HOLY SPIRIT TEACHINGS
Judge by the Spirit Not the Flesh
There is a common misrepresentation of the Truth of God’s commands when speaking of judging things and it is very important to understand and be clear on this very topic, otherwise it can cause many to stumble and be held accountable to God on using the Scriptures wrongly in order to justify sin. God can easily judge individuals by the Scriptures they use against others, but because they’re used in an improper way (not led by the Holy Spirit) for their own blindness to the Truth or understanding of His Word (Hosea 4:6; Proverbs 10:21; Jeremiah 5:4). There are two common Scriptures used out of true understanding and context to what is really being addressed in it as a whole:
Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
Both of these Scriptures when studied in their entire context reveals something much different than just the one verse indicated above which many use as a defense against others as not to say anything about one’s sin to them. However, many throw these one verses out as Scriptural truth to ‘end the conversation’ on whether to talk about ones sin. This is NOT of the Spirit of God. Clearly it’s a spirit of perversion behind this technique of using the Scripture out of its true context (and this is not just with these particular Scriptures, but it’s a technique used commonly by darkness, Deuteronomy 32:5; Proverbs 28:18; Matthew 17:17; Acts 20:30). To pervert something means to ‘subvert’ it or to corrupt or undermine the authority of the established principles (Titus 1:10‐11; 1 Timothy 6:3‐5). Aren’t there already established principles laid out by God in the Scriptures and led by His Holy Spirit in Truth? Isn’t the whole goal of the principalities of darkness to corrupt or undermine the authority of God? Most definitely it is all of this. His people need to recognize or discern this ongoing and very active occurrence among them, especially with this topic on judgment. It says clearly in Scripture that those that are spiritual should judge ALL things.
But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
This means those that are led by the Spirit of God because it is not them in the flesh judging when they do this but the Spirit Himself dividing the Truth rightly and determining a correct verdict on the matt lives by being in the fleshly nature and full of what is considered evil in their hearts (Matthew 12:34). This brings us back to the two verses mentioned at the beginning of the teaching. It is important to look at them both in their entire context and you will see how when used out of context they are not truly speaking the truth of God’s commands.
Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
From verse one it goes on to say in verse two that the way you judge, you will be judged. So, if you judge according to the flesh you will be judged according to the flesh, which is under condemnation and subject to being cursed [Deuteronomy 28:15‐68] (and this is what it states as you read further in the context because this command was speaking of people judging sin when they were walking in sin themselves). However, if you walk according to the Holy Spirit’s leading, you will be judged by the law that gives freedom—that is, freedom from condemnation and justified by Truth which sets us free, therefore you will receive a blessing from God (Romans 8:1‐2; John 8:32; Romans 5:16; James 2:12; James 1:25). In verse six it warns not to give what is holy to the dogs. In other words, do not give what is holy to an impure or corrupt mind—that is, do not give into what is clearly holy in the eyes of God, and allow one who is corrupt of mind to pervert it and grant them permission or permit them to care for it (or honor it) in their own way, therefore submitting it under a false authority; depreciating the holiness of God. David spoke about how we should worship the Lord, very different than what the false or those that walk in sin do in their lack of fear of a holy God.
Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Going on to the entire context of Romans: 2, you see a similarity between what Jesus spoke of in Matthew and what Paul spoke of as well.
Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself ( in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
Verse one clearly states the exact same thing Christ said in Matthew seven—that those who judge another on something they do themselves are condemning themselves. So, if you have truly repented of a sin by walking in complete obedience to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit leads you to confront someone on their sin; you will not be condemned because you’re judging in obedience to God by His Spirit and not according to the flesh. Verses two through ten go on to explain that the judgment of God which falls on sin is right in His eyes (which His people need to understand and accept that fully). It continues on in questioning those that pass judgment on others when they practice the SAME sin whether they think they’ll escape the judgment of God; and asks them if they think light of the richness of His kindness which is the grace He’s offering them now as they have an opportunity to truly repent and turn away from their sin. In this lack of understanding of God’s kindness they do not truly come to know the grace of God which leads them to repentance.
Verses five through eleven discuss what is coming as a result of everyone’s deeds whether in righteousness or unrighteousness; for the righteous there will be glory and honor and peace and for the unrighteous there will be tribulation and distress of their soul. Verse eleven speaking that there is no partiality with God—all will be rendered their rewards according to their deeds with no deed overlooked, in fairness according to His Truth. Verses twelve through sixteen go on in explaining that all those that sin without God will perish and those that are not freed from the Law by the Spirit (knowing of God and of the Scriptures) and continue to sin by not obeying the Spirit of God will be judged according to the Law (since they know of the Spirit but do not accept Him as the Wisdom of the Lord to lead them out of sin (1 Corinthians 1:21), therefore rejecting the Holy Spirit and the grace of God, Matthew 12:31; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Romans 2:29; Romans 7:6). Verse sixteen says God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus—that is, judge the secrets of men in their carnal nature through the Spirit of Life which is IN Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2).
It is very straightforward that both of the contexts in Matthew seven and Romans two regarding judging has to do with people judging in the fleshly nature and not in the Spirit of the Lord’s judgment which is right in all things. Christ said that when the Spirit of Truth came He would teach us all things, even to do with judgment and righteousness concerning sin (John 16:8‐9). This IS how God’s people are to judge all things, in God’s nature by His Spirit which Christ left us, so that we may know and understand God’s true judgment and righteousness in all areas of life; also so that we judge rightly, not by the sight of our eyes nor will we make a decision by what our ears hear, but with righteousness and fairness in the sight of God because of the delight of the fear of the Lord which brings forth true Wisdom (Isaiah 11:2‐4; Isaiah 33:6; John 7:24; Proverbs 9:10; Job 28:28).
