Let me ask you a question, I don't want you to answer out loud and I don't want you to discuss with others, because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or shame anyone in anyway. But I really feel I need to bring this point home: Do you know people or religions that because of their "Godly Connection" with the "Church Religion" that they appear like they are better than others?
This is not a religious bashing thing, so just simply hang in there with me. There is truly a difference in this world by someone that uses religion as power and distorts truth because of it, and those that are living by Christ and trying to help others caught in sin. When someone says "don't judge me" to a human religious person it's because they are saying, please don't make me feel like you are better than me, because you are not. When someone says "don't judge me" to a spiritually religious person, they mean the same thing, but a spiritually religious person knows that the person they are trying to lead to Christ is in slavery to that sin and they are attempting to set them free.
Paul is trying to say here...listen, there is no one better than anyone because of religion. We are all equally yoked when it comes to Christ in us. Would you be angry with me if I said you are equal to the Pope in God's eyes? It might ruffle some feathers, but the thing is, it's true. Anyone can be closed to God, even the meth addicted addict laying in the drainage ditches. God sees them the same as he does the Pope. I know that messes with your mind...it does mine, but you have to understand this in order to move forward in Christ. God does not put people above others in this world. Now if it did ruffle your feathers just a little bit, did you judge? Well here's the thing, if you were human religious, it probably ruffled them pretty good, if you are spiritually religious, your thoughts were probably on how to help set the meth addict free from addiction. Both are judging, but they are judging differently. And regardless of how you read this....don't get worked up, I'm only bringing judgment to light. I'm going to tell you without a doubt I have work to do in this area.... lots, so the sooner I call myself out on it, the sooner God can fix it.
1 Corinthians 4:1-13 New International Version (NIV)
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
This is not a religious bashing thing, so just simply hang in there with me. There is truly a difference in this world by someone that uses religion as power and distorts truth because of it, and those that are living by Christ and trying to help others caught in sin. When someone says "don't judge me" to a human religious person it's because they are saying, please don't make me feel like you are better than me, because you are not. When someone says "don't judge me" to a spiritually religious person, they mean the same thing, but a spiritually religious person knows that the person they are trying to lead to Christ is in slavery to that sin and they are attempting to set them free.
Paul is trying to say here...listen, there is no one better than anyone because of religion. We are all equally yoked when it comes to Christ in us. Would you be angry with me if I said you are equal to the Pope in God's eyes? It might ruffle some feathers, but the thing is, it's true. Anyone can be closed to God, even the meth addicted addict laying in the drainage ditches. God sees them the same as he does the Pope. I know that messes with your mind...it does mine, but you have to understand this in order to move forward in Christ. God does not put people above others in this world. Now if it did ruffle your feathers just a little bit, did you judge? Well here's the thing, if you were human religious, it probably ruffled them pretty good, if you are spiritually religious, your thoughts were probably on how to help set the meth addict free from addiction. Both are judging, but they are judging differently. And regardless of how you read this....don't get worked up, I'm only bringing judgment to light. I'm going to tell you without a doubt I have work to do in this area.... lots, so the sooner I call myself out on it, the sooner God can fix it.
1 Corinthians 4:1-13 New International Version (NIV)
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
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