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1 Corinthians
Copyright 1999. John Creamer. All rights reserved.
Questions: What is a ‘judgment call’ in sports? What is an example of a judgment call? (Block versus charge in basketball,
tennis ball in or out-of-bounds, etc.) What is a call made in sports that is a ‘no-brainer’ in contrast
to a judgment call? (Dropped pass, etc.) When an official makes a judgment call, are all the players, coaches and fans in total agreement with his/her call? Why not? Do people ever make ‘judgment calls’ about other people? Are these judgment calls good or bad? The Bible offers us helpful advice about judgment calls. Scripture: (1 Corinthians 4:1-5 NIV) So then, men ought to regard us as servants
of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. {2} Now
it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
{3} I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed,
I do not even judge myself. {4} My conscience is clear, but that does
not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. {5} Therefore judge
nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring
to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's
hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. How did Paul say people should regard him in verse 1? (…as servants
of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God…) What did he say (verse 2) is required of men who had been trusted with
something? (Prove themselves faithful.) Who did he say (v.3) that he did not want to make that judgment call?
(Neither them…or himself.) At the beginning of verse 4, what disclaimer does Paul offer? (His conscience
is clear, but that doesn’t mean he is innocent.) In the rest of verse 4, who does he identify as his judge? Having said these things, what does he admonish them in verse 5? (…do
not judge before the appointed time—when God judges…i.e., the
time is never right for us to judge.) Although these verses talk about ‘judging’ someone’s
faithfulness to the work God has given them, we will use them as a springboard
to other Scripture on judging… (Matthew 7:1-5 NIV) "Do not judge,
or you too will be judged. {2} For in the
same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you
use, it will be measured to you. {3} "Why
do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention
to the plank in your own eye? {4} How can
you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when
all the time there is a plank in your own eye? {5}
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. What did Jesus say we should not do in verse 1? What will happen if we do? Jesus did not give any exceptions to whether or not we should judge in
verse 1. Do you think this was an oversight on His part—are there
times when it is permissible for us to judge? What was the ‘topic’ of judgment in these verses…i.e.,
what areas of ‘constructive criticism’ was Jesus talking about?
(The topic is not identified—it appears to be any topic.) Many people perhaps look at verse 2 and say, “I don’t mind
being judged by the same standards I use to judge others!”, probably
because they don’t consider themselves to have the same problem as
the person they are judging. In that light, what does Jesus remind us
in verse 3? (The reason we can’t see our problem is that we have
another one…much bigger…obstructing our view. His commentary
suggests that none of us will ever be at a point in life where we are
‘lily white’ enough to be a judge.) (Luke 6:36-38 NIV) Be merciful, just
as your Father is merciful. {37} "Do
not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not
be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
{38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed
down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." What does Jesus tell us to be in verse 36 and why are we to be this way?
Then—in verse 37—what does Jesus tell us not to do? (Do not
judge or condemn…forgive instead.) Why do you think Jesus put the admonition to be merciful precedes verse
37? Why is it difficult to be merciful, not judge, not condemn but forgive
instead…when you can prove the person is wrong!? (Because
we forget God could do the same to us. The difference is that God never
wanted to destroy us, but save and restore us. We have to learn
to do this.) (Colossians 3:13 NIV) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances
you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. What does the first sentence in this verse tell us to do? What does the second sentence say? What bearing do you think the second part of this verse has on the first? The admonition in the preceding verses was to ‘have mercy, do not
judge or condemn, and forgive’. How do you think the advice in this
verse to ‘bear with each other’ will facilitate this? (John 8:1-11 NIV) But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. {2} At dawn
he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered
around him, and he sat down to teach them. {3} The teachers of the law
and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her
stand before the group {4} and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman
was caught in the act of adultery. {5} In the Law Moses commanded us to
stone such women. Now what do you say?" {6} They were using this
question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus
bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. {7} When
they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If
any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at
her." {8} Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. {9}
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones
first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
{10} Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned you?" {11} "No one,
sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus
declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." Who brought the woman to Jesus? (The ‘Rules Officials’…experts
in making judgment calls.) What had the woman done? (Broken one of the ‘Big Rules’.) From a human point of view, why were the teachers of the law and the
Pharisees ‘qualified’ to bring her to Jesus? (They made sure
they were not guilty of breaking the same rule.) In contrast to the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, why is it rare
to see someone who knows they don’t ‘have it all together’
accuse someone else of their shortcomings? Therefore, who is most likely to set themselves up as a judge of others?
