Feast of Tabernacles 2006 – Day 6

Greetings, brethren! This will be the last one we are going to cover on Judge Righteous Judgment. Of course, it is not only judging in a formal setting, but it also has to do with making decisions and everything like that, because all of these things are judgments in our lives.

Let's understand something that's very important: God the Father is the Source of all true, righteous judgment, and He has committed judgment into Jesus' hands, and then Jesus said, 'I am not able to do anything of My own,' but if He judges, His judgment is just because He is not seeking His will but the will of the Father who has sent Him.

Jesus said that He came into the world 'to judge the world' (John 9:39). That judgment is going to be when Christ returns. However, as we've seen, God judges all the nations, judges individuals, through His laws, through His commandments, and they are living laws and commandments so if you sin then the penalty automatically comes upon you. That's just the way that God has set it up so that it would be.

Now let's understand something that's very important here, before we get into seeing the twelve things that causes judgment to be unrighteous. Sin destroys judgment! We can see this in the whole life of Solomon. What did he do? He asked God for wisdom to judge Israel! Not only did He give him judgment, but He gave him wisdom and riches. What happened when he came to the full in all of those things? Solomon did evil in the sight of God (1-Kings 11) and turned from God and worshiped and served other gods.

Now let's look at some Proverbs here concerning judgment. Let's see what it says concerning how judgment is perverted.

Proverbs 28:5: "Evil men do not understand justice [judgment]…" That's very clear! You can see that affecting the world in all aspects of life, from the lower rung of life to the higher rung of life, even to the Supreme Court and the Justices that we have.

We also know, that when judgment is turned upside down that they 'call evil good and good evil and they put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter' and then they come after the righteous one to destroy him. But God is going to judge them for the way that they live their lives!

Let's look at some things here. In the booklet, Judge Righteous Judgment is Isa. 59 showing just like it is today that 'none calls for justice'; there is no judgment, there is no justice, it's far from us. When that happens 'truth falls into the street.' Then the one who wants to do right and do judgment, lives God's way, he or she makes himself a prey; that is a victim. God saw all of this because there was no judgment!

Now, let's look at a couple of Proverbs to see to make proper judgments. Here are some Proverbs that tell us clearly about judging:

Proverbs 29:4: "The king establishes the land by justice, but he who takes bribes tears it down." So, that is self-evident and you see that is happening in the world today.

Twelve Common Pitfalls and Errors in Judgment

We've already given a lot of background coming up to this point so we should be able to go through these in pretty good order here. We must always be aware that when any major, basic error in judgment occurs righteous judgment becomes impossible! So, let's see what we need to do and realize that in our lives we need to regulate and judge our lives according to:

• God's way
• His judgments
• His laws
• His commandments
• His truths

• Being Opinionated and having a Closed Minded

This is easy because everyone has opinions and especially today. And look what happens when you get personal opinions and things in there and it can be brought out in such things as: the Communists are the cause of all our troubles. Or a religious person might say:

• Well, I don't care what the Bible says, I am going to heaven.
• I know this person is always a trouble maker.
• Well, I won't listen to you until you get rid of your bad attitude.

But maybe that attitude toward that person is causing the bad attitude.

Proverbs 26:12: "Do you see a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

If you are close-minded and if you are opinionated, how can you possibly come to a judgment or righteous judgment?

• Being One-Sided—Unwilling to Listen to Every Aspect of the Situation

I have personally had an experience like this where a minister told me, 'You cannot say anything to justify yourself and even if I am wrong, you still can't say anything to justify yourself, because of what I have heard from others that has convinced me that I am totally right.'

Well, you see what happens with that; you must not be one-sided and unwilling to listen to every aspect of the situation.

• Believing that "He Who Comes First is Just"

This is a real Achilles heal and you see this played out on television all the time if you believe that the one that comes first is just. All of these news programs that bring in law cases that are happening and so forth and so on. The one who is first seems right. You have to realize that in particularly if there is any gossip or talk or hearsay in it, realize this:

Proverbs 18:17: "The one who is first in his own cause seems just… [seems right; seems good] …but his neighbor comes and searches him out." In other words he is going to bring some other facts to show that whatever the person says who comes first…

Isn't that the way it is today, get out and get it in the headline first, get it on the television first, and you'll never be able to change it, because people listen to who comes first.

What happens with that? That ties in with the Proverb that 'every of a man seems right in his own eyes.' Here is another thing that happens, too: Everyone who comes first minimizes his own faults and his own mistakes. This is a living principle when you watch news.

• Failing to Get ALL of the Facts

Very important in any situation that you are dealing with.

• What are the facts?
• How did it happen?
• What is taking place?
• What occurred?

This is especially true for ministers if they are dealing in divorce and remarriage situations. Get all the facts because the one who comes first—especially the bleeding heart and all—you get yourself in trouble. You can make a wrong decision. We can see this also in the things that take place in government. They don't want you to know all the facts so they can get in everything that they want to get in and not tell you what is in there. So, when you fail to get the facts, and it also includes overlooking and minimizing certain facts or overemphasizing other facts. In general failing to discern what is truth and what is fiction.

