Don't Judge Before the Time

The following post represents the sixth installment in my study of the Bible’s teaching on judging one another.

Passage 5 -- I Corinthians 4

“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”

In this passage Paul explains that it is a small thing to be judged by anyone. In fact he does not even judge himself. He rightly recognizes that it is the Lord who judges him. Paul has told us in other places not to judge and here he tells us that he isn’t influenced or bothered by those who would seek to judge him. He knows there is one person who is the judge and there is a judgment time coming but it is not now and his judges are not other people. Because we know this is true, he says, “Therefore judge nothing before the time…” There is a judgment but now is not the time and therefore judging should not be taking place. The Lord, the judge, is coming and He will bring everything to light and judge righteously. When we first hear that the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts, our response is often one of fear. But the amazing thing to me in this passage is that when the hidden things of darkness and the counsels of the heart are revealed, each one’s praise will come from God. Not only is this true for us it is also true for our brothers and sisters in Christ. So when that judgment day comes and the hidden things come to light, God is going praise that one who we have been judging! Won’t that be a turn of events? I hope you realize that I understand that at the judgment seat of Christ there will be loss of rewards and some will be saved so as by fire. But the passage before us clearly says that when the hidden things are revealed each one’s praise – (that is EACH one) will come from God.

I hope that is both an encouragement to you and a challenge not to be so critical and judgmental of others.

In the next several posts we’ll examine in what ways the Bible teaches us to be discerning and we’ll discuss how that differs from the judging that is forbidden in the Scriptures we have been examining.