(The person who believes he/she ‘has their act together’.) (1 Corinthians 10:12 NIV) So, if you think you are standing firm,
be careful that you don't fall! What is the warning in this verse to the person who thinks he/she ‘has
it all together’? (Romans 14 NIV) Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment
on disputable matters. {2} One man's faith allows him to eat everything,
but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. What is the difference between the two people in verse 2? Many people have problems with the truth in this verse. Why? Because
it takes away the all-inclusive ‘black and white’ list of right
and wrong and puts the issue of whether certain things are permissible
between the individual and God. When this happens, people can no longer
dictate to others what they can and cannot do…a serious threat to
a long-standing—albeit unscriptural— practice in the religious
community. {3} The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does
not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man
who does, for God has accepted him. What are the two behaviors that are warned against in verse 3? (One is
looking down on the other because he has more freedom, while the other
is condemning the ‘more sinful’ brother.) Have you seen these two types of behavior exhibited by Christians who
disagreed about what Christians should and should not do? Why do you suppose
they ignore the admonition in this verse? {4} Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master
he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him
stand. What unique light does the question in verse 4 shed on judging someone?
(Only one person has the right to judge a servant…his master. If
you judge someone, you are suggesting you are his/her
master…in this case God…and he/she is your servant.
Thus, the desire to control.) Ultimately, what does the verse say God will do? {5} One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man
considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own
mind. {6} He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who
eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains,
does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. {7} For none of us lives
to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. {8} If we live,
we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we
live or die, we belong to the Lord. {9} For this very reason, Christ died
and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and
the living. These verses are examples of some of the ‘topics’ about which
people were judging each other, probably different from the ones people
deal with today. During your next quiet time, ask God to remind you of
some of the ‘topics’ Christians use to judge others. As you
do, ask yourself; “Do I allow people to judge my freedom in Christ
in these areas, or do I condemn others for their freedom in these areas?” {10} You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look
down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.
{11} It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every
knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" {12}
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. {13} Therefore
let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind
not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. How would you summarize the first sentence in verse 13? {14} As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no
food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean,
then for him it is unclean. {15} If your brother is distressed because
of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating
destroy your brother for whom Christ died. {16} Do not allow what you
consider good to be spoken of as evil. {17} For the kingdom of God is
not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy
in the Holy Spirit, {18} because anyone who serves Christ in this way
is pleasing to God and approved by men. {19} Let us therefore make every
effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. {20} Do not
destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it
is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.
{21} It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else
that will cause your brother to fall. {22} So whatever you believe about
these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does
not condemn himself by what he approves. Wouldn’t it be terrific if everyone could agree to do what the first
sentence in verse 22 tells us to do? {23} But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his
eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith
is sin. Going back to verse 2, which had the stronger faith? According to this
verse (15:1), who is the burden on to ‘back away from the quarrel’? (Colossians 2:16-23 NIV) Therefore do not let anyone judge you by
what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon
celebration or a Sabbath day. {17} These are a shadow of the things that
were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. {18} Do not let
anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify
you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he
has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. {19}
He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported
and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it
to grow. {20} Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this
world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:
{21} "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? {22} These
are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands
and teachings. {23} Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom,
with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh
treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual
indulgence. Perhaps some still question what the ‘topics’ of judgment are.
What ‘hint’ is given in verse 16 about what the topic could
be? What is the ‘hint’ in verse 18? (False humility. What is false
humility? When a person thinks they are more spiritual than everyone else,
then tries to act ‘humble’ about it.) What is the ‘hint’ in verse 21? What does verse 23 say about these ‘regulations’? (James 4:11-12 NIV) Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who
speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges
it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment
on it. {12} There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able
to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor? According to verse 11, what is one of the ‘forms’ people use
to judge each other? (Gossip and slander.) According to verse 12, how many are qualified to judge? (One—and
it isn’t any of us.) (James 5:9 NIV) Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you
will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! What is another form? Bottom Line: (Hebrews 4:12 NIV) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper
than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Finally! Where does the ‘judging’ come from that we need in
our lives? When God reveals His judgments to each of us as His word penetrates
our soul, spirit and heart, we are then able to do the following: (Galatians 6:4-5 NIV) Each one should test his own actions. Then he
can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
{5} for each one should carry his own load. (Galatians 6:1-3 NIV) Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you
who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you
also may be tempted. {2} Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you
will fulfill the law of Christ. {3} If anyone thinks he is something when
he is nothing, he deceives himself. Close With Prayer. You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else,
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