• Being a "Respecter of Persons"—Showing Partiality

Proverbs 24:23 "…To have respect of persons in judgment is not good." Showing partiality falls into three categories:

• Liking or not liking that individual

Because he is your friend, you can overlook it. Or because you don't like the look on the face of that person you don't care for him or her, therefore, you won't listen to them. That means that favoritism is fatal to judgment! Always is! We've seen that time and time again.

As we go along you will see that these are tied together one after another and all fit together.

• Following the majority

That reminds me of all these polls that they run on television. Mostly the polls are rigged because they ask the question in a way that they get the answer they desire, or they don't bring out all the facts in their poll. Or if they want to get a Democrat in trouble they go to a Republican territory and ask, 'What do you think about it?' If they want to get a Republican in trouble they go to a Democratic area and ask, 'What do you think about it?' Whatever the majority is.

The majority many, many times—if not mostly all the time—are not right. Where would the Church of God be today if we followed the majority? Well, just look what happened to one of the larger Churches of God when they decided to follow the majority.

• the majority are not always right
• the majority can be deceived

So, following them is just like following along in a herd whether cattle or sheep, just going along with it. When people do that, when they follow the majority and go against God's righteous judgment, then they are placing their judgment ahead of God's righteous judgment. The other side of the coin is:

• Excusing the minority

• because he has been oppressed
• because he has had things happen to him in the past

So therefore, we excuse it!

How many vicious criminals have been let loose on society because judges favored the minority? It doesn't matter, the minority, even though they have suffered, cannot be compensated in the same way by making all of the minority have all majority rights. You can see all the problems that come along with that.

Proverbs 18:5: "It is not good to favor the person of the wicked, nor to overthrow the righteous in judgment."

Proverbs 17:15: "He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just, even both of them are an abomination to the LORD."

So, you have both. You are not going to condemn the just and you are not going to justify the wicked and this leads to a great deal of problems. Look at all the difficulties and problems we have in society today because of these very things.

• Allowing Gifts to Blind the Eyes

This is instruction to judges: And this should be to everyone who is serving people, whether it be in politics, in the ministry, in just a small organization or not, it doesn't make any difference.

Exodus 23:8: "And you shall take no bribe [gift], for the bribe blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous."

Then it says in Proverbs 17:23: "A wicked man takes a bribe out of the bosom to pervert the ways of justice [judgment]."

It's called corruption! Look how corrupt politics have become. Look how corrupt it is from top to bottom, because of this very thing. This is the whole thrust of lobbying. You come to the legislators to lobby and you give donations to their campaign fund and they pass laws that will benefit the one who has given the money. And look how obtrusive some of these laws and things have come.

Remember the bridge to nowhere up in Alaska? $170-million for a bridge to nowhere! Well, they finally struck that down. How about the congressmen who have been indicted for taking bribes? How about judges who take bribes?

It says that 'a gift destroys the heart.' So, this is what happens in judgment. All of these things mount up. If you have every one of these things in one single person or one single group of judges, you are going to have a hard time getting any judgment that is correct. And I think that in many cases that's the way too many of the courthouses are today. Now, sometimes it is planned for a long way down the road, just get a little here and a little there and build it up and then sooner or later they're going to call in the gift. 'You remember when I did such and such?'

• Rendering a Judgment Before Really Hearing the Matter

That is so easy to do. This ties right in with the one that comes first seems just in his cause. Isn't that true? If you hear something, and you make a judgment, right away and have made up your mind. And it also comes in the way of attitude of being a know-it-all. The proverb says and labels exactly what this is:

Proverbs 18:13: "He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him." Just plain stupid!

As we are going through this, I want you to think about your own life, your own decisions, your own judgments that you have to make. What's important in this is not only learning how to become judges, when we reign and rule with Christ, but it's important that you learn how to make decisions in your own life everyday. How to do it, and how to handle it.

When that happens, rendering a judgment before really hearing the matter, it is absolute "…folly and shame…" and causes all kinds of problems. It's like saying, 'Don't bother me with the facts, my mind is already made up. I don't need to hear that, I already know.' Well, how do you know, if you haven't heard anything?'

• Looking at Outward Circumstances and Physical Appearances

This is very important, because first impressions are often the lasting ones. Whenever there's a case that goes to court the prosecution wants the one he wants to put in jail, or sentenced to life, or sentenced to death. They want to make him look scruffy, mean; the very worst they possibly can.

The defense attorney, on the other hand, wants to clean him up, shave him, or in the case of a woman, dress her up, comb her hair, make her look acceptable, so when she comes into court, she will set a first impression.

First impressions can be wrong! Another thing that is true in judging people: If the man or the woman is good looking, then it is hard to convict them. But if they are plain or simple, or look like they don't have much common sense, it is easy to condemn them and overlook them. Three famous TV shows of old: Perry Mason, Matlock and Columbo. All three of these designed their whole show around this very thing:

• outward appearances
• first circumstances
• impressions

You find out that what you may think about it in the first part of the program comes out entirely different in the last part of the program. The things that you think are wrong are not wrong in the same sense that you think that they are. In many cases, even the evidence that is presented which looks factual may not be factual when everything is all put together and all the facts are there.