Just a few examples of judging by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures:
- Jesus judged fully by the Spirit of God because He was full of the Spirit (Luke 4:1; Colossians 1:19; John 5:30; John 8:16). If His people are to be more like Him then they too must be filled with the Spirit of God so that they too can follow in the true ways of Christ, even judging by His Spirit rightly. Jesus spoke about a parable between five wise and five unwise virgins (Matthew 25:1‐ 13). Those that were filled with oil or had much oil to keep their lamps burning were considered the wise virgins (Matthew 25:4). There was a reason for this, not only to be prepared when Christ returned but also to warn us to be filled with the joy when we hear the Bridegroom’s voice.
- John 3:29
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.
- Christ was filled with the Spirit when He was on the earth AND filled with joy that made Him complete, which was to listen and fulfill His Father’s will (John 15:11). This is how we’re to be filled—filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit to fulfill all that God asks of us through Jesus Christ. When Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he prayed for them to be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). This not only included being completely obedient but would also result in walking away once and for all from sin (true repentance). Christ had a few occurrences with people where He told them to sin no more (John 5:14; John 8:11). If Christ said this, then He was implying that it WAS and IS possible not to sin anymore and He was confirming this by speaking it out to them as a command. It says in many areas of the Bible that if we obey God in all things, the Lord will set us above all nations of the earth and blessings will come upon you AND overtake you, making you holy unto the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:1, Deuteronomy 28:13; Deuteronomy 26:19; Exodus 15:26; Exodus 23:22, Exodus 23:25; Isaiah 1:19; Isaiah 3:10). God gave us the Power to obey Him in all things through Christ Jesus, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24, 1 Corinthians 1:30; Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17; Colossians 1:9).
- John the Baptist was another one that judged fully by the Spirit of God because like Christ, he too was filled with the Spirit even from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15). In Matthew 14:3‐10, John called out in judgment, Herod’s sin of adultery with his brother’s wife (Matthew 14:3‐4). Instead of Herod and Herodias acknowledging their sin of adultery and being convicted of it to repent, they instead decided to imprison John and eventually kill him. This is no different than what people are doing now with their perversion of the Scriptures and telling people not to judge at all. They are ‘locking up the Holy Spirit’s judgment’ and murdering His Truth or going against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:32; Luke 13:34; Jeremiah 5:17). This reveals that if individuals are being led by the Holy Spirit to call out sin (and this is an act of God’s mercy through them to get others to repent) and they deny it and stand against what is being said, it only shows that they are not sons of God but a son of the devil instead, showing no fear of God and eternal punishment (John 8:44; Romans 3:11‐18).
It says that God is going to send Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5‐ 6); and in the New Testament Christ explains that John the Baptist is Elijah (Matthew 11:14). Then it goes on to explain this current generation—that no matter what you do basically, it’s not the ‘right’ answer, they’re always finding fault with any form of Truth being presented (however it may be presented, Matthew 11:16‐19). In other words, they have no knowledge or understanding of what is right (Isaiah 5:13, Isaiah 5:20; Jeremiah 5:4; Hosea 5:4; Hosea 8:12; Matthew 16:3). This is a reminder to many of what will occur and has occurred in this hour and the times to come. When God sent both John the Baptist and His Son, they were both treated the same way by being falsely accused (Matthew 11:16‐19). They perverted the Truth and how it was being delivered to the people because they had no understanding of the Truth. Is this how you will react when God continues to send those led fully of His Spirit among you? Perverting what is true and making false claims of the motive or spirit behind it, instead trying to kill it like a Herodias who didn’t want to be called out for her sin nor the adulterous Herod being called out as well (Matthew 14:8)? Let’s only hope that you will truly come to repentance, through obedience unto Him and shun evil fully, so that you may come into true understanding so that this doesn’t happen (Job 28:28). Many in the coming days will try to kill the Truth of what is being said in Truth because they are afraid their deeds will be exposed. They will not accept it because they love the darkness more than the Light and do not want to acknowledge Him and His righteousness, giving Him the glory (Revelation 2:21‐22; Revelation 16:9, Revelation 16:11, Revelation 16:21).
He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
- Solomon had the wisdom of God in him to administer justice (or judge, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 Kings 3: 11‐12, 1 Kings 3: 16‐28).
In conclusion, it is important to understand that when one is led by the Holy Spirit to judge something, it is always done rightly and is acceptable to do so. It is the judging done according to the fleshly nature that Christ warned us, and others, not to do otherwise the same measure of judgment would come upon us. Discern or recognize the perverseness among you by the leading of the Spirit so that you do not stumble in your walk because of this false teaching. This is what the Holy Spirit came to do, teach us of judgment and righteousness concerning sin. The only way that we can determine these things is by the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things, including how we justify what is really right and wrong according to God. The Spirit is one with God and They are in agreement with each other, so in being led by the Spirit to judge, you are actually judging with the wisdom of God to determine what is right. All of God’s people must come to a place of discernment where they can fully recognize what is right before God. This is a command (Ezekiel 44:23; Malachi 3:18; Hebrews 5:14).
Some further Scriptures to meditate on associated with this teaching:
Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?
The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst;
And they have caused Egypt to err in all her work,
As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.
This Scripture above is important to understand. God allows perverseness and even mixes it in the midst of us, but His people need to learn to discern it. It’s a judgment of God’s wrath upon those that continue to walk in iniquity (like Babylon, Jeremiah 25:12‐33); where God mingles a perverse spirit among them so they’ll fall together in it and rise no more (above the glory of God).