Taking the Judgement Seat

Transcription

1 Taking the Judgement Seat The condemning power of Satan would lead him to institute a theory of justice inconsistent with mercy. He claims to be officiating as the voice and power of God, claims that his decisions are justice, are pure and without fault. Thus he takes his position on the judgment seat and declares that his counsels are infallible. Here his merciless justice comes in, a counterfeit of justice, abhorrent to God. {CTr 11.4} This counterfeit justice that Satan advocates, God abhors; it must not come into the experience of the sons and daughters of God. Satan's censuring must not be imitated by any one who is a partaker of the mercy and the love of God. Let not one of his professed children climb upon the judgment seat to accuse or condemn another. Guard your own soul; watch closely for the first jealous thought, the first suggestion to question or judge others. God has not set you to be a judge over your brethren; and while you do so, your own soul will be as destitute of the Spirit of God as were the hills of Gilboa of dew and rain. Those who are ready to accuse and find fault with others, commit sin against their own souls. Those who would bring others to justice, should be the embodiment of spotless purity themselves. Never disparage one soul for whom Christ has died; for when you accuse and condemn his followers, you accuse and condemn Christ. Be instruments in the Lord's hands of saving souls "with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." We must not be severe with the infirmities of others, but attend zealously to our own individual case. {RH, September 22, 1896 par. 9} Corrupt human nature is to be subdued, not exalted. Thus only can we become pure and undefiled. We are to be humble, faithful men and women. Never are we to sit upon the judgment seat. God demands that His representatives shall be pure and holy, revealing the beauty of sanctification. 8T 235 Talk of the love and humility of Jesus, but do not encourage the brethren and sisters to engage in picking flaws in the dress or appearance of one another. Some take delight in this work; and when their minds are turned in this direction, they begin to feel that they must become church tinkers. They climb upon the judgment seat, and as soon as they see one of their brethren and sisters, they look to find something to criticize. This is one of the most effectual means of becoming narrowminded and of dwarfing spiritual growth. God would have them step down from the judgment seat, for He has never placed them there. {CG 429.3} If we would listen to his voice, we must let silence reign in the heart. The clamors of self, its pretensions, its lusts, must be rebuked, and we must put on the robe of humility, and take our place as humble learners in the school of Christ. When this is the attitude of our brethren, there will be no more a desire to climb up onto the judgment-seat to judge others; but they will lie low at the foot of the cross. As they behold the matchless loveliness of the character of Christ, their own defects will be made plain, and the delusion of self-righteousness which incased the soul will be swept away, and the arrows of the Lord will find the heart. The truth must be applied to the souls of our people as never before, or many who now feel at ease, will be weighed in the balances and found wanting. RH Oct 31, 1893 Be careful what power you take into your finite hands. Be careful how you denounce those whom you should only pity, and comfort, and help. The Lord does not see the works of men with the same 1

2 vision that men see them. He has many kinds of men to deal with, and he knows just how to deal with all. But let every man, whatever his position, remember that he is not to rule any man's conscience, or sit on the judgment seat against any man. The Lord does not pronounce as just the judgment you have formed. {SpM 60.3} Satan is a masterly worker, and he will lose no opportunity to make the most of his chances to work for those who are left in a very disagreeable situation. There are those who make grave mistakes, but they seldom see the aggravated character of their own faults, or their more disagreeable results. But if another passes over the ground, and does no worse, and perhaps not nearly as bad, how easy for the brother who first sinned to tear down his brother with an unsparing hand. There are men who are severely tempted and tried who meet their temptations, at times feeling desperately, because they know not what to do in an emergency. Jesus pities them. He sees them meeting their temptations with a noble purpose, and wrestling with the devil foot to foot, breast to breast, and he says to them, as he said to Peter, "Get -61- behind me, Satan. Let me come close to my tempted one. Satan hath desired thee, that he might sift thee as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not." {SpM 60.4} Speak gently to ministers who are seeking, fully as earnestly as your own self, to do their duty under difficulties. They are but men, with all the clamoring of Satan to discourage them. "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees." Be careful to make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but rather let it be healed. "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." {SpM 61.1} Satan has the spirit of a judge with condemning power of others. This spirit is embraced by man. In matters of conscience the soul must be left untrammeled. No one is to control another's mind, to judge for another, or to prescribe his duty. God gives to every soul freedom to think, and to follow his own convictions. "Every one of us shall give account of himself to God." No one has a right to merge his own individuality in that of another. In all matters where principle is involved, "let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:12, 5. In Christ's kingdom there is no lordly [551] oppression, no compulsion of manner. The angels of heaven do not come to the earth to rule, and to exact homage, but as messengers of mercy, to co-operate with men in uplifting humanity. {DA 550.6} Psa 50:20-21 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. (21) These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Rom 2:1-5 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. (2) But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. (3) And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? (4) Or despisest thou the riches of his 2