So, when you look on the outward appearance you are violating what Jesus said. 'Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.' In dealing in anything, don't just look at the outward circumstances and the appearances. Even little kids know about this. They try to appear righteous when they get caught in something; they like to try and appear as innocent as possible and so forth.

• Not Knowing the Intentions of the Parties Involved

This is a hard one to know and get into. You don't know why. Many times someone will come for advice or seek counsel on a particular matter and give 'a reason,' but that is often not the real reason at all. Sometimes, this is done to gain personal favor or over someone else. Or often, as in the case of a husband/wife problems... I'll tell you the courts have turned everything upside down with husband/wife problems and the way that they have treated the men and gotten rid of the father out of the house and given everything to the woman. Just everything upside down!

When women come and cry, and I've seen women cry and just turn it on. I know a woman I was counseling one time, she started crying and I said, 'Well, I know all about that,' and immediately she quit crying. How can you turn down a crying, offended woman? She may or may not be right; you don't know what the intention is.

When you are dealing with people, especially if you are dealing with people, as we have seen happen in the Church. Someone comes in and they want to curry favor and you don't know the motive of the person involved, until they are promoted. Think about how false doctrine came into the Church by those who were in high positions.

• Was that their motive when they first started, when they first came?
• How did they get up into these higher positions unless they were satisfied by giving a different kind of intention or a different kind of purpose as to what they were doing?

Then, lo and behold, out comes the other. This is strictly true with spies. All spy stories, all spy novels are based on this: you don't know the intentions, you don't give the true reality of what you are doing and also you don't give the appearance. You must know the intentions of the parties involved.

Acts 5—about Ananias and Sapphira. What did they do? They said, 'Oh, yes, we're going to sell our property and we will give all.' That was the pledge. Apparently, they got far more money than they anticipated and they decided, instead of saying, 'Look we said we would give all and here is more than we ever expected.' No! They came in and they said, 'Yes, we did sell it for thus and such.'

Remember what happened when God inspired the Apostle Peter to say, 'Why did Satan put this in your heart to do this?' It shows God's judgment upon that kind of thing. When there are double-minded people serving two purposes, themselves and making out like they are doing something else. So, Ananias and Sapphira is a perfect case in that, trying to hide their sins.

If you don't know the intentions of the parties involved then you have to do diligence to find out. You can do this by

• asking questions
• double -checking with other people
• prayer, asking God to give you insight, so you can see and understand what the intentions are

• Doing What is Expedient

This is a great political ploy. The reason people do that is there is so much pressure coming on that you've got to have an immediate solution to the situation. It can be so great that you don't consider the long term consequences. Now, a good example:

Remember what happened during Katrina? 'Oh, we got to get this money to these people right away. Oh, yes, we have to overlook our normal standards of checks and balances, when we get it out so that there won't be fraud.' What happened? They gave out all of these debit cards and people bought all kinds of luxury items! People even faked names, faked addresses; some were not even from New Orleans. Guess what it cost the government? Because they said, 'Oh yes, we have to hurry and get it there, the victims are suffering, and Bush is wrong; he caused the hurricane.'

Well, if you go back and examine the facts after it is over you will see that everything was done to get it in there but the governor of Louisiana and the mayor of the city held back the government from doing it. Now they said, 'hurry up and get it.' So, guess what they wasted? $1.3 billion! Then they had other restrictions which were put on the mobile homes that they bought for people to live in temporarily. They had such restrictions on it, a year after the hurricane, most of the mobile homes are still sitting in the lot where they were parked. Doing what is expedient and tie that in with slowness in judgment.

We've seen this from the pulpit, too. It's expedient to make a person's sins public from the pulpit so that all the rest will hear and fear. Now, I tell you what, they don't realize the long-term consequences that happen with that. And then, too many times the minister, instead of teaching people how to live their lives and teaching them how to make proper judgments, he does what is expedient: he condemns them and puts them into fear and causes a whole lot of problems that way. We have seen that many, many times within the Churches ourselves. Of course this also happens within our own lives, we do something expedient and then it doesn't work out right.

Proverbs 29:20: "Do you see a man hasty in his words?…. [that's expedient] …There is more hope for a fool than for him.' When you just do something that is expedient, just to lift the pressure off of you and you don't consider the long term consequences, then it is going to come back and bite you again. It can be foolish and dangerous!

• Getting One's Personal Vanity Involved

Vanity is an extension of self, and involves coloring everything and everyone with his own ideas and personal point of view. In his own human self-centeredness then we tend to picture ourselves as ideal and desirable, and have a strong tendency to remake others in our own image! Now, God doesn't want that. He wants us made in the image of Christ! That's why His laws are true and fair and everything like that. So you can't do that.

Maybe someone has a different way of doing something that you do, and it might even be better. So, don't get your vanity involved by saying, 'Well, we have always done it this way.' Where would we be if that was said concerning the automobile? 'We've used horses, mules and jackasses for thousands of years, if it was good enough for all them, it's good enough for us now.' Good example you can take almost anything like that and just apply it.

