Romans 14 “Scarred Hearts”

We have heard it said over and over and over: you are judging and that is wrong. Now to be sure there are times when we are to judge and to judge righteously when we discern error. However, in this chapter Paul over and over and over is trying to get our attention that when we judge or criticize another’s spiritual walk we have crossed the no-man’s zone of hypocrisy.

Paul asks “who are you to judge the servant of another?” and “why do you judge your brother?” And in the context of this discussion Paul is referring to three non-essentials of food, days and drink. Not one of these will keep us from heaven’s door but alone or together they may cause a brother/sister to stumble in their walk with Jesus. The problem is us not them. We have this urge to change others rather than accepting them as they are. Instead of a gentle quiet spirit we become a gonging cymbal as we beat our drum of “no, no, no” to those who may not be at the same maturity level as us all the while forgetting two essentials:

1. We all will stand before God to give an accounting
2. We will give an account of every idle word we have spoken

What we need to remember is that God looks not on the outward man as we do but on his heart. Let’s let God do the judging and we do the accepting lest we scar hearts God has already healed.

Advertisement

Judging—yes or no?

How often have we heard this phrase: you are judging. Yet, if truth be known we all judge. We judge which foods we want to eat based on likes and dislikes. We judge ideas by choosing truth from error. But, to judge another’s heart is for God alone for He is impartial. God knows which of the two kinds of people will stand before him one day: self-righteous sinner or repentant saved (saint) and he doesn’t really care if they are Jew or Gentile!

God sees the self-righteous  person whose attitude is reflected in their judging of others while ignoring self-judgment first. The  saved  has  a  righteous  attitude  that  recognizes  one  thing:  it  was  God’s  kindness  that  led  him/her  to  repentance and therefore he has no need to judge for that is God’s prerogative .  The  sinner  has  failed  to  realize  that  he/she  is  without  excuse   when  they  judge  someone  else.  For  on  whatever  grounds  they  judge  another,  they  condemn  themselves,  because  they  who  judge  practice  the  same  things.  [Rom 2:2 paraphrase].    Paul in  writing  to  the  Romans  reminds  them  of  this  when  he  writes about their attitude:  “you  have  contempt  for  the  wealth  of  [God’s]  kindness,  forbearance,  and  patience,”

Jesus’ parable of the  Pharisee  and  a  publican reveals  this  mindset. One day two men went up to the temple to pray. A confident Pharisee stood praying, thanking God  for his  accumulation  of good works all the while judging others. In  sharp  contrast,  the  publican  would  not  even  look  up  to  heaven  and  sought  the  mercy  of  God.  Only  one  went  home  justified  and  it  was  NOT  the  Pharisee.  He who has ears to hear learn this:  “everyone  who  exalts  himself  will  be  humbled,  but  he  who  humbles  himself  will  be  exalted.” [Luke 18]

Like the publican we should be entreating God’s mercy so we can sing “thank you Lord for saving my soul, thank you Lord for making me whole
” for salvation is His work alone.