Can We Judge Others?
Is This Different Than Discernment?
“God judge between you and me”. Ouch! That’s a phrase we never hear spoken today. And if we do, it’s rarely. Why? Because. No one would have the presumption to say such a thing, and if we’re not careful and in the wrong, we will be judged.
But what does that mean?
What is it to be judged by God?
It means that we will be examined and found lacking if there is something in which we are remiss. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
But, assuming we are reconciled to Him by grace through faith, judgment from God can usually mean chastisement.
This is yet another principle we are sorely neglectful of teaching and of being taught.
When a man or woman is a child of God, they will know this by the discipline He gives. A person out there on their own in the world may or may not suffer retribution for what they do, but a Christian cannot continue in sin without some form of suffering for it.
If this fails to happen, it is reasonable to question whether or not one is, in fact, saved.
“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” Hebrews 12:7-8
This means that if you wrong another person or if you sin in some other way, God will put roadblocks in your life that will cause you suffering. It doesn’t mean that all pain is because you are sinning, but it is good to evaluate whether there is something the Lord is trying to tell you.
The point is that God will judge His children.
“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” Proverbs 1:23
This means to have a listening spirit that changes direction when God’s hand falls upon you. It means that if you repent, God will remove the rebuke similar to when Jonah was spat out of the whale upon the beach at Nineveh.
It was commonplace for people to ask God to settle their disputes. That is what Moses was doing when he heard the cases brought before him by the people. This is also what occurred when a man would stand in front of the priests and ask that their request be considered that God would render a decision regarding potential infidelity.
When Sarah asked that God judge between herself and Abraham, it was after she was behaving roughly with her servant Hagar. Sarah had concocted the plan for Hagar to become pregnant by Abraham to fulfill the promise that she and Abraham would have offspring. Thus when Hagar became pregnant, she had an attitude toward Sarah, and Sarah responded by being harsh with her.
Abraham attempted to intercede and Sarah would have none of it, saying God judge between you and me. In any case, Abraham decided it was better not to involve himself, which is generally a wise position to take. He could have been right all along, but invoking the Almighty may be evidence of a hubris he did not wish to partake in. Or he could have been wrong and known it. Either way.
In the time of the judges of Israel, people were accustomed to the idea that a person would decide who was right or wrong in a case brought before them. We do this today if we go to civil or criminal court, for example, and the idea is to establish justice. Hopefully, truth will prevail. That is the innate desire, anyhow.
