“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24).
We received the following response to Must Everything Be Spelled Out in the Bible?:
In your letter to Darwin Fish you state “You do not know for sure whether you are saved or not. Let me tell you this – if one is born again, he or she knows it.” I do not argue this point, I would like to point out that I know plenty of people who are absolutely convinced they are “born again,” but know little or no truth. My point is, this is a weak argument, everyone is righteous in their own eyes.
I have read many of your letters, I agree with a good amount of what you say. I think what bothers me is, since I know you are a man, and consequently a sinner, you are not judging from a state of perfection.
I realize your argument would be you are judging from God’s word. Just keep in mind as you judge so shall you be judged. You judge quite harshly. Just a little friendly advice from a fellow sinner…..Greg
Our reply:
Greetings in Christ Jesus, Greg,
I greet you in the Name of Christ, not as a formality, but as reality. If not for the Lord being with us, we could not say or do anything regarding spiritual matters. On the other hand, in Him, we can and do judge everything (1 Corinthians 2:15), not after the appearance, but according to the Spirit, which is righteous judgment.
Since the Lord commands us to do this, who are you to judge us unrighteously, when we, by His grace, obey Him and fulfill His will? How can you assume that we are not perfect, when it is His expressed will that we be perfect? The Lord gives us commandment to be perfect (Matthew 5:48), as does His apostle, Paul (2 Corinthians 13:11). Is the Lord a liar? Is Paul a fool? He also spoke the wisdom of God to them that were perfect (1 Corinthians 2:6). You accuse him of lying, too? You, along with Darwin, betray yourself by your words, professing yourself to be a sinner walking in the flesh. Our flesh is no less sinful than yours, but we do not happen to be walking in ours.
“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18).
How is it that you do not know about or understand these things? Because either you are not born again, or worse yet, having quenched the Spirit in sin, you fulfill the proverb of the dog that returns to his vomit, and the pig to wallowing in the mire.
You say that it is a weak argument to tell Darwin that he is not saved by virtue of the fact that he does not know if he is. Yes, there are people who think they are born again that are not, as you argue. But that does not negate the fact that those who are truly born again know it. Therefore Darwin’s uncertainty is revelatory. How could it not be? It is written:
“By this we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:13).
And:
“But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Romans 8:9).
There is no condemnation in not knowing, and it would be good for Darwin were he to be consistent in that confession. Then there would be hope. But he is not sticking to his claim of uncertainty inasmuch as he is judging all others after the flesh, puffed up with his knowledge. What business does he have judging everyone else when he is not saved, and is not in the Lord’s Spirit and speaking by Him? Darwin is not sitting on the throne of God, except as usurper, and therefore he is a hypocrite, liar, and false prophet.
You write: “Just keep in mind as you judge so shall you be judged.” You do not recognize or know that we judge, as we have been judged, by God. “Judgment begins at the house of God,” not ends there. You know nothing as you ought to, Greg. If you are a friend, you will receive us and our words. If you are not, you will remain in your sins, and condemnation, by which you condemn us, and far worse, God Who is with us.
The Word is made flesh, but you are not confessing that He comes in the flesh.
Contending with sinners who contradict themselves, as did the Lord and His saints, unto death, that the world might have life,
Paul
Hi Greg, Victor here,
Paul has replied to your letter as well, and covered certain points. I have this to say in addition:
You write:
“I think what bothers me is, since I know you are a man, and consequently a sinner, you are not judging from a state of perfection. I realize your argument would be you are judging from God’s word.”
After an immeasurable period of being exposed to, and submerged in, the false love claiming to be godly, and witnessing only a false gospel with “another Jesus,” as has been the case with many millions, I can understand your reaction and words. I too was deceived for many years and had to be delivered of delusion.
You must know that it is by men that God speaks, calling to repentance (read The Big Lie Exposed). He sent prophets to speak out against the sins of His people. He sends us to speak the truth no less today. “Judging”? God has the right to judge whom He wills, and if He sends a man as an instrument for such a duty and purpose, will you argue with Him? I seem to sense that you mean well, Greg, but you are in error. Your error is due to the fact that you have not been made perfect in knowledge, a wonderful blessing unknown to the carnal mind but which is certainly available to whom God gives. We have been blessed with that gift, and only thus can we speak. As John says:
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things” (1 John 2:20).
He is not lying, Greg, nor speaking idle words. It is truth.
I am not “judging from God’s Word,” as you put it. I am judging from God, and His Word agrees. Yet, it is not my judgment but His. If it were my judgment, I would be presuming righteousness on my part, but there is none; you know it, and I know it. By His righteousness, and His alone, we judge. As He commanded, “Judge righteous judgment.”
Victor