You Might Want To Hold Off On The Judging
1 Corinthians 4:3-5

I'm sure most of you have seen Grant Wood's famous painting of an old Indiana couple posing in front of their farmhouse. The painting is considered the definitive portrait of the Midwestern farmer and his wife. But the truth is, the people portrayed in the painting were neither farmers and they were not a couple. Wood's sister, Nan, was the model for the woman and a dentist friend named Byron McKeeby posed as the man. And the "farmhouse" in the picture was once used as a bordello.

The painting reminds us that things are not always what they seem. When it comes to passing judgment, it is best to hold off, for things are not always what they seem. Furthermore, judgment should be reserved for a later time and reserved for someone that is better qualified.

In our text Paul speaks of judging. He looks at the matter of judging from 3 points of view. In so doing, he reminds us that we might ought to hold off on this matter of judging. Let notice Paul's words and consider the matter of judging from these 3 points of view.

1. THE PUBLIC JUDGING OF OUR LIFE

Paul says in verse 3, "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment." First, Paul speaks of being judged by man. He speaks of judging from a public point of view. He speaks of being judged by those around us. Now what does Paul say about being judged by man?

A. IT IS AN INESCAPABLE JUDGMENT

The mood of Paul's statement indicates that Paul knew the possibility and probability of being judged by others. Paul had learned by experience that there would always be someone who would be judging us. The fact that Paul brings this matter up would seem to suggest that there were some within the Corinthian Church that were being critical of him and others. They had made themselves judge and jury of certain ones.

The Church at Rome seemed to have a similar problem. Paul wrote to the believers at Rome and said in Romans 14:13, "Let us not therefore judge one another anymore." Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

In spite of the fact that the Bible condemns judging one another, there are those who consider themselves qualified to be the judge and jury of one's life. As Jerry Vines stated, "For some reason, judging has become the favorite indoor sport of Christians." (God Still Speaks Today) It would be great if everyone were obedient to the Lord Jesus and the teachings of the Bible. But sadly, that is not the case, and therefore, you can expect others to judge you. There will always be someone to judge you. There will always be those self-appointed judges and jury's. There will always be someone to criticize why you did it the way you did it or why you did what you did. Your motives will be judged, your actions will be judged, and even your words will be scrutinized. Your failures will be judged and even your successes will be brought before the person tribunal of others.

I learned a long time ago that if you are going to do anything, you had better develop a thick skin, for you cannot escape judgment. There will always be those self-appointed judges that milk their sanctimonious chin and look down their holy than thou nose. Being judged by others in inescapable.

B. IT IS AN INSIGNIFICANT JUDGMENT

Paul said in verse 3, "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you." The word "small" that he used speaks of that which is not just small, but infinitesimally small. Being judged by man is not just a trivial matter. It is such an insignificant thing it is not even classified trivial. Paul was saying that he knew others would judge him, but it was a very insignificant thing to him. The opinions of others, the criticism of others, and the judgment of others didn't mean a hill of beans to Paul.

I have been a pastor since I was 19 years old. I have learned that no matter what I do, how I do it, or why I did it, someone will be judgmental of it. I confess, in the beginning, what people thought really bothered me. I have spent many a sleepless night and troubled day worrying about what others were saying.  I don't know of the times when I have heard someone say, "If I were the pastor I would not have done it that way," or "If I were the pastor, I would have done it this way."  I have always wondered why people who had no pastoral experience knew so much about how to pastor. That would be like me telling the rocket engineers at NASA how they should design the space shuttle. I have often felt like asking God why I had to learn the hard way about how to pastor and those who had never pastored or would pastor, were born with the know-how.

Seriously, I realized one day, that no matter what I did, how I did it, or why I did it, there would be those who would be judgmental. What I had to come to grips with, was, that it was a very small thing what they thought. What mattered is what God thought. I think of what George Whitefield said: "If I please man and not God, it matters not who I please. If I please God and not man, it matters not who I displease."

If you are going to serve God then you need to settle this in your heart, that the only thing that matters is what the Lord thinks. The real question is, did I do what the Lord wanted and am I pleasing Him in what I do.

Now before I move on to the next point, let me say just a couple of things about judging others. First, there is the FATE OF JUDGING. I mentioned earlier what Jesus said in Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Now listen to what Jesus said in verse 2, "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." To put it simply, Jesus said the fate of the one who judges, is that he will reap what he sows. What you dish out, will be shoveled back on you.

Secondly, there is the FOLLY OF JUDGING. The simple truth is, none of us is qualified to be judge and jury of another person. We do not know their motives and neither do we know the whole story. F.B. Meyer, once said that when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know: First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin. And second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her. We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances. The truth is, we do not possess all the facts and therefore it is foolish for us to pass judgment.

In 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple into his office and asked what he could do. After they expressed their desire to fund a memorial, Eliot impatiently said, "Perhaps you have in mind a scholarship." "We were thinking of something more substantial than that...perhaps a building," the woman replied. In a patronizing tone, Eliot brushed aside the idea as being too expensive and the couple departed. The next year, Eliot learned that this plain pair had gone elsewhere and established a $26 million memorial named Leland Stanford Junior University, better known today as Stanford! (Today in the Word, June 11, 1992)

What appears to be one thing may be entirely another matter. What folly it is for us to judge another.