Don't get your own vanity involved! In other words, it also comes down to a matter of humility! Remember that 'every way of a man is clean in his own eyes,' and if it's only from his own vain, self-centered point of view, you know that he's 'got to be right,' and no one is going to change his mind. No one is going to get him to examine all the facts.

Proverbs 28:16: "A ruler lacking understanding is also a great oppressor…" That is exactly what happens when people get their own vanity involved and they want it their way, and they want it now. They want it to be in the manner, in the time, in the way that they want it and they won't listen to anything else. Now, you never, never, never want to come before a person like that for any kind of judgment. And you never want to become that kind of person yourself.

• Applying an Over-Generalized Solution

These are great pronouncements and lofty solutions, which kind of skim the surface of the problem. They can apply in some cases, but judgments with specific solutions are usually needed.

A person can say if they are having a problem and they generalize: 'You need to overcome.' Well, hey, everybody needs to overcome, everybody! I need to overcome; you need to overcome and so forth. But, what is missing?

• He doesn't tell a person what to overcome
• He doesn't tell them how to overcome
• He doesn't tell them why to overcome

Another one would be, 'You need to pray more.' That may be true; I am sure all of us need to pray more. But that doesn't tell you how to pray and the attitude to pray. It doesn't give them instructions on that they need to do! So, over-generalization, where specifics and details are needed, just doesn't work.

For example: if you get something to put together, say you go to the hardware store, or you go to another store and you buy something that needs to be put together. You look at the outside of it and you make up your mind, you immediately know you can put it together. What is going to happen? You are going to find that you didn't put it together right!

Remember this: Don't have over- generalization solutions! When all else fails, read the instructions, and especially God's Instruction Book.

These are the 12 common pitfalls and errors and faults that block righteous judgment!

Seventeen Keys to Righteous Judgment

This will take us a little bit longer. So here is the key to render a fair, righteous and loving judgment is one of the most pleasing things to God that we can do. In fact, it is the essential heart and core of how we are learning to become kings and priests under Christ in the coming Kingdom of God.

That's why in our lives, we have trials and difficulties come along, because

• we need to make judgments
• we need to make decisions
• we need to find out what we need to do in a right and a proper way

• by righteous judgment, the land is established.
• by righteous judgment, the Church of God is established

If there is righteous judgment all the way through, with all the ministers and elders and the brethren are taught righteous judgment then it's going to help people solve their own problems and know how to live their lives.

Proverbs 21:3: "To do righteousness and justice is more pleasing to the LORD than sacrifice."

Proverbs 20:8: "A king who sits in the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes."

Proverbs 21:15, which is the motto of this booklet: "It is joy to the righteous to do justice…"

This is why it is imperative, we need to learn how to judge righteous judgments. Everything we do in our lives has to do with decisions and judgments. Some have more consequences than the other, but learning to judge righteous judgment is vitally important for us so that we become the kind of kings and priests that Christ wants us to become!

• Remember, the Judgment is God's—Not Yours

Whenever it comes to a serious matter. Same way in our lives. We need to live our lives

• according to God's laws
• according to God's commandments, statutes and judgments
• according to faith, love and hope

All of these things are all involved in it. But when there is a judgment to be made and it involves other people, remember the judgment is not yours, it is God's!

It was given by the king to the judges, 2-Chronicles 19:6: "And he said to the judges, 'Take heed what you do, for you do not judge for man, but for the LORD'"

Now, just think for a minute how much more blessed this nation would be if they did that. Just think about it! If you do unrighteousness in judgment instead of justice in judgment: take for example the judgment Roe vs Wade, the judge who did that, his daughter was the one who persuaded him to write that abortion is okay because she needed one.

The way that judgment is written it is so bad, but look at the results of it. It is so terrible that there is not even any foundation in the Constitution or the laws of the land to warrant abortion. But, yet, just in America, over 44-million unborn have been killed in that holocaust, because they forgot that the judgment wasn't theirs!

You can take that judgment and you can probably line up everything on how not to make righteous judgments and you'll probably find most of those violations in the judgment of Roe vs Wade.

• Know Yourself—and Get Sin Out of Your Life

Don't give into your weaknesses! Before you can fairly and objectively judge others, you must be able to accurately and realistically judge yourself before God! You have to know your own strength; you have to know your own weaknesses. That's just a matter of being mature and spiritually honest on your part.

1-Corinthians 11:31: "Now, if we would examine ourselves… [knowing yourself] …we would not be judged."

If we are judging ourselves and repenting and getting sins out of our lives, then God will not have to judge us. That is a very key, important thing.

You must know yourself so you can avoid, as much as possible, the mistake of reading yourself into any judgment. If you have certain weaknesses, you must take steps to be certain that these weaknesses do not cause you to render a poor decision or judgment. For example: if you tend to be forceful and domineering, you must be sure to avoid forcing your personal will into the decision.

God is molding people into the image of Jesus Christ. Not in the image of the one who is making the judgment. So, we need to really focus in on that.

Going hand-in-hand with knowing yourself and getting sin out of your life, since the ability to make sound judgments and decisions is directly related to your level of loving God and righteousness toward Him, you need to be on constant guard against sin. Actively be putting sin out of your life, through the grace and love of God, by the blood of Jesus Christ!

