I read this verse this morning and it impacted me. I've read it before but have not really seen what it means until today. What do you think it means?
"For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord" 1 Corinthians 4:4
__________________
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.
New Living Translation:
1 So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God"™s mysteries. 2 Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. 3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don"™t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn"™t prove I"™m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.
__________________
Mere religion is just hanging around the cross.......True Christianity is getting on the cross.
Excellent Verse/ Thought Lizzie,
and excellent replies..
Summary..we can't trust ourselves..even our best self..Only God truly knows us..and if that's the case..who are we to judge others?
It was the NIV version that really caught my attention. I normally read the KJV version but I have a women's devotional bible that is NIV and that's what I was reading this morning.
"My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."
What I saw in this is that even though we may not feel guilty about something, even though we think we are innocent about something, even though our conscience "feels right", it doesn't mean that what we feel or think is right. So many people these days say, "Well I don't feel like it is wrong so it must be okay." God will be our judge in the end. He is the one that knows the very motives of our hearts.
But I guess you could also take it as sometimes people judge you without really knowing you or knowing the situation, however God knows it all and will reveal in the end what was really right or wrong.
Which one do you think?
Thank you for responding!
__________________
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Just some incoherent rambling which will probably only make sense to myself. Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Believing is having faith in what is heard. Ro 10:17 How shall they hear without a preacher? Ro 10:14 Preaching must be by (according to)the word of God. Ro 10:17 The word of God is pure, converting the soul. Ps 19:7
When the word is preached, the Spirit speaks to the heart saying, this is the way,walk ye in it. Is 30:21
Why then isn't all men saved? The Gospel is preached!There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is death. Prov 14:12 Man doesn't trust in what he hears from Gods word, he walks by what the sees with his eyes. Faith doesn't come by seeing miracles as some teach. Faith comes by hearing alone.Lam.3:51 Mine eye effecteth my heart. Science produces a bone and says it is the forerunner of modern man, we see itand our heart is effected. God declares beyond question that He is One Lord, Duet 6:4. We see a group of religeous leaders declare several hundred years later that God is a Trinity, and it effects our heart. Our eye, (carnal reasoning) overides what our heart has heard.
When the dust settles, regardless of what we see, think, believe, except, and live according to, God will still remain the unchanging God, King, Ruler, and JUDGE of all.
Issac HEARD the voice and reconized it as the voice of Jacob. He then felt the hairy skin covering, smelled with the nose the smell there of, ect. He trusted in every sense he had, except his hearing! Had he listened to his ears, he would not have made such a mistake.
David, a man after God's own heart, got lazy and failed to go to battle with the armies of Israel. He was spiritually AWOL! As a result, he was walking on the rooftop with wandering eyes. He saw Bathsheba and his heart was effected. He lusted, committed adultry, killed Urriah and several other men in the effort to cover his sin. All because his eye effected his heart.
It matters not what we think, how we reason, or justify our action, thoughts, intents, ect. God remains the only Judge and he uses his word as the guideline for all men. John 12:48
Lately I have been riding to work with my husband to save on gas (we both work at the same school). This causes me to be at work an hour and 15 minutes earlier than I need to be. Although it is not easy leaving the house so early in the morning it has been a blessing to me! That extra time alone in my office allows the perfect opportunity to have my devotional time.
I've been reading in 1 Corinthians lately and this whole "judging" thing has me intrigued.
I have heard over and over the phrase "you have no right to judge me, only God can" but this morning I saw something different in 1 Corinthians 5:12, 13.
"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you."
In that chapter Paul makes it a point to tell the corinthians not to associate with the ones that call themselves Christians but continue being sexually immoral, or greedy, or idolaters, or slanderers, or drunkards, or swindlers. We are told not to even eat with them. He makes it very clear that this doesn't apply to those that are not Christians. He tells us not to judge the nonchristians but to certainly judge the Christians....
You know, I have read the Bible many times over and studied it since I was 12 years old but I still learn and notice fresh things most every time I sit to study it..... I suppose if I didn't continue to learn something new then something would be wrong spiritually....
__________________
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
It was the NIV version that really caught my attention. I normally read the KJV version but I have a women's devotional bible that is NIV and that's what I was reading this morning.
"My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."
What I saw in this is that even though we may not feel guilty about something, even though we think we are innocent about something, even though our conscience "feels right", it doesn't mean that what we feel or think is right. So many people these days say, "Well I don't feel like it is wrong so it must be okay." God will be our judge in the end. He is the one that knows the very motives of our hearts.
But I guess you could also take it as sometimes people judge you without really knowing you or knowing the situation, however God knows it all and will reveal in the end what was really right or wrong.
Which one do you think?
Thank you for responding!
One of the most fascinating things about the bible is that it is so deep. There is more than one meaning or lesson and I think your first statement is the main one. Your conscience can help guide you but it is the Holy Ghost whom if you ask will reveal the truth to you. Your conscience is the highest moral standard you yourself know and it is part of our responsibility to hone that, we should strive to gain the knowledge to develope our conscience as much as is possible.
Your second statement is encouragement and makes me think of Christ on the cross when He says " Forgive them Father for they know not." But it is a secondary meaning that connects to the first.
How about this verse???
Only God truly knows us..and if that's the case..who are we to judge others?
