Daily Bread 10-8-16

James 4:11,12

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy: who art thou to judges another?

ref. - Mt 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

In the book of James we are given sound advice according to scripture and supported by the teachings of Christ. Here we are told that we are not given the power to judge another. By trying to judge someone, and this does not mean telling someone of their sin, we step into the jurisdiction of Christ. We are not capable nor powerful enough to actually judge someone. This belongs to Christ. Now, let us not get judgment confused with the declaration or affirmation of sin. We need to be told of our sin and instructed in how to escape it. We need to be convicted in our souls of wrongdoing. Judgment is the actual handing out of punishment for a crime committed. A decision or sentence. Ministers are fully capable of letting people know of their sin and showing them the way to receive forgiveness in Christ Jesus but are in no way capable of taking a man's soul and casting it into hell. The only one who is responsible for our souls is ourselves and Christ. We have a decision whether to receive correction and improve ourselves to avoid the everlasting judgment that is to come if we remain in sin or remain in fire. But ignorance is not ignorance of we are told of our sins. This is what always brings the sinner to attack with verses like this, when they are informed of their sin and are now responsible for it. You see, this easy feeling, guilt free, I can do anything attitude that the world is teaching is not acceptable to God. We, instead of trying to use these verses to tell everyone, including the minister, that they cannot tell us no or that we are wrong, should read these verses in fear. Taking every opportunity to find out the weak points in our lives and fix them before we have to face someone with the actual power to end our lives and cast us body and soul into hell. The end of today's lesson is this. No man can take away what God has given us. When they show us that we are falling short by the proper use of scripture and Christ's teachings we should be grateful and know that they are trying to save us from eternal damnation. We cannot, nor ever will on this earth, have the power to cast someone into heaven or hell and neither can anyone else. If we try to use this power we are just trying to step past Christ and this will never happen. We should stop worrying about our tender feelings and think about not what man says of us or who is saying it, but are we failing God? Is what they are saying that convicts us going to end us in a lake of fire? We have a much greater thing to fear than what comes from the mouths of men but if what they say is backed by the Gospel we have become responsible for the knowledge. We can't unhear the truth. We must fear a God who is only putting up with us because his Son is going to bat for us. If we displease Christ, well, then, I guess we have turned our backs on the only one that can help us. So, let us go forward with what God has given us in Christ and become the people that he can make us to be! Not taking on power that is not given to us, but rather watching our own selves so that when we do face him, we will be welcomed home!!!! Have a great day!!!