It is impossible to live in sin and make a righteous judgment! It is an impossibility!

(Part 2)

This comes right back to where we started in the beginning in Matt. 7. This is important; this is a fundamental thing in order to make judgments, in order to make decisions especially involving others. Now, when you are going to

• do something for another person,
• counsel them
• to give them instructions
• whatever it may be

Then you also need to follow exactly what Jesus said here. It is the whole thing of the attitude. Just realize this, many people have many different problems and if they come for counseling, if they come for help or if they ask you your opinion, in many cases they are trying to overcome it, so you don't want to condemn them.

Matthew 7:1: "Do not condemn others, so that you yourself will not be condemned; for with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you mete out, it shall be measured again to you' (vs 1-2). That's why we always need to remember if you want mercy, be merciful.

Verse 3: "Now, why do you look at the sliver that is in your brother's eye, but you do not perceive the beam in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, "Allow me to remove the sliver from your eye"; and behold, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the beam from your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to remove the sliver from your brother's eye" (vs 3-5).

So that's getting to know yourself and getting the sin out of your life. Very important!

• know your strengths
• know your weaknesses
• get sin out of your life

Then you will grow in the ability to make righteous judgment.

• In Every Case, Hear ALL the Facts

Or get all the facts! This is one of the most vital requirements in coming to a decision or judgment. Without all the facts it's impossible to make a righteous judgment or decision! In some cases, it takes a lot of hard work to get all the facts and be thorough and complete.

I'll tell you this, in everything that we try to do, the literature, the books and things that we make, we try to get all the facts. We try to cover all the bases, so that what we put out will be thorough and complete, just like any decision you have to make

Sometimes, if you are talking to people, it is going to take some deep and serious questioning on your part or on the part of the one making the decision, to get all the facts and then to check them out to make sure they are all true. Every person is right in his own eyes and he or she is going to come bringing their own opinion with them. You have to get through all that and come to the things that you need to come to. What you have to do in getting all the facts:

• question
• think about it
• ask about it
• pierce through to the heart of the matter
• find out what the difficulty really is

Now, in getting all the facts, understand this, never consider any question too embarrassing or too personal. Because if you avoid asking the hard questions, you might never get the information to make a proper judgment or decision. You can do that in almost anything that you do, any decision that you make. So, keep that in mind.

• Always be Open-Minded and Hear All Aspects of the Situation

Open-minded does not mean that you abandon the Truth of God. That does not mean you set aside the Truth of God. You are going to reserve that later to make a decision based upon the Word of God. But you have to be open-minded. This is tied closely into getting all the facts, and it's just as essential.

You must always listen to all aspects of the situation with an open mind. Save any judging for the time when you need to make a judgment on it. Don't make a judgment as you are going along, just be open-minded, file it in the back of your mind and write it down so you can come back to it later. That is the only way you are going to make a fair and just decision or judgment.

The key that is important to remember: people always put themselves in the best light possible! You have to understand that, and you've got to go through that. You have to not let that be a factor. Sometimes you are dealing with someone who has a very difficult time in explaining it. Encourage them! Ask questions! Listen! And when there is more than one party involved then you have to listen to both sides.

No one is 100% absolutely right, and no one is 100% absolutely wrong when you are just dealing with circumstances and situations involving people. Now, there may be times when that could be so, but you don't make any decision, you don't judge anything until you hear all aspects of the situation with an open mind.

Never make a one-sided decision, and do not assume that the one who comes first is necessarily right in the matter! Maybe, they're wrong in the matter and they got there first, just so they could make the impression and try and have the judgment work their way. That is why you need to also be careful with it.
We need to keep all of these factors in mind and I quote some of the Proverbs in the accompanying booklet

• Never Render a Judgment Without Hearing the Entire Matter

What you see is #s 3, 4 & 5 all fit together. This means, don't jump the gun, but take time to hear the whole story.

Proverbs 18:13: "He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him."

Proverbs 14:29: "He who is slow to wrath is of great understanding, but he who is hasty of spirit exalts folly."

So, answer a matter before you have fully heard it is the impulse that wells up inside your mind urging you to make a decision right now. Then what happens? Not only do you do that, then you rush to judgment, you are closed-minded! All of these other factors come into play with it.

What you have to do is wait and hear every matter in its entirety. Another way of doing it is have the person write it down. If there is a conflict between many different individuals, have them all write it down and give it to you. You go through and weigh all the information that is given there. In some cases, they may not have all the information there, so you may need to come back and ask some more questions. Never render a judgment without hearing the entire matter!

• Never Look Only on Circumstances and Outward Appearance

You have to question the circumstances or the outward circumstances. You have seen this, in some of the mystery shows, someone plants a gun, in a person's house, or apartment or car, whatever, with fingerprints on it, so he is guilty. Or, in the case of a detective story, someone comes in and there was a killing, he inadvertently reaches down and picks up the weapon—whether it be a dagger, knife or gun—and leaves his fingerprints on it. The detectives come along and they say that this person did it because his fingerprints are there. It may or may not be true.

