2:1-6>
 
The moment you judge others, that's the moment when you incite God's wrath against you. The bible is saying with the very finger you are pointing at someone else, you are condemning yourself. This isn't just to scare you, this is literally true.
 
 
We live our lives facing the world, so we have a mask/face that we show to the world. So there are times when we are so angry inside, but because we have to appear to be patient and kind, we keep the anger inside and smile outside. There are times when we want to abuse someone, but because of face we can use kind words…
 
Now this is not bad - because if we said everything we thought, this world would be even more of a hell than it is now.
 
<example - Movie "Liar Liar">
 
So it's important that we have restraint and we suppress and hold things in. This is a good thing.
 
BUT…. the problem for us is that we mistake this "fake self", this "mask" as our true self.
 
Because we want to be acknowledged, respected and loved by the world, and we don't want to reveal our true self inside, we put on an act/mask. And we hate to admit the true self, and we want to believe that we truly are as good as the act that we put on. We want to be that person who is worthy of being respected and loved by the people of the world…
 
Who was the best at doing this, the Pharisees. What happened to the Pharisees? Their mask was so thick and so strong, that they could hide their true selves from the people and they were respected by the people for it. But they couldn't trick Jesus - who saw right through their mask and called them "children of the devil".
 
Now, "Repentance" in Christianity refers to throwing away that mask!! It's not regretting and being sorry for something, but it's acknowledging your true self inside. Realising your true selfish character and acknowledging it in front of God. "Lord this is me". That's repentance.
 
People all live with their masks on, mistaking that that's their true selves. But one day… you say "Oh, that's not me… I am actually this filthy inside!" That's repentance.
 
In this way, when you get to finally see this truth inside, through God's grace, then you fall into despair and broken humility. You then seek the hand and mercy of the absolute sovereign God. "you are right Lord, I am such a sinner. I thought I was God, but I am nothing but filthy, evil, dust! You are right God I need you, please save me!" 
 
To those people God says "Come here" and He wraps His arms around those people.
 
 
Is it possible for these broken people who have come to see their true selves inside the mask, to judge other sinners? Not possible.
 
 
 
o Why people judge others
 
Those who have truly seen their sin, and been mercifully forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ, have been set free from the law of sin and death. So we are no longer under the condemnation of the law.
 
This is very important.
This means that when we continue to see the wretched sin inside of us, we are truly sorry to God and are shameful about it, but it is followed by the genuine appreciation of God's grace. 

So we feel sorry but we are no longer in trembling fear of eternal death. That guilt is no longer with us.
 
However, those who have not been forgiven and saven by the grace of Jesus Christ are still under that law. They're under condemnation and under that fear of punishment.
 
When these people are faced with the reality of their sin, they hate to acknowledge  it.
 
So they do either of these two things:
 
1. completely internalise it, and fall into deep guilt and depression, or
2. Completely externalise it, and project it on other people. Blame other people.
 
To prove that they are in the right, they do their best to constantly prove that others are wrong.
 
Like this, whenever someone is confronted with their sin, their subconscious hate to acknowledge it, so  they find these faults in others - this is called projection in Psychology. This is true.
 
 
<Read Matthew 7:1-2>
 
It's very clear here - he doesn't say "Don't judge because judging is bad and you'll be punished".
 
He says "Don't judge because when you judge, you're judging yourself". The judging that you're doing is yours.
 
That is so true of ourselves. Especially when you are enraged by something, it often means you have the same desires subconsciously within.

<Example – people cutting in through bus lanes etc>
 
Who did Adam blame? Eve. Who did Eve blame? The serpent. We externalise our very own sin.
 
 
<READ Luke 18:9-14>
 
The Pharisees, in order to display their righteousness, they judged and criticised everybody. But Jesus condemned those very Pharisees to hell.
 
Jesus hated the judging of others - why? Because that very act of judgement is the product of the most filthy sinful nature to glorify ourselves, and glorify our righteousness. Do not try to show off your righteousness by criticising or judging others.
 

<READ Luke 16:15>
 
Says here that trying to be righteous in front of people is detestable in God's sight - why? Because God can see through your heart.
 
But these people who condemn and judge others continue to do so because they're not afraid of so they think they can get by deceiving all.


What God wants is for you to realise your true self, admit and seek the grace of God to be re-born into a new creation!

He wants us to know that we are helpless without His gift of new life.


<READ Luke  7:36>

 God is saying that in order for her to love much she needed to sin much. In order to make her appreciate the grace and forgiveness of God, and to make her love Jesus so much to give her all for it, God allowed her to live a sinful life. To know a great love.

God does not care so much about what we have done. He cares more about, have we come to know the grace of God and have come to love Him.

This woman was such as a detestable sinner, but after wearing the grace of God, she became someone who pours her all to love God with all her heart. 

But the Pharisees were so preoccupied, so concerned with keeping their fake righteous mask going that they had no thought for God, let alone love for him. In fact, in order to preserve that mask of self-righteousness, they killed the God who came and exposed their trueselves!


The prostitute is the more blessed. For sure. Why? Because her mask and her true self are one.

For these people it’s easier to repent and be honest, because they’ve acknowledged the truth in front of man and God.

This is the CLEAR message from Jesus, and from the entire bible.

Summary – we are all sinners, and have been saved only by the penetration of God, the unilateral grace of God. Then how should we deal with our sin and the sin of others?