Judge Righteous Judgment...the Wayfarer
Judge Righteous Judgment
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
John 7:24
King James Version (KJV)
Righteous judgment requires righteousness. The righteousness required for righteous judgment cannot be held by men, but is held by God alone.
The 7th chapter of John details a "righteous" people led by an "elect" group of Pharisees, who, having heard the Son of God, seen the miracles performed by Him clung to their own righteousness, denying a righteousness far greater than their own despite the warnings of the scriptures they perverted for their own purposes as they sought to kill that very righteousness they claimed to seek.
In the opening verses, we find that even His own earthly brethren denied that righteousness, unable to accept belief, choosing instead, the love of the world as it stood, rather than as it was intended.
Jesus sent them to the feast and celebration in knowledge of that love, and the hatred that love created for that TRUTH He was sent to deliver to that world.
John 7
King James Version (KJV)
7 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
2 Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.
3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
36 What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
53 And every man went unto his own house.
The chapter details the rumors that abounded regarding Him, the opinions expressed by those "righteous" people and their aversion to what He brought to them.
Despite their refusal to believe, Jesus took the time to bring them the intended message, that of redemption for repentance, the promise of salvation despite the lack of that "righteousness" they held above the righteousness of that very message.
Some heard and believed, saw and accepted, while others doubted and denied, complaining because he even attempted to deliver that message.
Nicodemus, one honored and given heed by them, reminded them of the law they attempted to pervert, only to be rebutted and mocked as that message was ignored, preference given to "righteousness" as seen by them as the true Righteousness sent them in the form of the Son of God.
They saw only the physical man, who in some way offended their sense of propriety that they mistook for righteousness, as do far too many still today.
Having known many well dressed, well spoken, well received men, and seeing them inhabiting the airwaves of past and present with their own brand of "righteousness" that somehow continues to profit them and their lifestyle despite the fact that redemption in return for repentance is ignored, I can affirm that the day will come when they too will comprehend the TRUTH and Righteousness of HIS judgment.
Having seen that TRUTH and Righteousness accepted by coarse, dirty, mud covered men, I am thankful that what is in store for THEM is not the "righteousness" propagated that still denies the message brought by Christ, but is instead the promise delivered through their acceptance of HIS message, without regard to appearance, or false sense of propriety that would have denied them.
I am thankful for each that acknowledges the gift given, the grace supplied through that acknowledgement and acceptance of the requirement to be met to attain a RIGHTEOUSNESS not their own, but A RIGHTEOUSNESS that still remains in RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT by the only ONE capable of its delivery.
Gold, tried in the fire, and raiment that is acceptable, not to men, but to the JUDGE who provides what is required, once requested though having met the simple requirement preached from the Jordan River, to the Cross and from Heaven itself, by that same Judge.
Revelation 3:14-22
King James Version (KJV)
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer
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