Because of these false judgments that people make and not doing the things that are here, there are an awful lot of people right now in prison who should not be in prison. That means the prosecutor lied, the witnesses lied, didn't get all the facts and in some cases they found that the prosecutors even held back facts that would show the innocence of the person involved.

A lot of rape cases: they are going back and they are doing DNA sampling and about 18% of those who have been convicted of rape or child molestation have been proved to be innocent; it was someone else. I heard of a case where a man who spent 18 years in prison, because of that. He lost, if he is going to live to be 70-years-old, roughly 28-29% of his entire life. Think of that!

Paul also wrote in 2-Corinthians 10:7: "Are you looking at things according to their appearance?…."

Now, the outward appearances and circumstances are important in coming to a decision. But we always need to look beyond: deeper, behind. I use the example, if someone loses his temper. It could be a long-standing frustration. To counsel a person in how to overcome a bad temper could not be entirely adequate since the problem is a deep-seated frustration that needs to be addressed. Find out what the problem is.

Maybe the way they are being treated makes them angry because they know it is wrong. You have to go beyond the circumstances and outward appearance, and you cannot only avoid giving superficial advice, but you will be able to get to the heart of the problem and judge a righteous judgment. That is what we need to do. This is very important in dealing with your children.

I don't watch these judge shows so I can't render a judgment on the judge shows, but when the news is presented about a crime and the way that the reporters present it and the way that they give the facts and so forth they have got all of these things intermixed in with it and guess what happens? Bad judgment!

• Discern the Attitudes and Motives of Those Involved

That is if this is possible! This is important to understand, because it is true, the heart is deceitful above all things. When people come for advice, it may well be possible that some don't even understand their own attitudes. You have to check that out.

This quality of discernment can come from the Holy Spirit. You have got to know! It is especially critical to sense and understand the real attitude of those that come with sins and faults of others in the congregation.

The first question needs to be, if that happens: Did you go to that person yourself? If he didn't, then 'you better go back and follow Matt. 18.' Then it gets into a matter of when and when not to make judgments.

In many instances such a person could be a self-righteous talebearer trying to stir up trouble. This is why Matt. 18 is there, so that it doesn't happen. And this is why I don't hear things that people tell me concerning other people. I ask them, 'Well, have you talked to the individual about it? Well, no!. 'Why don't you do that.' Then you know what happens? They may decide it's really not their business in the first place! Motive and attitude are important!

• Never Be a "Respecter of Persons"

Cannot be! It doesn't matter who the person is. It doesn't matter if they are:

• well known or unknown
• liked or unliked
• loved or unloved
• a friend or an enemy

Never be a respecter of persons!

Whether you like or dislike a person, that should have absolutely no bearing in the judgment. Because if you show favoritism to the minority in an improper judgment, what is going to happen, you are going to create another long-term problem. Or if you follow the majority to do evil, then you are going to get yourself in trouble.

Exodus 23:2: "You shall not follow a multitude to do evil. Neither shall you testify in a cause in order to side with many so as to pervert judgment. Neither shall you be partial to a poor man in his cause That is just because he is poor and down trodden" (vs 2-3).

And then God also gives these two things here, that we have, Leviticus 19:15: "You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment. You shall not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty."

Romans 2:11: "There is no respect of persons with God."

When we come to the situation concerning the church and the Church of God, remember the Church is not the Church of any man; it's the Church of God. So, we cannot—especially any elders or ministers or those in authority—cannot show any partiality at all especially when considering those for ordination of those for elders, deacons and so forth. You have to go by what the fruits show! Not by partiality. It makes you wonder, how many men were ordained because they were:

• sons of so and so
• they knew so and so for a long time
• they were their drinking buddy
• they were their card playing buddy
• built a house for the minister

and he is rewarded with an eldership. That's being a respecter of persons.

Ultimately, if we reject God by showing partiality and playing politics, then we will be rejected by God! True principle, that happens.

• Never Accept a Gift

Never allow yourself to get into a position where a gift is going to come and blind the eyes. Or it is going to be so good that when trouble comes, you don't handle it in the way that you ought to. This becomes a very vital and important thing because God says:

Exodus 23:8: "And you shall take no bribe, for the bribe blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous." This can come in forms in many different ways:

• loans
• gifts
• food
• clothing
• meals
• work or services

Many times I have heard of ministers who have had the brethren wait on them in their own households, hand and foot. They have to come over to the minister's house to do his lawn, to do his laundry, to clean it up and all of those things. And I have seen circumstances like that and that just should not ever be, under any circumstances. Let him take care of his own house. Let him take care of his own business. If he needs help in the house, then hire someone. But don't have brethren come in and do it for nothing.

Then problems and difficulties come along as a result of that, both for the minister and for the one who is doing it. All those things lead to problems and difficulties. Just like it says, "[It] blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous." We need to keep away from that.