2. THE PERSONAL JUDGING OF OUR LIFE!

1. Paul said in the latter part of verse 3, "I judge not mine own self." Then he said in verse 4, "For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified…" The second area of judging that Paul speaks of is a personal act of judging. It is not a case of public opinion, but personal opinion. Notice what Paul had to say about personal judging.

A. WHAT HE FELT ABOUT HIMSELF.

In verse 4, Paul said, "For I know nothing by myself." It is literally, "I know nothing against myself." Paul was saying that he had searched his heart and he knew of nothing in his life that was displeasing to the Lord. Could we do the same? The Psalmist prayed in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

If we prayed such a prayer and put our heart under such scrutiny, could we say with Paul, "I know nothing against myself."

B. WHAT PAUL FACED ABOUT HIMSELF.

In spite of the fact that Paul knew of nothing wrong in his life, he faced the fact that he was not and could not be a proper judge of his life. That's why he said in the latter part of verse 3, "I judge not my own self." It was not that he did not keep his life under close scrutiny, but that he realized his judgment could be flawed. Paul knew that it was possible, even though he intended to be honest with himself, that his judgment of himself could be tainted.

Understanding this, Paul said in verse 4, "For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not justified." He was saying, "I don't know a thing in my life that is wrong, but I can't rely on my own judgment. We read in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" The simple truth is, our own hearts can deceive us. The heart of man can be a very clever liar. Our heart is, as Jeremiah declared, very deceptive, especially when it comes to ourselves.

Our personal ideals, perspectives, feelings, and opinions taint the judgment of ourselves. As much as we try to be honest and intend to be honest, we cannot be a good judge when it comes to ourselves.

I recently read about a strange lawsuit. The Plaintiff was Robert Lee Brock, an inmate at the Indian Creek Correctional Center in Chesapeake, Virginia. The Defendant was the same, Robert Lee Brock. Brock, serving 23 years for grand larceny, sued himself for getting drunk and violating his civil rights. In a handwritten brief, he said, "I partook of alcoholic beverages in 1993. As result I caused myself to violate my religious beliefs. This was done by my going out and getting arrested." Since Brock is imprisoned and can't work, he asked the state of Virginia to pay him and his family $5 million dollars. The judge acknowledged Brock's "innovative approach to civil rights litigation" and then dismissed it as "ludicrous."

Now we can act as Plaintiff when it comes to judging ourselves, but somewhere we will act as a defendant. As Paul acknowledged, we are not a good judge of ourselves.

3. THE PERFECT JUDGING OF OUR LIFE!

When it comes to public judgment, we should be condemned if we are guilty. When it comes to personal judgment, we should be cautious. The only real, reliable, and just judging of our life must be and can only be by the Lord.  Paul said in the latter part of verse 4, "but he that judgeth me is the Lord."

The Lord is the only one that is qualified to be judge and jury of our hearts and lives. I do not have the authority to judge you and I do not have the ability to judge myself. The Lord is the only One with both the authority and ability to judge.

Paul declares in verse 5, that one day the Lord will come and then, and only then, will there be a proper and perfect judging. Paul stated in Romans 14:10, "But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

In verse 5, Paul also describes the extent and our Lord's judging and in so doing we see why the Lord alone is the qualified judge of life.

A. HE KNOWS WHAT IS UNSEEN.

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Lord "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness" (Vs.5) The word "hidden" describes that which a person does when they are alone, unsupervised, or watched by man. He is describing that which is unseen.

Now we are not qualified to judge another for there are things we don't know. We don't know what a person does when they are alone. We don't know what a person does when no one else is around. There are some things that are hidden. But the Lord knows! Hebrews 4:13 states: "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."

There is nothing hidden to God. The things that are done when we are alone are seen by God. The things that are done when we are unsupervised are known by God. The things done in darkness are open to the eyes of God.

B. HE KNOWS WHAT IS UNKNOWN.

We also see in verse 5, that at the Judgment Seat, the Lord "will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." Paul is saying that the Lord will make known our motives. He will reveal, as the theologians would say, whether we were anthropocentric or theocentric. Did we do what we did for self or man's applause, or do it we do it for the Lord's honor and glory.

I must confess to you that I have been fooled a few times in life by others. There have been some people that I really thought loved the Lord and were sincere in what they did, only to find out later I was wrong. The counsels of another person's heart are unknown territory to you and me. We can be fooled about their motives. But you can be sure, the Lord is never fooled. He is the only one qualified to be judge and jury because He is the only one who knows the unknown.

H.A. Ironside told the story of an incident in the life of a man called Bishop Potter. "He was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see the accommodations, he came up to the purser's desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ships safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person. The purser accepted the responsibility for the valuables and remarked, 'It's all right, bishop, I'll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason!'" (Our Daily Bread)

The truth is, we are not always right about others. The reason: we are not qualified to properly and perfectly judge. The Lord is the only One who knows the unseen and the unknown. Paul says in verse 5, "Therefore judge nothing before the time." The next time you find yourself judging another, you might ought to hold off on judging. Why? In the first place you may be wrong. In the second place you will have to face your act of judging. In the third place, you are not qualified.