Judging Various Matters in the Congregation
The 4th Judgment is Judging Various Matters in the Congregation. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-2, Paul writes about a brother having difficulties with another brother. Instead of seeking assistance from elders in the congregation, this brother goes before the law for resolution.
1Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
For some believers, this may come as a surprise. They would question that a believer should judge even in the smallest matters. For many, they are firmly indoctrinated into Matthew 7:1. As such, they believe that no believer should judge another. However, Yeshua goes on further to state in Matthew 7:2-5.
2For with what judgment (krima) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Judgment is something the believer has been entrusted with to help others. The caveat is, we are to judge righteously.
We make judgments every day of our life. When people tell us a story, we must decide if we are going to receive it or not. That is why in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul asks why does one go before unbelievers with such matters, 1 Corinthians 6:2-5.
2Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4If then ye have judgments (kriterion) of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the assembly. 5I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
We must see that the Lord wants us to judge among ourselves. We must judge righteously in love and at all times with longsuffering.
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