In making any judgment:

• Always Be Totally Fair and Impartial

In other words, whatever judgment that needs to be made, it needs to be fair and impartial. That doesn't mean that it might not be harsh. If it is fair and the situation is a very dire situation. You have to always be fair and impartial in it. This shows also:

• getting all the facts
• not letting yourself get involved
• knowing the attitude and intention of those involved
• not taking any gifts or bribes or anything like that

• Educate Yourself in God's Laws, Statutes and Judgments

Since we are going to be kings and priests, let's see what the instruction was given to the king. When they were to choose a king, God told them specifically:

Deuteronomy 17:14: When you come to the land, which the LORD your God gives you, and shall possess it and shall live in it and shall say, 'I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,' You shall surely set a king over you, whom the LORD your God shall choose. You shall set a king over you from among your brethren. You may not set a stranger over you who is not your brother" (vs 14-15).

Now here are the things he told the king not to do, v 16: Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, so as to multiply horses because the LORD has said to you, 'You shall not return that way again.' Nor shall he multiply wives to himself, so that his heart does not turn away. Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold to himself" (vs 16-17).

All of these things are very important not only for the king but also for any minister. When that happens you get high and mighty, you get up over people and you think that you are royalty, and you think you deserve this. Look, royalty does not happen until the resurrection. So, save that until then. Let God give it.

Verse 18 is a very key and important thing which should be for all of us in learning righteous judgment: "And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this Law in a book from that which is in the custody of the priests the Levites."

He was to go in to wherever the priest, the Levite had it and he was to make a copy of that so he would know it.

Verse 19: "And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them so that his heart may not be lifted up above his brethren, and that he does not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel" (vs 19-20).

Educate yourself with the Word of God. The Apostle Paul told Timothy that he was to be 'a workman, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.' That takes time and effort, and you have to be yielded to God. Let's look at another admonishment given to Joshua, when he led the children of Israel into the 'promised land.' This is the attitude that we need to take in learning, growing and overcoming, learning God's way!

Joshua 1:5: "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you."

Always remember that if you do what is right and you love God with all your heart, mind, soul and being and do what is right:

• God will never fail you
• God will never leave you
• God will not forsake us (Heb. 13)
• He will never leave us
• He will never, never leave us

That is if we do what we need to do.

Verse 6: "Be strong and of good courage, for you shall divide for an inheritance to this people the land, which I swore to their fathers to give it to them. Only be strong and very courageous so that you may observe to do according to all the Law, which My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, so that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success" (vs 6-8).

Very important words for us to understand! We don't just have the Law of Moses, we have the entire Bible! This gives us a whole lot more understanding, education, examples and things from the Word of God that we can use.

Verse 9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you in all places where you go.'

• educate yourself
• develop
• learn
• grow
• understand

Then when you have to make a judgment or a decision that involves God's laws you can do so. If you just have to make a decision that doesn't pertain to the Word of God then you will have the basis of sound judgment to make that decision.

• In Difficult Cases, Seek Counsel

That is a two-edged sword. Sometimes you get some of these committees, and they think because they have a committee everything will be all right because the committee decides it and votes for it. That is not what it is talking about here. That is the opposite of wise counsel.

Proverbs 11:14: "Where there is no wisdom, the people fall; but in the multitude of wise counselors there is safety."

Proverbs 15:22: "Without counsel purposes are frustrated, but in the multitude of counselors they are established."

When you counsel with someone, it needs to be confidential. It is not one of those things where then you can just blither off something to someone and just lay everything bare. No! Get someone you know! Paul condemned the Church at Corinth because they put people who were least esteemed in Church to make the decision, so we don't need to do that.

• Think of the Long Term Effects

Consider the end, before you make a decision. What will it be in the long run? That goes right along with the opposite: never do what is expedient. A wise man once said: 'On important matters, sleep on it.' That is good advice. Especially when you have a decision to make that involves something that is really difficult; take your time and think of the long term effects.

Proverbs 29:18: "Where there is no vision, the people perish…"—if you don't look at the long term effects, and think what is going to happen.

They didn't even think of this concerning abortion when they brought in Roe vs Wade. They never thought they would be murderers of over 44-million, just here in America, and nearly 1-billion worldwide. It is an insane practice1

• Always Make Your Decisions and Judgments Specific and Clear

Ambiguity and uncertainty causes confusion. So whenever a judgment is made, make sure it is specific and clear so that everything is completely understood. Example: God has given us the Ten Commandments, they are not the ten suggestions. He wants us to clearly know and understand His will. That is self-evident, we don't have to elaborate on that.

• The Element of Timing in a Judgment

The timing for implementing a judgment is very important and can impact its overall effect. Waiting too long in making a judgment, for example, can be very hard on the individuals involved. This is especially true when dealing with difficult problems. People have been known to suffer from various health problems, emotional breakdowns or attitudes of total discouragement because it took so long to render a judgment. Make sure that it is timely.

Proverbs 13:12: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick…"

Verse 23: "…but there is that which is destroyed for lack of judgment"—slowness in coming to a judgment. Think about that in so many things concerning the government, they are 'a day late and a dollar short.' It is more like 'years late and billions short.'

Ecclesiastes 8:5: "Whoever keeps the commandment shall feel no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore, the misery of man is great" (vs 5-6).

