Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Juding nothing before the time, means we are to keep our mouths shut about another's motives. Only God truly knows our hearts; and it is His job to judge. We find it easier to judge others, than to take a good look at ourselves.
For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20
who show the work of the law written in their hearts, the conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) Romans 2:15
You also have to consider the conscience.
let us draw near with a true (pure) heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22
Our flesh wants to please people, and that makes our motives the wrong motives.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
When you really get into the Word, it pierces the heart, showing where each person could improve in their walk with God. That's why many of us don't stay in the Word as we should.
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has annointed Me To preace the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; Luke 4:15
This is why Christ was sent to us. To save the sinner and to change the hearts of all.
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Romans 2:28-29
We all are spiritually considered Jews (God's chosen) if we are saved. Again here, it tells us that God looks inwardly, and that's what we should be concerned with. There are real reasons we do what we do; we just don't admit to it. We try to justify our motives.
In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, Colossians 2:11
When we go to God with a true heart, He hears our prayers.
For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:44-45
If the heart contains goodness, then the goodness will come out.
But the ones that fell on the ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience, Luke 8:15
You have to open your heart before receiving God's word, or His words will just fall to the ground.
But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
Commentary from Debbie:
When you get into God's Word, you will notice that the heart is the most mentioned subject in God's Word. Our body is His temple, and our hearts are the holy of holies.
Even when we want to tell someone exactly what we think, in truth, if it can hurt that person, than we shouldn't say it. Christians are supposed to help one another and lift one another up when we stumble, not become the finger-pointer, as there are areas in our own lives that could probably use work and the prayer of others.
On judgment day, all charades and secrets will be made known and God will expose the true motives of our hearts. All of our thoughts and actions should be in glorifying God.
Don't be like the Pharisees, who were all for show; they exalted themselves. They prayed and gave only to be seen by men. Their actions may have looked good, but their motives were definately wrong.
Your character is determined by your motives.
If we are in the Spirit of the Lord, then we do not need the veil which hides our intentions.
The glory of God comes through when man is spiritually alive; not just barely breathing. You can't glorify God if you keep yourself oppressed.
Lesson By: Debbie Lewis; Teacher of New Life Ministries
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