Higher Ground
James 2:13 “…and mercy rejoiceth against judgment”
Christian causes and accomplishments are properly advanced through actions of wisdom being chosen over actions of judgment.
To have perfect judgment, there must be a perfect judge with perfect knowledge, insight, authority, and motives. Thus, we do not qualify to be the judge of other men.
When a person is having a problem, they should only be burdened with the task of finding the right answer for their problem. Wisdom shed abroad by another will greatly aid this. But imperfect judgments passed by imperfect judges against them, leaves them in the impossible position of coming up with the many answers required to satisfy all the suspicions, doubts, accusations, rumors, and bad feelings that the judgments of others have raised against them. Thus they have no peace or opportunity to find the one answer they really need. The best way is to shed light abroad for others to be able to see.
Once we pass judgment on someone, we develop a mindset toward them based on our judgment of them. This mindset limits our actions towards them to that which satisfies our feelings of judgment concerning them. So this shifts our response toward them from really doing what could be a help to them, unto an action based on what is pleasing to our judgment of them, no matter how imperfect that may be.
Such is the case in the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37.) The priest (Luke 10:31) and the Levite (Luke 10:32) both passed by the victim because of what their own judgment of his situation was. But the Samaritan, without limiting his response to any judgments he would make as to why the victim was naked and wounded on the wayside, chose to use wisdom to see what was needed and to choose the wisest course of action to meet that need. The Lord credited him as being the only one of the three men who rightfully fulfilled his neighborly duties.
Christ’s command is to love one another as He has loved us – John 13:34. We will miss the mark here if we give ourselves unto the responses that our imperfect judgment of others would call for. Rather, we need to exercise mercy instead of judgment, so that we remain free to prescribe the unsearchable riches of the wisdom of God’s Word and to have no dictates, other than seeking and finding more wisdom from God.
We should require of ourselves to exercise mercy, rather than judgment when we think we have seen fault and failure in our brethren. Thus, resisting doing the things that the feelings of our judgment would cry out for, we purpose to do only those things that will shed abroad greater light and understanding from the Lord to enable our brother to see and act in faith and hope.
Judgment will incline us to fixate on the problem. Mercy will wisely employ us in striving for the right solution for deliverance.
SHARING
The King James vs. The New Versions
**This comparison will be the passages of Matthew 7:13-14
KING JAMES VERSION: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION: “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Both the NKJV and the NIV change the word “strait” gate to “narrow” gate. The word “strait” sets forth that which is restricted to God’s way, whereas the word “narrow” implies that which is limited. Jesus is the gate to salvation, “the door” (John 10:9), “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6), and the only “name” whereby any can be saved (Acts 4:12). This is strait, i.e., restricted to God’s one Saviour for mankind.
“Narrow is the way”, thus there is no margin for error, the way is limited to just “the way” with nothing else. While Jesus is the strait gate, He is not limited in what He is. But the way is limited to nothing more than Jesus. Calling the gate narrow implies that Jesus, Himself, is limited, whereas calling the gate strait implies it is restricted to Jesus.
The NIV says, in verse 14, “small is the gate”. There is certainly nothing small about the Saviour or His salvation, even though the way to be saved is limited to none other than Jesus Christ.
The NKJV says, “difficult is the way that leads to life”. This does not hold true with salvation by grace through faith. How difficult is it to receive the “gift of eternal life” by faith in Jesus Christ? Rather, saying that the way that leads to life is difficult is lending itself in support of being saved through works, which requires that one go through much difficulty before they actually arrive at having attained to life.
The King James says it like it is, declaring the supremacy of Christ, as well as manifesting the clarity of salvation only by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
SHARINGIn Short Supply
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30
In Noah’s day, there was but one, Noah. Abraham rose to the occasion, but Lot failed. Though despised and rejected, Joseph fulfilled God’s plan and purpose. In spite of overwhelming circumstances, God raised Moses up. When the whole generation of Israelites failed, that God brought up out of Egypt, Joshua and Caleb’s faith remained steadfast.
The book of Judges records several instances of God plucking certain ones out of the state of spiritual apostasy, and raising them up to lead the nation to victory. God took a shepherd boy and made him into mighty King David.
