He that judgeth me is the Lord (1Cor. 4.4b)
We dare not judge one another, and certainly not ourselves. When the Bible exhorts us to "walk in the Light," it does not mean the light of our own convictions, but the light of the Lord. The Light of the world is Jesus, and one's own point of view is darkness.
It is not obedience to a standard that matters to God, but the fulfillment of the highest standard by the Spirit that is within. Holiness and purity are not obedience to an actual law, but the unconscious natural characteristics of the indwelling Holy Spirit. No one can imitate either. This is why so many who have never experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit are so stern and unchristlike, and such sticklers for obeying the letter of the truth. These carnal Christians are not spiritual in God's sight.
What a man is- not what he does or has done or hopes to do- will be the standard of judgment on the Judgment Day. There will be no acquittal or appeal.
It is not obedience to a standard that matters to God, but the fulfillment of the highest standard by the Spirit that is within. Holiness and purity are not obedience to an actual law, but the unconscious natural characteristics of the indwelling Holy Spirit. No one can imitate either. This is why so many who have never experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit are so stern and unchristlike, and such sticklers for obeying the letter of the truth. These carnal Christians are not spiritual in God's sight.
What a man is- not what he does or has done or hopes to do- will be the standard of judgment on the Judgment Day. There will be no acquittal or appeal.
4 comments:
It's a good reminder that it is God who judges. I think it's easy for us to look at someone and say what they are doing is wrong, but we don't know their heart - God does.
I think alot of this also falls under the legalistic views that some Christians hold.
This makes me think that maybe I need to give those that don't know the Lord, but say they do (carnal Christians) a break.
God will judge them, I don't need to.
Plus, my judging can put me in the legalistics camp. Where I don't want to be!
Thanks for this Chelle...
I appreciate your perspective ladies! Joanne- I particularly like what you said about "Those that don't know the Lord but say they do".
I struggled with the part of the devotional that said, "Many that haven't experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit are so stern and unchristlike... these carnal Christians are not spiritual in God's sight." You brought clarity to that when you stated that in "Carnal Christians" he meant, "Those who say they are Christians when in fact they are not"
because it seemed to me that Chambers was identifying the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a separate event from Salvation.
I realize that's up for theological debate. Some people would argue that there is infact Biblical evidence to prove that there is the process of accepting Christ and the process of praying for the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
We can leave that for another day unless you have something to add...
Whatever the case- I really like what Chambers had to say regarding the standard of our personal convictions vs. God's standard. And that holiness and purity are natural characteristics of the Holy Spirit not byproducts of obedience.
I do appreciate Oswald Chambers... and each of you!
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