Thanks for returning to this series on “Judge Judge Judge” and my feeble attempt to understand a believers responsibility and right to make judgments.
Another purpose of this series hopefully is to understand the believers restriction on judgement.
What can a Christian judge? How is he to judge? What is prohibited in the Christian life to judge. So many questions and concerns.
Our fifth greek word related to judging is…
διακρίνω – diakrinō – doubt, judge, discern, contend, waver, misc
This word is found 19 times in 18 verses within the New Testament. A full listing of all verses may be found below for your self study. I will consider the verses that are not clear, that create questions in my mind, with the remaining verses left for the reader to ponder
The general meaning of this word is to separate thoroughly, to make a distinction. God has been doing this forever.
- He separated the day from the night. Distinctly different characteristic of times.
- He separated the sky from the earth, the land from the sea.
- He separated the fish from the mammals, from the birds
- He separated the woman from the man. Pretty glad He did that!
- He separated the good from the bad, the living from the dead…
God is a God of distinctions, of differences of variety. You (hopefully) will never meet a fella like me again.
Lets think about a few verses where this concept is obvious.
Acts 10:20
Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”
Notice that this has a time component involved in the meaning. Once you have the knowledge of correct action, delay is sin.
But the more important thing I notice is that hesitation exhibits an indecisiveness, a “distinction”, a separation within Peter. A double minded (souled) man.
James 1:6, 8
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
This is a massive thought for me. I find myself thinking both sides of a problem, weighing my options and eventually ending up doing nothing. I have to interject with a decision, once I have sufficient information.
Of course if I ever get all the information I need, the opportunity will pass. There is a point where a decision can be made which allows for a path to be taken.
Without a decision, no path, no motion, no direction and no opportunity for correction.
Yes correction!
The will of God allows for mistakes. Now don’t get ahead of me – I didn’t state that I can intentionally go against the will of God and think things will go well – no no no.
Honest mistakes have been some of my greatest teachers. Could I have learned with less collateral damage? Maybe.
There is a passage somewhere in the Bible that says “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”
All things are to be tested, and some are obviously bad since Paul tells us to hold onto the good.
This verse reminds me of the time a pastor asked me to sing in the choir. They tested me – they did what the Scriptures said to do. Trust me – no one wanted to hold fast to that voice!
Finding out that a decision was not the will of God in your life is not the end of your walk. It is a chance to reevaluate, adjust and seek His will for the next step in your pilgrimage. Hold fast to that which is good – Remember God is good!
I hope you will join me in our next post when we continue our study with the Greek word διακρίνω
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