3 goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (5) But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Righteous judgment Isa 11:3-4 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: (4) But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. The Judgment in Daniel 7 Dan 7:8-11 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (9) I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (10) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (11) I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. Exo 24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. God permits His Son to be delivered up for our offenses. He Himself assumes toward the Sin- Bearer the character of a judge, divesting Himself of the endearing qualities of a father. {FLB 104.7} John 5:22-24 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment G2920 unto the Son: (23) That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; G2920 but is passed from death unto life. John 12:45-50 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. (46) I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. (47) And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. (48) He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (49) For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. (50) And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. 3

4 Those who do not see the Father through the life of Christ must see God like themselves. James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: Psa 50:20-21 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. (21) These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. By nature man has the spirit of Satan, a spirit that judges and condemns others. If we do not see the Father through the life of Christ then man sees God like himself one who judges others. But there is no condemning judgment for those who are in Christ Jesus. There is only righteous judgment for us who are poor the judgment according to mercy, forgiveness, grace. The Vision of the night Dan 7:1-2 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream H2493 and visions [H2372 Chezev vision] of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Num 12:6-8 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, [H4759 marah vision or mirror] and will speak unto him in a dream. H2472 Chalom (7) My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. (8) With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Matt 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. [G2919] (2) For with what judgment ye judge, G2919 ye shall be judged: G2919 and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Fear of Death because of desire to put to death Gen 4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. Matt 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Fear of judgement because of desire to Judge Matt 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. When men climb onto the judgment to condemn the actions of others they will place this character upon God. God assumes towards the one who bears his sin the character of a judge. They refuse to see God through the eyes of Christ and so they must face their own idea of judgment. 4

5 The principle of rebellion is incurable. Satan revealed his true sentiments through the actions of the priests, who had been blessed with evidence upon evidence, but who would be hardened, not convinced, by more evidence. By the spirit manifested by Christ all through His trial, Satan's power as an accuser of the brethren was proved to be powerful but false. Satan is an accuser, a thief, and a murderer. He instigated men to put to death not only innocent human beings, but the incarnate God. If he could, he would have held Christ locked in the tomb. In his treatment of the Son of God, Satan showed what he would do if he had the nation wholly under his control. He would murder the innocent and save the wicked, represented by Barabbas. Barabbas represents the class that under Satan's dictation do the works of their father the devil {12MR 412.2} Satan will be judged by his own idea of justice. It was his plea that every sin should meet its punishment. If God remitted the punishment, he said, He was not a God of truth or justice. Satan will meet the judgment which he said God should exercise. {12MR 413.1} The scenes of persecution enacted during Christ's life will be enacted by false religionists till the close of time. Men think that they have a right to take into their charge the consciences of men, and work out their theories of apostasy and transgression. History will be repeated. Christ declared that prior to His second coming the world would be as it was in the days of Noah, when men reached such a pass in following their own sinful imagination that God destroyed them by a flood. {12MR 413.2} 5