The Lord called fishermen, etc., and made them His apostles, pillars in the church He built. “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-27
When God seeks out a man to make up the hedge and stand in the gap, it is not about looking for those who possess superior qualities in and of themselves. It is rather about God looking on the heart, and seeing one who will hearken to, and follow the bidding of the Holy Spirit, so as to be made the vessel of God, through the strength of God’s grace and power.
“Many are called, but few are chosen.”
God is looking for men who will seek their vision about life from heaven above, with eternities values in view. Men who understand that upholding the truth and honoring God, are how they fulfill their life’s duty now, and will rejoice in that which is to come.
The call of God is unto fathers to declare unto their children the testimonies of God through training and example, “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” Psalm 78:7
Have you made your calling and election sure, so that you shall never fall, so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord? 2 Peter 1:10-11
SHARING
The Calendar Of Events Surrounding The Death Of Christ
Note: In Biblical days, the 24 hour daily cycle was divided into two equal parts: night and day – the night preceding the day, Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31. The sun controlled the day, and the moon the night, John 11:9. In Biblical days, the day started at 6:00pm (in the evening) and ended at 6:00pm the next evening. Our days are reckoned from 12:00 midnight to 12:00 midnight.
SATURDAY: Mark 11:1-11: Jesus entered Jerusalem. The world says He entered on Palm Sunday. He entered the Temple as His custom was on the Sabbath. Mark 11:11, He returned to Bethany.
SUNDAY: Mark 11:12-19: He returns to Jerusalem. On the way, He curses the fig tree. Mark 11:15-19, He cleanses the Temple. Mark 11:19, Jesus goes back to Bethany.
MONDAY: Mark 11:20: Jesus returned to Jerusalem by the same route and sees the withered fig tree. Mark 11:27–Mark 14:1, Jesus teaches and answers questions. Mark 14:1…In 2 days (Wednesday) would be the Passover.
TUESDAY: Mark 14:12-16: The day before the Passover, the Preparation Day. The Jewish Passover began on the 14th day of the month Abib or Nisan, by killing the lamb that was caught on the 10th day of the month, Exodus 12:3-6. The Passover is a type of Christ – 1 Corinthians 5:7. The Passover lasted 7 days. The first day of the Passover (the 15th) and the last day were High Sabbaths (annual). – Leviticus 23:4-8.
WEDNESDAY: Their Wednesday began at 6:00pm…our Tuesday (see above note.) During this time, Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples, and instituted the Lord’s Supper, Mark 14:22-25. Mark 14:26-52, Tuesday evening (Wednesday Jewish time) they go out to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ prays and is arrested. Mark 14:53-72, The trial of Christ before the Sanhedrin, in the night hours (our Tuesday, their Wednesday.) Mark 15:1-25, The trial before Pilate and the crucifixion in the third hour of the day, which would be 9:00am Wednesday, our time. Wednesday, He is on the cross. Mark 15:33, There is darkness from the sixth to the ninth hours (12:00 noon to 3:00pm.) Mark 15:42-47, In the afternoon before 6:00pm, His death and burial, which would make it before the beginning of the next day, which was a High Sabbath (not the weekly Sabbath)…see John 19:31. So, before 6:00pm Wednesday, Christ was placed in the tomb.
THURSDAY: Matthew 27:62-66: Guards are placed at the tomb.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY: He is in the tomb. Saturday ended at 6:00pm.
SUNDAY: The tomb is visited, Matthew 28:1-7. Matthew 28:1 – as it begins to “dawn,” speaking of daylight. NOTE: Sunday (the first day of the week) had begun at 6:00pm Saturday, our time. Matthew 28:6, The tomb is already empty. He was in the tomb Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights…three nights. He was in the tomb Thursday, Friday, and Saturday…three days, just as He had said – Matthew 12:39-40. This is essential to have the gospel according to the scriptures – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. He arose after 6:00pm Saturday evening, which was the Jewish first day of the week. So, we observe the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day. It is to be observed weekly on the first day of the week, rather than on an annual basis, just as the Old Testament Sabbath was observed weekly. If it were an annual observance, God would command it and it would fall on a different day of the week every year, just as any other annual holiday does…see 1 John 2:21.
SHARING