• make it timely
• carry it out in a proper way
• consider all of the factors we have gone through here

• The All-Important Element of Mercy in Judgment

Too many times people get unmerited mercy. Sometimes, they get mercy because of who they are rather than rendering a proper judgment first. Remember this, judgment comes before mercy. Mercy is not a replacement for judgment! Judgment comes first, then mercy.

We find that example when Jesus was talking to Peter about how often should I forgive a brother when he repents. You forgive him when he repents! That is the judgment of that. But if they have done something wrong, then judgment must come first.

For example: a person can be convicted of doing something and be guilty, but because of repentance, because of a contrite heart, because of other circumstances, the judgment may be—a judge in cases like these may say—'All right, I will give you probation for one year instead of sentencing you to thirty days in jail.' But before the judgment was given, he was declared guilty first.

• look at the attitude
• look at the other things

then

• administer the mercy

You never come along and because someone is who you know, or someone claims victimization and so forth that you just mercifully let them off the hook entirely. So never, never, never substitute mercy for judgment.

Take the case of David. Remember what happened: God gave His judgment even though he repented. And God said, 'Because you did this thing, My judgment is I forgive your sin, the child is going to die, but the sword will never depart from your house, because you have not despised Me.' That's God's judgment! Evil would rise up against him even in his own house. And God said, 'I will do this thing before all Israel and before the son because you did this thing secretly.' That is God's judgment!

• You Must be Filled With God's Spirit and Have the Mind of Christ

In order to make righteous judgments, we sort of go back to the beginning with #17. Then you need to realize that being filled with the Holy Spirit of God is the most important ingredient and factor in having the spirit of righteous judgment. So, the real ability to judge comes from God and through His Spirit! We receive the love and the grace of God and the wisdom of God.

Proverbs 8—God's Spirit is personified as wisdom, which clearly shows how God's Spirit leads to judgment.

Proverbs 8:14: "Counsel and sound wisdom are mine; I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign and princes decree justice. Princes rule by me, and nobles, and all the judges of the earth. I love those who love me; and those who seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me; yea, enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and what I give is better than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice [judgment]" (vs 14-20).

Even when the 70 elders of Israel were chosen to serve with Moses, God told Moses, 'I am going to take some of your spirit and put it on them' so that they would be able to make the righteous judgments.

2-Timothy 1:6: "For this reason, I admonish you to stir up the gift of God that is in you by the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound-mindedness" (vs 6-7).

So that we can make righteous judgment, make decisions in our lives; then all of the other ones here that I have. Be filled with the Spirit.' The apostles were filled with the Spirit.

God wants us today to be able to say like Micah 3:8: "But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might…"

When we have God's Holy Spirit and use it as God directs us, He will give us the quality of righteous judgment. This is why Paul wrote that those who are spiritual, 'judge all things and having the mind of Christ.'

If you are letting the mind of Christ be in you, the love of God be in you, then you'll be able to judge righteous judgment!

In these three sermons, during a very vital and important Feast of Tabernacles, where we learn the meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles, of being kings and priests and judges in the Kingdom of God, this helps us to understand what we need to do; to prepare us and have these things written in our heart and mind so we can make righteous judgments.

We need to understand that the spirit of righteous judgment is a quality, a character quality, of God and Jesus Christ!

So today, living in a world where everything is gray and blurred and so many things are in confusion, we need:

• to have the mind of God
• be filled with the Spirit of God
• have the truth of righteousness of God

so we can make decisions and judgments in our life! Then we can see things even in the world, and see how a righteous judgment needs to be made.

Proverbs 29:4: "The king establishes the land by justice…" That is how we are going to establish the Kingdom of God!

Proverbs 21:15: "It is joy to the righteous to do justice ]judgment] ..."

John 7:24: Jesus said, "…Judge righteous judgment."

There are the things that are necessary to judge righteous judgment!

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter

Scriptural References:

• Proverbs 28:5
• Proverbs 29:4
• Proverbs 26:12
• Proverbs 18:17
• Proverbs 24:23
• Proverbs 18:5
• Proverbs 17:15
• Exodus 23:18
• Proverbs 17:23
• Proverbs 18:13
• Proverbs 29:20
• Proverbs 28:16
• Proverbs 21:3
• Proverbs 20:8
• Proverbs 21:15
• 2 Chronicles 19:6
• 1 Corinthians 11:31
• Matthew 7:1-5
• Proverbs 18:13
• Proverbs 14:29
• 2 Corinthians 10:7
• Exodus 23:2-3
• Leviticus 19:5
• Romans 2:11
• Exodus 23:8
• Deuteronomy 17:14-20
• Joshua 1:5-9
• Proverbs 11:14
• Proverbs 15:22
• Proverbs 29:18
• Proverbs 13:12, 23
• Ecclesiastes 8:5-6
• Proverbs 8:14-20
• 2 Timothy `:6-7
• Micah 3:8
• Proverbs 29:15
• Proverbs 21:15
• John 7:24

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• John 9:39
• 1 Kings 11
• Isaiah 59
• Acts 5
• Matthew 18
• Hebrews 13

Also referenced: Booklet:
            Judge Righteous Judgment

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 12-18-15